So, its fast approaching Samhuinn which is the Celtic name for Halloween. Here in Edinburgh, Samhuinn is greatly celebrated with the Beltane Fire Society processing down the Royal Mile, and celebrating Summer's last party before Winter takes over and the dark nights draw in (the picture is one of the processions I took part in.). Samhuinn is also the Celtic new year, so its a time for leaving things behind and looking ahead to the year to come.
The Celts believed that the border between this world and the otherworld became thin on Samhuinn; because some animals and plants were dying, it thus allowed the dead to reach back through the veil that separated them from the living. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. People and their livestock would often walk between two bonfires as a cleansing ritual, and the bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames.
It is also traditional in Scotland to make a scooped-out rutabaga called a "neep lantern" ("neep" is short for turnip).
My friend Sarah came round the other day and we made neep lanterns which was great fun - it was my first time ! You can read more about them on her lovely blog here.
Happy Samhuinn !
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