Samhain.

No. It is not Halloween. It's Samhain. See wikipedia if you don't believe me. ;-)

Samhain is a Gaelic festival celebrating the end of harvest season and the beginning of winter. For Wiccans and Pagans it's considered a Sabbat to honour the ancestors who came before us and moved on to the Summerland (somewhat compared to heaven for Christians although different). It's usually held right between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice and a good time to contact the spirit world, e.g. with a seance, because during this time the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest. It is usually celebrated on the night of October 31 and November 1. In the old days the souls were welcomed to feasts where places at the tables were set for them. In many traditions and rituals this is still done.

Sunset on Samhain is the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The old year has passed, the harvest has been gathered, cattle and sheep have been brought in from the fields, and the leaves have fallen from the trees. The earth slowly begins to die around us.

This is a good time for us to look at wrapping up the old and preparing for the new in our lives. Think about the things you did in the last twelve months. Have you left anything unresolved? If so, now is the time to wrap things up. Once you cleared away all that unfinished stuff, move it out of your life, you can begin looking forward to the next year.

For some of us, Samhain is when we remember our ancestors. If you’ve ever done genealogy research, or if you’ve had a loved one die in the past year, tomorrow is the perfect night to celebrate their memory. If we’re fortunate, they will return to communicate with us from beyond the veil, and offer advice, protection and guidance for the upcoming year.

Blessed Samhain. Blessed new year.