Halloween

[AngelsBratt]

I was just curious to find out what everyone plans on doing on Halloween? Is there a particular ceremony you plan on doing? Would like to know what everyone else is gonna do! Come on guys give me some suggestions!!!!! Angel

[Myst]

We're going to a Wiches' Ball on the 26th and probably to an annual big bash on Samhain eve :)

[loopy]

I'm planning to redo my altar, clean my room, do some Tarot readings for the upcoming year, maybe have a little picnic with the Lord and Lady. :D

[AngelsBratt]

what I have done in the past and what I like to do is go out someplace nice and dark and spooky and just hang, talk with friends, and enjoy the night. This year they are having a 5k run for something and its in a grave yard, so thought I might check it out. I think I will Honor the Lord and Lady by being alone in the park, and just meditating.

[Danustouch]

Well..I'd originally wanted to go to Salem for Samhain this year...but I think our finances are going to be too tight. So I'll probably do a ritual here, as usual, with the dumb supper involved, or perhaps I'll go home to visit my friends and family, and do a ritual with my former circle. That would be really nice.

[Nyx]

I was hoping to go to a group ritual this year, but, that doesn't look like it's going to happen. Due to my current living situation, I can't do much for Samhain, which is quite annoying. I'll probably try to meditate some that evening. (If my roommate will let me have the bathroom that is. It's the only semi-quiet place in here...)

I also plan to dress up during the day. You're never to old for Halloween! ;)



~~Nyx~~

[AngelsBratt]

and if I go home, then I usually go out to familys and tp their trees!!!!!

Way too much fun!!!!

[Illuminatus]

I'm having a gigantic party that will bring down the moon, the stars, and maybe a few planets. that's the saturday before... on halloween night I'm probably going to go get sloshed at the bars

[Laiste]

After the town Halloween parade and the trick or treat adventure with my son I will have my usual Samhain Ritual. The only thing different this year is I can have it on my deck with a great view of the moon!! I'm very excited...hope it dosen't rain.

[Xander67]

have a small get together, in costume...that would be cool,
and watch some scary movies, play magic the gathering, and just hang out...whatever the night brings
JIM
P.S. would love to do a ritual too...something fun and something
theatric :)

[Sora]

My holidays are all the same. I plan, plan, plan. I leave, like, no room for error, and then the unthinkablely unavoidable happens and I end up doing next to nothing. So this Samhain I'm being spontanious. Some may call it being unprepaired or poorly planed, but, no, I'm calling it spontanoius. Nyah.

[flar7]

Get a coupla friends and go to haunted or spooky areas. I live in an area that has plenty.
But here is the best.
This is local history around here about a witch who was burned in her house. Some say she was tied to the bed, and some say to a rocking chair. Story always say she laughed as she perished.

To get to this place requires a little tresspassing. It is way back in the styx, and the place is called cotiny(Co-tiny), pronunciations vary.

Have been there many times and it is the scariest place I have ever been. The ground where the house(what we would call a shack now) stood will grow nothing and its outlines are clearly visible.

The time frame of her death would be around 1860-1900? Sometime around founding of town.

Area is supernaturally chilled in about a 500 yard area, yes there is water nearby so that could be it.

And the local cows add to the ambience as they are all black and very difficult to see.

Need to go there again sometime soon with my friends, if I can find it now. It has been 6 or 7 years since I have been there.

Hope this isnt off topic.

SPOOKY PLACES ROCK!!!

[talamh]

i am puzzled by the party-like approach people have been expressing about Salwain. Maybe it's because "Hallowe'en" is such a basically American creation (and that *wasn't* a put down.. really it wasn't - they don't do Hallowe'en in quite the same way elsewhere except maybe a bit in Canada).

To me Salwain is a solemn, somewhat sobering occasion - the end of the old year, beginning of the new; the first day of the winter season. In the old days it was the time when the animals that there wasn't enough feed to keep them through the winter were slaughtered so the spirit of death was near and present.

But most importantly for me, it is a time to say farewell to the spirits of all who have died in the year since last Salwain. It's a time when the veil between the worlds becomes thin and disappears and we can reach across to touch and feel the spirits of those who have died one last time before they slip away into the Summerland to await rebirth.

It is a release for both the spirits of the dead and for the still living.

In our Circle, we each speak a small rememberence of the significant ones in our lives who have died.. and then a bell is rung once for each person and each name is read. It is sad and joyful and deep..... to feel the person's nearness one last time... and feel the letting go....

