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| Samhain Altar (Image Source: Circle Sanctuary) |
While most pagan holidays are festive and social occasions Samhain tends to be a holiday celebrated in solitude or with a small group of people. The reason for this is because many pagans tend to focus on deceased loved ones, remembering the good times that were had before their deaths. Altars dedicated to these loves ones are erected in remembrance. Other pagans focus not on death but on renewal, spending their time reorganizing their homes and/or lives. Resolutions for the upcoming year are made, akin to those made in the secular New Year celebrations held in January. Other pagans spend the evening with small groups of family and/or friends, hosting a dinner of locally harvested crops.
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| Samhain Dinner Celebration (Image Source: Contemporary Shaman) |
Bibliography
Blumberg, A. 2014. "Samhain 2014: Facts, Dates, Traditions And Rituals To Know." Huffington Post. Website.
Fox, S. 2015. "Celebrating Samhain." Circle Sanctuary. Website.
No Author. N.D. "Samhain." The Order of the Bards, Ovates, & Druids. Website.
53 comments:
I always thought that Samhain was Danzigs band after The Misfits and before Danzig. I have friends that practice this day. They have never talk in depth about it to me though. I like how in many cultures people find reasons to celebrate change and death rather than being just a time for grieving. I grow crops and have my own urban
farm. I see the impact of decay as a good thing because the decay will give the life next year a better chance at being successful.
Mark Norris
I never really heard of this holiday. I knew many religions celebrate death instead of being afraid of it, people still grieve in their own way but this also helps with being able to celebrate with the ones who have past. It is great that they don't only focus on remembering but also celebrating a new year. -Gabriela Chavez.
I have a lot of friends that say that they are Pagan. This year, I was got to be apart of a mini celebration. There was a lot of food and a bonfire and "offerings". It reminded me of my childhood. I was raised in a very Catholic, Hispanic family and it was expected annually to go all out in celebration for Dia de Los Muertos. It was nice to be apart of a something I've never seen before.
~Rhonni Lumpkin
I genially enjoy learning new things about different cultures so I am glad that I took the time to read this blog. I also feel this was a great choice for the blog because from my experience most people don't know very much about Pagan practices. I can feel a sense of understanding being that in my culture we do Dia De los muertos to remember the loved ones we have lost. Each culture has their own way and I'm glad that I was able to learn about it. -Jennifer Juarez
If you enjoyed this post you should check out the one on All Saints Day is celebrated in Chile. There is a link to it in the next module.
If you enjoyed this post you should check out the one on All Saints Day is celebrated in Chile. There is a link to it in the next module.
I had no idea that paganism was still a belief that people held around the globe! I think we as Americans could possibly take away from Samhain and possible reflect and remember more about our own deceased loved ones rather than focus on gathering candy. Very good read thank you!
-Patrick Cattell
I remember a pastor at a church I was attending warning the parents of the evil of this holiday, and how they should not let their children trick or treat or dress up, otherwise we would be participating in pagan beliefs. So, in response to that, I was allowed to dress up as an angel- bring a flair of christianity to a pagan holiday.
Interesting that the Pagan god was resurrected just like Christ. There seems to be a trend where different religions follow the same practices as Christianity. No matter if it is Easter or if it is Halloween.
Nick Calhoun
That's because Christianity, which has been around for a little over 2000 years, borrowed from many of the preexisting pagan faiths that existed for far longer and that were contemporary with the inception of Christianity.
That's because Christianity, which has been around for a little over 2000 years, borrowed from many of the preexisting pagan faiths that existed for far longer and that were contemporary with the inception of Christianity.
I have never heard of this holiday either. After reading it kind of reminded me of dia de los muertas in the way of remembering the life of a past loved one while coming together with family and friends and celebrating with food and company. I like the point of it all. Thank you for sharing and teaching me something new yet again.
I have never heard of this holiday, but I enjoy reading about all topics like this. I think people should be able to celebrate whatever they want, and if this holiday suits those who want to participate in it then I am all for it! I was raised Catholic, which in my opinion is a weird religion in its own right, and was taught that people who didn't share my religious views were pagans, and therefore ungodly people. I do not share this view at all, and think that remembering good times with deceased loved ones or a renewal of life is a comforting thought to have and celebrate, as in the holiday of Samhain. Thanks for this, it was incredibly interesting and thought provoking!
Before reading this I had no idea that there was such thing as a holiday called Samhain, but what I did find interesting was the fact that how they celebrate it is in a way similar to the way my family celebrates Dia de Los Muertos. They all get together and have a dinner remembering all of our past loved ones.
