Happy Samhain Blessings & Happy Halloween

Posted on October 30, 2017 by

58 Comments

I’m celebrating Samhain a day early because I have something special planned for tomorrow, so make sure to stop by.

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday of the year. I don’t know if it was the idea that for one day out of the year, I could be whoever or whatever I wanted, or that I just loved the revelry and beauty of the autumn season. Those reasons are all tied up together like a gift with a huge bow.

My happiest childhood memories always occurred during the fall. My parents were avid photographers (stereo), and I remember traipsing around the state of Wisconsin gazing at fall color, walking in the woods, and posing for photos. To this day, I have never seen fall color that rivaled those days long ago.

Image Credit: Facebook.com/TheWhiteWitchParlour

I consider myself to be a Pagan Buddhist which involved my departure from the traditional Christian holidays and traditions. My spiritual journey has allowed me to become comfortable with who I have evolved into. What a great place to be.

Did you know that Halloween derived from the pagan holiday, Samhain (pronounced Sow-in, “Irish”)? The roots of the holiday are based on the Gaelic festival of the harvest and the beginning of winter.

Wikipedia shares:

“This is about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with Imbolc, Bealtaine, and Lughnasadh. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Similar festivals are held at the same time of year in other Celtic lands; for example the Brythonic Calan Gaeaf (in Wales), Kalan Gwav (in Cornwall), Kalan Goañv (in Brittany), and Samaín (in Galicia).”

Image Credit: Pinterest.com

Samhain is much more than trick-or-treating, although if I still had little ones, I would be right there leading the pack of kids down the street. The weather will be too cold to sit outside and hand out candy this year. I will miss that.

This will be the second year that my husband and I will celebrate Samhain. Homemade chili and gluten-free cornbread are on the menu. I have prayers planned for our deceased ancestors and will make sure to recharge my crystals in the moonlight if possible. I’ll raise a glass of ginger rum and toast the changing of the seasons. Won’t you join me?

Image Credit: Witchywords.blogstpot.com

NOW – You know I can’t stray far from the myths of the fairies… especially on Samhain!

Image Credit: Jasmoonbutterly.blogspot.com

It has been rumored that Samhain Eve is when the veil lifts between our two worlds (Earthly and the Otherworld) and the fairies and other immortals freely roam the earth. Only the bravest of men ventured out on Samhain Eve. The possibility of meeting one of these lost souls or “scary fairies,” was just too high! Many folks stayed safe inside their homes.

La Dia de Los Muertos, the day of the dead, sprang forth from this belief that the dead walked the earth on Samhain Eve. Sugar skulls are made to commemorate the event to this day.

sugar-skulls-1528767_1920

Speaking of “scary fairies…” On Saturday, October 28th, I shared a post called, “Six True Magical Encounters With Real Fairies: (True Fairy Encounter Series).” I revealed my fairy encounter (which happened in early November 2014), and I asked readers to share their experiences too.

Here is what they said:

D.G. Kaye reminded me of a photo she shared on Facebook. At the bottom, near her feet was a fairy orb. She had never seen one before and was amazed that the wee ones had made contact with her. Sometimes we don’t know they’re there.

Image used with Permission ©Debby Gies

Ksbeth said: “I always teach my kinders about the fairies and try to get them to keep an open mind to them.”

Liz H, From the Valley of the Trolls, shared this post: Tag You’re It. Yup, she’s had troll sightings! You’ll want to read this!

AutismPsychologySpirituality said: “Wow! I’ve never had encounters with fairies but loved reading your encounter. I’ve been seeing orbs, animals, colors, and rainbows. I’m always seeing fire rainbows. Rainbows around the sun, rainbows everywhere.”


I’m convinced that fairies and rainbows are connected, and I incorporated that belief into my debut novel, The Heart Stone Chronicles: The Swamp Fairy. A rainbow is a natural gift from the elemental world. When we see one, we believe in magic, if even for a little while.

I’ve seen fairy orbs also. I wrote about fairy orbs HERE and made a video:

DO YOU BELIEVE?

Have a safe and Happy Halloween! ❤

Category: Fairies Myths MagicTags: , , , , , , , ,

58 Comments on “Happy Samhain Blessings & Happy Halloween”

  1. I have never kept Halloween, because this is still in the early years in Denmark. Here in Spain there are holiday at Wednesday the 1. of November, The dead peoples day, where people visit the cemetery, where their loved ones ended up, to celebrate their life.

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          • Hate to admit that I don’t remember the old ways. Feels like it’s always been that way. Then again, I’ll Jewish and our holidays don’t get the same level of treatment.

