samhain... actual date?

[skyeborn_soul]

I have a question. Does Samhain always fall on October 31st? I noticed that the lesser sabbats vary by a day or two depending on solstice and equinox times. Is it the same for the other four? and if so, what day will samhain fall on this year? this is my first sabbat that i'll be celebrating as a dedicant and I really want to go all out, but I want to make sure i'm going to be doing it on the right day. sorry if this is a stupid question.

[MorganaBlue]

Samhain falls on the same day every year, October 31st. It will always be on Halloween. :)
Good luck with your first celebration!!

[Rhianna813]

Hiya,

Here is a full discussion about this very topic on the thread called "which date is what?". Check it out :-)

Rhianna

[Shanti]

Samhain:(Scots Gaelic: Samhuinn) literally means “summer's end.”

Originally...Samhain is the winter season of the ancient Celts.

According to the Celtic calendar, the year was divided into four
quarters: Samhain (winter), Imbolc (spring), Beltane (summer), and Lughnasadh (autumn). The Celtic year began
in November, with Samhain. The Celts were influenced principally by the lunar and
stellar cycles which governed the agricultural year - beginning and ending in autumn
when the crops have been harvested and the soil is
prepared for the winter. Pronunciation differs radically between different groups of
Celtic language speakers. The word "Samhain" is probably derived
from the Irish Gaelic word "samhraidhreadh", or "summer's end". Samhain is also known
as Calan Gaeaf to the Welsh. Bealtaine, Lúnasa and Samhain are still today
the names of the months of May, August and November
in the Irish language.

Samhain Eve, in Irish, Oidhche Shamhna, is one of the principal festivals of the Celtic calendar, and is thought to fall on or around the 31st of October. It represents the final harvest. In modern Ireland,
the name by which Halloween is known in the Irish language is still "Oíche Shamhna".

[misschief]

no matter when other people do it, mine is always on the full moon of october, so... it was wednesday for me... everyone does it differently.. it's not which day that matters.

[catphrodite]

some folks observe the sabbats astrologically. the exact astrological time of Halloween/Samhain
this year would be November 6th at 8:46 pm EST - that would be when the sun is exactly at 15 degrees Scorpio. :)

[MsFireHaven]

some folks observe the sabbats astrologically. the exact astrological time of Halloween/Samhain
this year would be November 6th at 8:46 pm EST - that would be when the sun is exactly at 15 degrees Scorpio. :)


ditto!

[LadyTrinity]

i was told nov 7th

[WeepingWillow]

How can I celebrate Samhain? My mom doesn't know I'm a witch and tomorrow is Samhain how am I suppose to celebrate it if my mom is going to be home the whole time? :hrmm: I feel like I'm a liar _pino_ because I haven't told her yet. But I am not going to do it by tomorrow. How can I celebrate it then?

[Ron]

How can I celebrate Samhain? My mom doesn't know I'm a witch and tomorrow is Samhain how am I suppose to celebrate it if my mom is going to be home the whole time? :hrmm: I feel like I'm a liar _pino_ because I haven't told her yet. But I am not going to do it by tomorrow. How can I celebrate it then?
All you have to do is observe the religious importance of it to you... that counts as celebrating. For example, on Midwinter I would give gratitude to the Divine, knowing that the harsh of winter will soon fade. You could do something similar for your Samhain. I would advise against trying to celebrate the way someone else tells you. :evilway:

[WeepingWillow]

Thank you. Merry Meet and Merry Part! :flowers:

[tensen]

i was told nov 7th

That is possibly because some celebrate it as the day after the event...
Others celebrate it as the dark to the dark... otherwise considered to be the holiday would be at sunset of the 6th, to sunset on the 7th.

[charmedkisses1]

Samhain falls on the same day every year, October 31st. It will always be on Halloween. :)
Good luck with your first celebration!!


But, shouldn't it be on the solstice?

[Morgandria]

Which Solstice? It makes no sense to put it on a solstice. A Cross-quarter day occurs at the exact point between a solstice and an Equinox. Samhain occurs at 15 degrees Scorpio, Imbolg at 15 degrees Aquarius, Beltaine at 15 degrees Taurus, and Lughnassadh at 15 degrees Leo. This is why the astrological dates vary from year to year, because the calendar date those events occur at will always be different.

There are, of course, the traditional dates. Those, for whatever reason, are fixed in place on the calendar by the traditions that use them, much like the Catholic Church fixes the days of the saints feasts' by the calendar.

Some groups use traditional dates, others use the astrological ones. If you're on your own, it's your choice.

-M.