-Erick Anguiano
All of the information in this blog post is brand new to me. It is very interesting to see the different ways that separate religions view the topic of death. I appreciate how in this religion they mourn their loved ones, but by the same token they are celebrating their lives, and cherishing past memories. It's also refreshing to see a holiday that is not so materialistic. With the holiday season approaching, it is impossible to escape the bombarding of advertisements, and yet this holiday celebrates in a very quiet fashion.
-Matt Santos
I have never heard of this holiday Samhain, but from reading it seems really cool and almost the same as the Hispanic celebration of the day of the dead. They celebrate the dead, but from what I read the Samhain is much more discreet and less of a big thing. It is really interesting and descreet as some have never heard of it, but I like the idea of it and I will definitely be doing some more research about it.
Very interesting read. It's different when relating their New Years to ours, where as ours is usually a large loud and happy celebration but Samhain seems like a much darker way to bring in a new beginning
I have several co-workers and friends that celebrate this day and I was always under the impression that there was some super weird things going on when they would celebrate this holiday. Now i know its not all that odd.
Jordan R
I didn't know this holiday existed until i read this post. I also didn't know that Wiccan was part of the Pagan religion. I also like how it is such a family oriented holiday where everyone comes together and eat from the local crops.
Student Shelby Crawford
I had no idea that this was another holiday. I have heard about Pagans but I have never actually met one. I think it is beautiful how different cultures celebrate Holidays I different ways. I think it is similar to New Years in American culture other than the fact we do not recognize the deceased in our families.
-Anthropology101
i thought that it was pretty cool how in the Holiday Samhain how they celebrate it. almost like how we celebrate how Halloween in mexico with food and we get to together and turn candles on for them and put a table with there favorite foods, candy. and drinks.
I am familiar with Halloween and All Saint’s Day, but the Samhain holiday is new to me. It is interesting to learn about a holiday that is associated with death and renewal. I also found it interesting that it is associated with the harvest of crops and the changing seasons, but I can also see based on the seasons, why it is related to death and then renewal. Some of the traditions for this holiday remind me of Day of the Dead such as remembering loved ones, creating altars to remember them and spending time with small groups, usually family. It also seems that there are many ways in which people celebrate this holiday.
-Irene Mejia
Reading this felt like Deja Vu one night my husband and I watched a horror film randomingly and it caught my interest because the village people were trying to scrafice a vistor at the to satifsy their god at the time of crops changing. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the movie. I tried to google the movie but have been unsuccessful. Reading this piece just made me think of that movie. I never knew such a holiday like this existed and find it very interesting how different cultures share similar holidays but celebrate and interpert them in different ways.
I'm Pagan and Samhain is one of my favorite Sabbats to celebrate throughout the year (second only to Yule)! It's so interesting how the holiday has survived so long, as well as some of the traditional recipes, rituals, celebrations, and spell work (whether you believe it or not).
And no, to anyone wondering, these Samhain rituals do not involve sacrifices of any kind. Mostly just offerings of food, wine, coins, or other such things to the gods. ;)
I am surprised to say I have in fact heard of this holiday, a former coworker of mine was pagan and he celebrated Samhain every year. He would take a whole week off work every year for this holiday, and for him it was a small celebration with close friends that lasted several days. While I never attended his celebrations as I am not a part of this culture, he explained it is a very important holiday for him and his coven. It was very interesting to read this blog as i have only heard of this holiday oncce. I would be interested to find out how many people celebrate this holiday yearly. Mostly because holidays are well known even by people who do not celebrate them.
Shannon Carroll
Anth 101
Thanks for the comment, Shannon, but remember that many pagan faiths are religions, which are an aspect of culture. While they can strongly influence cultural values and beliefs they are separate from culture. :)
Thanks for the comment, Shannon, but remember that many pagan faiths are religions, which are an aspect of culture. While they can strongly influence cultural values and beliefs they are separate from culture. :)
I really enjoyed reading this article! I always knew that October 31st was Halloween and All Saint's Day but I did not know that there was an additional holiday celebrated by Pagans. Halloween is my favorite holiday and Samhain seems really interesting as well. I love the idea of celebrating loved ones rather than grieving and focusing on renewal. Organization of my home always helps me clear my head and reorganizing my life is always a positive thing, no holiday needed.
Samhain is a much more interesting holiday for me than most. There is a ritual about it with candles and offerings, bonfires and memories that is soothing and easy to enjoy. My daughter is Pagan and this holiday ends up being so peaceful, it is hard to explain. My father was raised Catholic and my mom raised Lutheran, though both were non practicing, the ritual is similar and, I think, very good for most human minds. I enjoyed this post and the comments!
I suppose that each culture and religion has its own holiday when autumn turns to winter. Just like some pagan holidays, Mexico has their own holiday called Day of the Dead. They honor the dead by wearing skull outfits and such. Halloween falls on a perfect time of the year. Leaves fall from trees and everything becomes dead.
