Halloween

Halloween is the modern name of the Irish and Scottish holiday originally called Samhain (pronounced Sow-win); Samhain is the Celtic-Gaelic word meaning “summers-end”. It begins at dusk on October 31, and marks the doorway to the dark half of the Celtic year, the opening of a new cycle. The early Gaels believed that the border between this world and the otherworld became thin on Samhain, and so spirits of the dead could visit the living.

Agenda:

1. Plan a costume:
Originally, folks probably dressed in costumes and masks at Samhain to scare off any spirits that were bad. Now we do it because it's fun!

2. Carve a pumpkin:

Pumpkins didn't grow in Ireland or Scotland, but early Celts carved the images of spirit-guardians onto turnips and set these jack o'lanterns before their doors to keep out the unwelcome visitors from the otherworld.

3. Make Soul Cakes:

It was also a custom in Britain and Ireland for people to go ‘a-souling’ on Samhain- go door to door, singing and saying prayers for the dead; this is the origin of trick-or-treating! These people were called Soulers, and people gave them Soul Cakes. Each cake eaten represented a soul freed from suffering.

Ingredients:

• 2-3/4 c. white flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. each ground cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg
• 3/4 c. butter
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. white wine vinegar

Yield: 12 cakes-

1- Thoroughly mix the flour, sugar, and spices. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2- Add in a beaten egg and the white wine vinegar and mix with a wooden spoon until firm (I had to add a little water to get it to hold together); cover and put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
3- Preheat the oven to 375ºF and grease 2 cookie sheets. Flour a board and roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Cut into rounds with a coffee cup dipped in flour. Press the handle of a wooden spoon into each cake to make a cross on the top.

5. Place cakes on the pans and bake 15-20 minutes until slightly brown.

4. A Halloween Feast:
For me, Samhain is the culmination of the Winter Nights Festival. My family is together tonight, and so we will feast.