What Do REAL Witches Do at Halloween? Samhain Ritual & Custom

Samhain is a Celtic fire festival, which has become one of the main Sabbats celebrated by witches and other pagans. Because it marked the end of summer and beginning of winter (the Celts only marked two seasons), it was celebrated as the Celtic New Year, and many witches today still recognise this time of year as such.

It is traditional to look inward at this time, reflecting on what has happened in life over the past year, before looking forward to the coming one, and focusing on goals to achieve.

It is also a time to remember loved ones who have passed over, and connect with the family ancestors, for Samhain is the time between summer and winter when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest (the other time being Beltane, when winter turns to summer).

Thirdly, it is a time of thankfulness, for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon the family and home in the past year, and of course, for the recent harvest.

With the veil between worlds so thin, now is the time to see or communicate with spirits - ghosts, souls of the dead and enchanted beings such as the Fey. Divination is a key activity of witches at this time, as is the dressing of an altar to honour the dead and the ancestors.

Because the veil between worlds is thin at Samhain, it is said that spirits and ghosts walk among the living on Samhain night. One origin of the Jack o'lantern, or candlelit carved pumpkin, stems from folk putting them out to light the way for benevolent spirits and help their lost loved ones return home for the night.

It is a nice idea to sit quietly as a family and remember those you have lost. Say a prayer or blessing for relatives who have passed over, and spend some time honouring and connecting with them. You could do this by focusing on something that was theirs, looking through family albums or diaries, or undertaking an activity that they enjoyed or maybe even taught you.

It is also a wonderful thing to ground your family and connect with your roots by going further back and honouring your ancestors. Connecting with your family history is something that is very important to many pagans, druids in particular. To know where you have come from helps you to understand who you are, and paves the way for an incredible adventure as you research your family tree.

If you have already started or even completed your family tree, then this can be a time to get out the albums and research and share the past with your partner and children. Connecting children to the past through family connection gives them a wonderful sense and experience of history, bringing it alive for them.

If you have not begun this journey yet, then you could begin your quest at Samhain, dedicating yourself to this task.

Either way, you can also honour your ancestors through a feast, ritual or blessing.

The deities associated with Samhain are mainly those connected with death, the Underworld, darkness and rebirth. However, this does not mean that these gods and goddesses are evil or to be feared.

In paganism, death is part of the natural cycle of life and leads to the birth of something new.

Death symbolises change, new beginnings and the ending of patterns, relationships and other things in your life that no longer serve you.

The goddess is in her crone aspect during winter. At Samhain, she is the serpent goddess, queen of the underworld, and consequently representing the shedding of the old to allow in the new.

Goddesses associated with Samhain include:

~ Samhain, an aspect of the Scottish winter hag, the Cailleach
~ Hekate
~ Lilith
~ Morrigan
~ Baba Yaga
~ Carlin
~ Crobh Dearg
~ Frida
~ Pamona
~ Psyche
~ Hel

Honour the goddess in general or work with one of the specific Samhain goddesses. Dedicate an altar, hold a ritual or mediate, asking for her blessing and any help you may require in the coming year. Work with the Samhain goddess for life changes, achieving goals or letting go of past patterns that no longer serve you.

A friend of mine uses goddess oracle cards to discover which goddess wishes to work with her in the coming year, a tradition that I have also adopted.

We witches like to take stock at Samhain and give thanks for what we have. We also like to plan for the coming months.

Spend some time thinking about the year gone by. What things are you thankful for? What did you achieve? Did you meet the goals from last year? Were you happy?

Then think about any negatives, from family issues to unachieved goals, unwanted emotions to things you want to change in yourself.

Ask yourself what lessons you have learned, and be thankful.

Next, focus on what you wish for the coming year, from specific goals and aspirations, to more general ideas and wishes. Write them down and place the list in a special Samhain box (decorate with Samhain colours and ephemera), keeping it somewhere sacred and safe, ready to reflect on next year.

In addition to using the goddess cards as described above, I also draw other oracle cards too, to discover which archangel I need to work with, as well as key words that sum up what I need to focus on in the coming year.