I have never heard of this holiday. I always just thought of October 31 as Halloween for kids to put on costumes and get candy. I was not aware that the Pagans had a separate holiday for this day. It was interesting to find out that they celebrate this holiday in solitude or with a small group of people. The Pagans use this time to remember the good times of the loved ones they have lost. Its always nice learning about new cultures holidays.
Leslie Milton
Anthropology 101
Course 3001
Like many of the above commenters, I also have never heard of this holiday. This holiday reminds me of Day of the Dead and brings me back to one of my previous comments on a Day of the Dead blog post, I really envy those who celebrate death. Everyone handles the death of loved ones differently but I think one thing should be universal: Reflecting on all of the great memories shared with that certain person. I love how this holiday also embraces nature with season changes and crops dying. This was an interesting read and I'll remember it from now on every October 31st.
-Sam Ruebush Anth 102
I really like a lot of the Pagan holidays. The holiday in rhythm with the changing of the seasons is something that I believe most people can relate to. The somber tone, yet positive outlook of the new year is very attractive. It feels good to take time remembering those who have past, and sharing stories with others in a positive light!
I have a cousin who is Pagan, and I have heard about this celebration many times. I love the idea of celebrating lost loved ones' lives rather than mourning their deaths. I struggle with this daily with the loss of my mother and grandmother. I view death as a new beginning. I like the idea of this holiday being used to make new year resolutions and clean out homes/lives.
My cousin in Utah is a giant fan of this kind of stuff. I'm not even gonna ask him he believes in Samhain, because I believe that is also the name of the god that is being worshiped on this day and I believe his myth is of the Celtic descent .
I didn't know that there was another name/holiday that people celebrated around the world. I never new of Samhain until this article. The idea is great as well said above celebrating the people missed and loved the most who wasn't able to there.
Aaliyah Caldwell
Samhain sounds like a day of mourning, so maybe that's why Halloween has always been associated with spirits.
Samhain was something I had never heard about until this post but it is something that I understand and I kind of am open to the idea of it.
I really like the concept of this holiday they celebrate the death of their god and that sounds pretty cool in my opinion
I like this read because 1, it's short and sweet and 2 because it gets right to the point. I had no prior knowledge such a day existed prior to this class and now it explains in detail what occurs on the day. My only question is does it seem like something a cult would partake in?
Cults can participate in any ritual activities, including Samhain, but the holiday is not in and of itself a cult ritual.
Samhain is a very interesting holiday. It seems like in all holidays usually the name changes but the meaning stays the same depending on the culture or location your from.
This seems a little like Cinco de Mayo, in the sense that they celebrate the dead. Holidays like this really creep me out though. Also, isn't Wiccan some type of Witchcraft ?
Wicca is a pagan faith/religion that focuses on worship and honoring gods and goddesses associated with nature and natural forces. There are some who practice rituals and spells, which is where witchcraft is associated with the religion, but those who do only do so within certain restrictions as dictated by the rule of three. The rule of three mandates that if someone casts a positive spell it will come back to them threefold, but if they cast a negative one the consequences of that spell return threefold back on the caster. Not all Wiccans and pagans in general practice any sort of spell craft, though. :)
Tiffany Heavens
- Is there a certain ethnic group that you have to belong to in order to celebrate this holiday?
I thought that if a holiday was Pagan that meant you wouldn't be celebrating it. I'm so confused right now.
-Monique McAllister
I never heard of this holiday but it reminds me of Thanksgiving. This also reminds me of other holidays that we celebrate.
Dalyla Jordan
Ive never heard of any of these holidays at all, or heard of people celebrating them. very interesting.
I love being able to celebrate the life of a late family member. I feel as though lots of funerals in America at least are used to mourn the loss, more so than celebrate the life that they lived. I may be wrong, but that is just as I see it.
I have never heard of this holiday but I do love the fact that they celebrate the renewal of a deceased loved one. It is hard losing someone that was once so close to you. Many people focus more on how the death happened instead of remembering them for the good times which is why I admire their celebration.
-Apreshana Page
I am not going to lie what caught my eye actually of this particular blog is the name so I thought it would be interesting to read in which it was . I loved this blog because it kind of says to me even though they are gone still celebrate their life and what they did on this earth while they were here . I had never heard of this holiday and i will admit i am actually glad that i have now learned about it . - Mykia Chaney
My name is Tonii Saffore. One thing i really took from this passage is how different everybody celebrate things so differently. One person's celebration could be about good things and being happy. The next person's celebration could be nothing to really celebrate but remember, its kind of sad. I've never heard about this holiday but it seems really interesting.
This holiday kind of reminds me of the day of the dead in the mexican culture.
- Lavonza Marshall
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