When we feast, we set a place for the dead and fill the plate...and then afterwards leave it out in a field overnight.... and it is always empty in the morning. bb talamh

[Rævyn Cigány]

Well, I too am going to celebrate the new year with friends at a big party at my friend Catriana's. It's also going to be a combination birthday/coming out of the broom closet party for her as well...it is her husband's birthday on the 27th (when we're having the party) so we plan on doing a birthday rit in his honour. And of course, in doing so, this will sort of announce herself to those who don't already know she's a witch. She is a little nervous but she has decided that it is time to stop hiding...she is very proud to be wiccan and doesn't feel a need to hide anymore. :)

BB

Rae )0(

[MystyPines]

Merry Meet Everyone!

My husband and I will be celebrating Samhain in Salem, Massachusetts and attending the public open ritual held by the Temple of the Nine Wells followed by the candlelight vigil and procession through town. We will be staying with my husband's family in Salem (since motels/hotels are so hard to get this time of the year). My husband's family came over from England and settled in salem in the 1600's, think there are any witches in his lineage? he he he! :D

[SpiDer_AnGeL]

I'm going to the winchester mansion on halloween!!!!i'm so happy bout that!

[AngelsBratt]

Originally posted by flar7
Get a coupla friends and go to haunted or spooky areas. I live in an area that has plenty.
But here is the best.
This is local history around here about a witch who was burned in her house. Some say she was tied to the bed, and some say to a rocking chair. Story always say she laughed as she perished.
SPOOKY PLACES ROCK!!!

Wow, that reminded me of when I use to get together with a few friends, and we'd go try and find this haunted bridge. Its called the Lost 40's

Apparently some black slaves were killed there when they escaped to the north during the Civil War. Anyways, yep we had to tresspass on a few places, to find it, but come to find out it was nothin special. So then we all took off and went to the oldest cemetary we could find, and was just checking out the dates that were on the tombstones. Talk about scarey!

Flar, your right, Haunted places Rock!

[Wyrdsister]

Originally posted by Rævyn Cigány
Well, I too am going to celebrate the new year with friends at a big party at my friend Catriana's. It's also going to be a combination birthday/coming out of the broom closet party for her as well...it is her husband's birthday on the 27th (when we're having the party) so we plan on doing a birthday rit in his honour. And of course, in doing so, this will sort of announce herself to those who don't already know she's a witch. She is a little nervous but she has decided that it is time to stop hiding...she is very proud to be wiccan and doesn't feel a need to hide anymore. :) Wow, Raevyn, this is pretty brave of your friend! As always, let me know if i can help!! :D

Wyrdsister

[talamh]

i'm not being judgemental.. but i am pizzled as to why many of you are planning to observe Hallowe'en in a stereotypical "pop culture" way instead of observing the pagan sabbat of Salwain.

It is so much more then a parody of a scary movie. It's the time when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest and we can make a direct contact that is normally denied. It can be so much more then a party.

i can understand non-pagans buying in to the scary witch and ghost graveyard pumpkin superficial stuff .... but i sincerely would like to know why you don't avail yourselves of one of the most profound sabbats in the pagan calendar...... i understand that everyone has free choice... and to each his/her own... but i look forward to Salwain all year round. It is such a blessed and special time. Why would anyone want to go and get scared silly in a grave yard or a "haunted" house when you could have a sensible and real experience with those who have passed on?

And another thought... isn't what you do actually dangerous.... messing around and mocking unhappy ghosts and unquiet spirits? These beings are usually the ones you really don't want to have anything to do with. Why go seek them out? bb talamh

[talamh]

ummm... i'm also puzzled.... :) bb talamh

[Laiste]

Originally posted by talamh anEiac
ummm... i'm also puzzled.... :) bb talamh

;) Me too!! I would think that on a Pagan Forum(not that everyone here is Pagan) there would have been more serious responses to this post. But, everybody has to do thier own thing I guess.

[Myst]

Samhain and Halloween are the same holiday, and Samhain is a Sabbat. Meaning it is to be celebrated joyfully. If people want to get drunk or hang out in cemetaries so what? Pagans don't have to be serious all the time, least of all at Sabbats.

In fact, part of the greatest magick of Samhain is that it is when the veil is thinnest, meaning it is the BEST time to speak to spirits. Spirits are not evil ghosts people play with, and frankly it's just as stereotypically "pop culture" to assume there are. There are many spirits who want to speak to people just for someone to talk to or share messages with. Samhain is the *best* time for it; the only thing that's dangerous perhaps is inviting unhappy or angry spirits into your home or life, visiting a cemetary is not dangerous at all.

<--Medium, btw.

[Laiste]

Understand where your coming from as well. I just didn't get from the posts the feeling of people wanted to perform Ritual or try to contact spirits. Just partying seemed to be the main thing. That's cool but I was suprised. I like to party too and will have a few that night as well after Ritual. I'm not serious all the time and certainly don't expect anyone else to be. But, I do feel that spirits deserve some respect. My Nanny passed away just last month and it dosen't make me feel to good to know that people might be hanging out partying on her newly packed grave. But thats just my opinion.