            Liked by 1 person

          • Aren’t holidays like Christmas and Easter the same? Honestly, I will admit that some of the Jewish traditions could be a little updated. Mostly that we always seem to do turkey instead of pizza or Chinese food. For a guy who doesn’t like turkey, it isn’t much fun. 😛

            Liked by 1 person

          • LOL! I think they should be updated too. That’s why on Samhain I like to do chili and cornbread. For the winter solstice we’ll do something special too. Christmas is all about giving gifts which is crazy. It’s all about the retail industry and not about what should be important. Of course, I don’t have young kids anymore. It would be hard to impose my beliefs on kids and I didn’t with mine. Celebrate in a way that makes you happy – that’s my motto. ❤

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          • Chili and cornbread is an interesting combo for Samhain. For Christmas/Yule/Hanukkah, we actually make it a one present per holiday thing. Not sure what to do this year though. He enjoys the Menorah lightning and has a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, so he does get to have a lot of fun. Guess that’s the important part.

            Liked by 1 person

          • I think that’s awesome and I love your Hanukkah/Christmas tradition. Hats off to you both. Traditions are so important for kids. It gives them a sense of family and helps to form their identity. LOL! About the chili and cornbread – we did that last year for the winter solstice, except I made fresh bread. I thought it was the perfect meal for harvest. I’ve had to go gluten-free and dairy free so its always fun to find a meal that works for both of us! ❤

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          • Honestly, I never really thought about the sense of identity and family. We just kind of do it along with all the other fun stuff because it makes him happy. Guess you’re right about the other effects.

            Liked by 1 person

  7. I really enjoyed reading this blog! Autumn is my favourite time of year and especially Halloween. For some reason the dyeing leaves falling all around us and the slow change in weather creeping in gives an eerie atmosphere that fires up my imagination. There is definitely something magical in the air at this time of year.
    Tonight I am pumpkin carving with my son and filling his head with magic stories I have made up over the years! Happy Samhain! 🎃

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    Reply

    • Thank you! What a lovely message to read. You are truly passing on your love of the season to your son. What a great way to honor your ancestors. I love it! Happy Samhain. ❤️❤️❤️

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  9. Such great information, Colleen. I have a video of an orb as well. In fact, I’ll be publishing the video again tomorrow as part of my music feature which, this week, has a Halloween theme.
    Happy Samhain to Ron and you. 🎃
    xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. I’ve always loved Halloween because it was such fun to dress up and gather with community. My town was tiny and yet the county seat, so all the kids from school (all grades) gathered and we matched in costume in a parade and are hot dogs at the Forest Service Station. Then we trick-or-treated deadline neighbors already giving us candy at the parade! Neighbors loved the young visitors and some even told ghost stories. It has that old time gathering before winter feel. Thanks for sharing all the stories, too!

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    Reply

  13. Happy Samain Sis! I loved this post, it’s full of great description and meanings interpreted. Indeed we shall honor our Sister holiday! And thanks for the mention, after all, it was YOU who told me about that orb at my feet. 🙂 I shall check out some of the other links you included in this fab post. ❤
    🎃🎃

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    Reply

  15. Happy Samhain, Colleen,
    May the blessings of the faerie realm reach out to you now in the beginning until the end of time. Blessed be are those who walk the path of moonlight,
    All our love from Scotland,
    Adele, Becca and Dante.
    We will be setting a place for our ancestors tonight at the table and a plate of food for the faeries at the front door. Traditions that I keep from way back. Handed down like our memories and the love our ancestors feel for us. xxx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you, Viva. Happy Samhain. The woods in Wisconsin were spectacular long ago. If I close my eyes I can still smell decayed leaves and pine needles. When it rained, it would make the colors so vibrant it was like they were fluorescent. Lovely memories. ❤

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      Reply

  20. A lovely post, Colleen. I have never heard of Samhain, so thanks for enlightening me. Fall is such a beautiful time of year with the colorful pumpkins, gourds, falling leaves, mums. apple cider, bright berries on the shrubs, the aroma of stew or chili simmering on the stove, and the crackling of the first fires. Fairies? I BELIEVE!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Michelle, autumn surely gives us some special beauty to enjoy. I know you believe, my sweet friend, and that is another gift. Happy autumn. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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Colleen M. Chesebro: Prose-Metrist, Novelist, & Word Witch
Colleen M. Chesebro

Colleen M. Chesebro

Colleen M. Chesebro is an American Poet who loves crafting paranormal fantasy and magical realism, cross-genre flash fiction, syllabic poetry, and creative nonfiction. Colleen sponsors a weekly syllabic poetry challenge, called Tanka Tuesday, on wordcraftpoetry.com where participants learn how to write traditional and current forms of haiku, senryu, haiga, tanka, gogyohka, tanka prose, renga, solo-renga, haibun, cinquain, Etheree, nonet, and shadorma poetry. Colleen's syllabic poetry has appeared in the Auroras & Blossoms Poetry Journal, and in “Hedgerow, a journal of small poems.” She’s won numerous awards from participating in the Carrot Ranch Rodeo, a yearly flash fiction contest sponsored by carrotranch.com. In 2020, she won first place in the Carrot Ranch Folk Tale or Fable category, with her story called “Why Wolf Howls at the Moon.” Colleen is a Sister of the Fey, where she pursues a pagan path through her writing. When she is not writing, she is reading. She also loves gardening and crocheting old-fashioned doilies into works of art.

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