All you need to know about Samhain

It’s the season of the witch! Can you feel the veil of reality thinning?

Far from being about scary old hags who eat children and curse your village, a witch was once a revered title for someone wise, connected to nature’s cycles and magical!

As we reach Samhain, the penultimate sabbat for this year, many celebrate this as the beginning of the pagan year.

Samhain, pronounced "sow-in," is celebrated from the evening of 31st October to the evening of 1st November, marking the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter.

Image is a close-up of Samhain illustrated in our Wheel of the Year print

The festival represents the death of the summer, a time when the boundary between the physical and spiritual worlds was perceived to be at its thinnest.

There are so many ways to mark this mystical time of year (see below for ideas), some honour ancestors with altars and ceremonies, whilst others sing by a bonfire and tell spooky tales.

Samhain is believed to have its origins in pagan traditions over 2,000 years ago. This year it falls on the same day as Diwali, the Hindi Festival of Lights. All the more reason to mark it with a gathering with loved ones.

Samhain Soul Cakes Recipe

Soul cakes were traditionally baked as a gift for the spirits of the departed during Samhain. Here's a simple recipe that connects us to this age-old tradition.

Ingredients

1 cup of butter

2 teaspoons of cider vinegar

4-6 tablespoons of milk

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 180C, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
• Rub the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then add them to the mixture.
• Add the cider vinegar and mix well. The dough should be firm but not too dry. If needed, add milk tablespoon by tablespoon until the right consistency is achieved.
• Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1cm. Cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter.
• Arrange the rounds on the prepared baking sheet and prick each one several times with a fork.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden.
• Allow to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

“The Cailleach is revered in Celtic mythology, often portrayed as a hag or crone and associated with winter. She is believed to reign from Samhain until Beltane in May, embodying the destructive power of winter. Despite her often-frightening countenance, the Cailleach is considered a creator goddess, shaping the land through weather and the forces of nature.”