[AngelsBratt]

In one of my earlier posts I said that I would go to a quiet spot in the park and do my honoring of the Gods/dess. Did a few of you miss this post??? I also said that I use to go to the cemetary and not nessessarily to disturb anyone spirit, or persons family member, but to feel the presence of the spirits. Geezz PPL, I just started studying wiccian this yr, so what I did in the past isn't what I do now. I am not disrespecting any pagan holiday, to my knowledge. Angel

[Laiste]

Originally posted by AngelsBratt
In one of my earlier posts I said that I would go to a quiet spot in the park and do my honoring of the Gods/dess. Did a few of you miss this post??? I also said that I use to go to the cemetary and not nessessarily to disturb anyone spirit, or persons family member, but to feel the presence of the spirits. Geezz PPL, I just started studying wiccian this yr, so what I did in the past isn't what I do now. I am not disrespecting any pagan holiday, to my knowledge. Angel

The comments were made in general about a few of the posts here, not directly at you Angel! Sorry for the confusion.:)

[Myst]

Originally posted by Laiste
My Nanny passed away just last month and it dosen't make me feel to good to know that people might be hanging out partying on her newly packed grave.

Well I can understand how you feel. Not just your nanny, but my aunt, and another uncle, and how many thousands from Sept. 11th? Perhaps the spirits would enjoy partying with some of us anyway. I'm sure we aren't the only ones who could use some relaxation :) I know how you feel tho, I understand.

At our Samhain/Halloween party, for example, we always hold a ritual to honour those who have passed on before we have our big drunken candy scarfing party :)

[MammaStar]

Well, I will admit, I LOVE SAMHAIN. And since I started studying, I've come to love all the more. I love that on this nite I can talk to my relatives & honor those that passed. I love going out with my son & seeing all the kids dressed up. I love decorating my hosue with all kinds of symbols, both pop culture & pagan. I love scaring the kids, cause they have soo much fun getting scared on this nite of all nites. It's the easiest (other than Ostara) that I can teach my son the old ways, without confusing him.

I live in the Hudson Valley, right near Sleepy Hollow. They have a reading of the Legend every year in the old stone church right by the cemetary. the kids love it. It's a lot of fun & hear spooky stories. I've been to the bridge too where the Horseman confronted Ichabod, let me tell you. It's a VERY scary spot. Well at night it is. During the day it's not so bad. :D

There's all kinds of legends & stories where I live now in Rockland county. Lot's of old Revalutionary War stories & what not. We got a haunted rock. It's called Spook Rock, supposedly it's where a farmer's daughter was killed cause her old man ticked off the local tribe. Supposedly the rock turns red on the anniversary of the girls death. It's a neat story, don't know or care really how true it is. I just think it's a cool story. Then there's another, about this house. It's a HUGE old house, and it's got this feeling, even when you drive by it. The story about this one is this lady went nuts one nite & killed her kids. Now she wanders the house looking for them. :eek:

I think we all celebrate in our own way. Me, personally, I like to mix it up. Fun & seriousness. But sometimes, well, it's hard to be serious on what kids think to be the coolest nite of the year and u want them to eat dinner before they go out begging! LOL

[flar7]

your story reminded me of another place that is truly scary, and actually sad. It will scare you or make you feel sad.

Over near Pryor, Oklahoma, is a place called "Crybaby Bridge" where an infant was thrown to its death. I dont know all the story behind this one because it is farther from where I live. The bridge is old and made of railroad trestles covered with dirt. Only been there once, so probably couldnt find it again. It is near a cemetary and an area where a lot of rituals are performed.

Dont know what kind of rituals, but dont think theyre all good. Some could even be like, KKK or something. Weird stuff scattered around. This too, is in the woods.

[gunner]

"I also plan to dress up during the day. You're never to old for Halloween!"

i agree...,and my grand daughter likes to go "trick or treating", and she's only six, so i'm going to put on that full scottish regalia, sword and all, and escort her around and see if that helps fill her basket.

[MystyPines]

Well, I guess you see everyone wanting to party because Samhain is also celebrated as the "Witches New Year" as well as a night when the veil between the worlds is at is thinnest and great for contacting and remembering dearly departed spirits. I find lighting a candle and trying to commune with my dearly departed as a positive time, not a time of mourning. Take a look at the Mexicans who celebrate the Day of the Dead, they go to the gravesides and party, picnic and tell fun stories of those who have passed on! :D :D

[GoddessofWisdom]

Originally posted by AngelsBratt
I was just curious to find out what everyone plans on doing on Halloween? Is there a particular ceremony you plan on doing? Would like to know what everyone else is gonna do! Come on guys give me some suggestions!!!!! Angel


I'm actually have my friends Bridal Shower on halloween. Instead of a wishing well we're going to get a large plastic cauldron and have a WITCHING well (tee hee)

[Amora]

This is my favorite time of year! I usually celebrate all month long! Mostly becasue there is too much I need to do!!!!!!

