31st

[Tylluan]

Halloween (also known as Samhain Eve, Hallowmas, All Hallow's Eve, All Saint's Eve, Festival of the Dead, and the Third Festival of Harvest). Every year on this day, the most important of the eight Witches' Sabbats is celebrated by Wiccans throughout the world with traditional Pagan feasts, bonfires, and rituals to honour the spirits of deceased loved ones. The divinatory arts of scrying and rune-casting are traditionally practiced by Wiccans on this magical night, as in standing before a mirror and making a secret wish. The last night of October was the ancient Celt's New Year's Eve. It marked the end of the Summer and the beginning of Winter (also known as the dark half of the year). In many parts of the world, special cakes and food are prepared for the dead on this night. In Ireland, a Halloween festival is celebrated annually for the ancient Pagan Goddess Tara. This day is sacred to the Goddesses Cerridwen, Eurydice, Hecate, Hel, Inanna, Kali, the Morrigan, Nephthys, Oya, Samia, Sedna, Tara, and Vanadis. The feast of Samhain marks the onset of a darker, more introspective time of year, when access to the otherworld is easier than usual. The festival is also known as halloween, when witches ride abroad:

"Hey ho for Hallowe'en,
When all the witches are to be seen;
Some in black and some in green,
Hey ho for Hallowe'en!"

Samhain Blessings to one and all.