Most importantly I'll be doing my trick or treating with my daughter, as well as a parade or two. Also making my yearly pilgrimage to Salem MA for the Haunted Happenings. Doing a trip to the pumpkin patch to get some decorations and apple cider and visiting my favorite haunted castle for the Halloween party.

This for me is a time to celebrate! After all it is the start of a new year next month!

[tempest69]

:ghost:I think that I'll spend it in my room, burning incense and meditating...I think it might be too suspicious if one of my family were to unknowingly interupt me in the middle of a ritual.:ghost:

[tempest69]

Originally posted by Willow Raven
Samhain and Halloween are the same holiday, and Samhain is a Sabbat. Meaning it is to be celebrated joyfully. If people want to get drunk or hang out in cemetaries so what? Pagans don't have to be serious all the time, least of all at Sabbats.

In fact, part of the greatest magick of Samhain is that it is when the veil is thinnest, meaning it is the BEST time to speak to spirits. Spirits are not evil ghosts people play with, and frankly it's just as stereotypically "pop culture" to assume there are. There are many spirits who want to speak to people just for someone to talk to or share messages with. Samhain is the *best* time for it; the only thing that's dangerous perhaps is inviting unhappy or angry spirits into your home or life, visiting a cemetary is not dangerous at all.

<--Medium, btw.

Hey, anyone got advice for contacting the spirits on Samhain?:boing:

[Laiste]

Sounds like a fun thing to do after a Ritual. I celebrate Samhain in a joyful manner...just differently than others I suppose. being a Solitary I guess thats the way it goes. I see from the responses that I made it seem like I take Samhain too seriously and don't know what the purpose of this Sabbat is. I do. I just thought more people would have the main focus on the Ritual. I guess you really DO learn something new everyday! I have had some amazing experiences during this time. It has opened me up to a whole new world, The Underworld. I guess thats why I choose a more serene environment. More sutible for my needs.

Oh and I have all intentions of raiding my sons candy loot when he goes to sleep. It's become part of my tradition!!:eek:

Anyway, I hope everyone has a joyful, safe and peacful Samhain celebration!!:p

[Penny]

I sometimes wish that a copy of this could be put in the bag when people buy their children the increasingly grotesque dressing up costumes.
I find these words so very poignant and so very sad.
Blessed Be

[Penny]

It'll be here when I figure out how to put it in..from Word that is.
Penny

[Shy Hawk]

I'm not 100% as to what I'll be doing. I did have a ritual but I am not going now....and Ohio is a great place to be a Pagan/Witch.

I'll probably light a candle, as I do every Sabbat, and keep it lit for about 24 hours. I usually cook foods of the season, and I plan on getting that book on Halloween for ideas. It could be helpful. I found the book Lammas to be helpful then.
I like to do things that are really traditional. And, I'll probably carve pumpkins and decorate. Give out candy too. Possibly pull a card for the new year. Make a resolution or two.
I am not experienced with communicating with spirits, so I don't think I'll be doing none of that. ;)

[AngelsBratt]

Hello from the southern part of Ohio! I'm down around Cincy! I still have yet to find any pagans in this area, bummer. :( Angel

[Shy Hawk]

No, Ohio is packed. You should check Yahoo! Clubs for Cincinnati Pagan...and the like. I see them online all the time. I am a member of several Yahoo Clubs and they are everywhere. Check it out.

[Twilight]

I don't know what i'm going to be this halloween! maybe i'll just wear my labcoat and put some marinara stains on it and be crazy-labcoat-lady! lol

[stormyray]

Going to the witches ball on the sat before and then having a private ritual alone after I finish trick or treating with my kids and scarring the neighbor kids.

:eyebrow: :eyebrow: :eyebrow: :ghost: :devil: :evilway:

[Andrea Goodman]

Hello everyone

My plans for this great day and night is.Frist go have fun with my children with the trick or treat and then have a few friends over and either stay at my house or go to the feild and honor the Lord and Lady and then have our feast and just have a good time with friends of the living and the dead.
Chat to you all later
crystal

[Myst]

I have some costume ideas in mind I thought of last Samhain but they're not really appropriate for MW chat ;)

[talamh]

Last year i went to a non-wiccan friend's Hallowe'en party that wasn't held on Samhain and i was a Blessed Bee. :) bb talamh