#Hollantide

[lailoken]

Hollantide Neep Lantern (2023)

[maypoleman1]

12th November

Hollantide/ Old Samhain

Hollantide stock image. Source: Alamy Stock Photos

Today is Hollantide, a pagan origin feast day almost forgotten outside the Isle of Man where the occasion is celebrated as Hop-tu-naa. According to the Old Calendar, today would be the date of Samhain, the Celtic New Year, when cattle were brought down from summer pasture to their winter shelter or slaughtered. The evening is marked by young children seeking alms from door to door and bearing turnip lanterns. The lanterns, many of which are noticeably more grotesque than their Halloween cousins, are probably the remnants of charms to ward of evil and the power of witches. Hop-tu-naa remains very popular on Man but it has all but died out in Scotland and North West England where it survived, its games and rituals now encompassed by the all-consuming event that is Halloween. Even on Man, the Hop-tu-naa traditions are tending to gravitate to October 31st.

[brookston]

Holidays 11.11

Holidays

Air Day

Baccharis Day (French Republic)

Battery Day (Japan)

Cartagena Independence Day (Colombia)

Children’s Day (Croatia)

Chopsticks Day (Japan)

Concordia Day (St. Marten Island)

Cuppy Day (Nigeria)

Death/Duty Day

Eleven Eleven Eleven Day (Netherlands)

11-11 Make a Wish Day

Four Ones Day

Freedom Fighters’ Remembrance Day (Latvia)

Garaetteok Day (South Korea)

Graphics Information Systems Day

Guang Gun Jie (Bare Sticks Day, or Singles Day; China)

Heir to the Throne Day (Tuvalu)

Hollantide (a.k.a. Hallow-tide; Isle of Mann)

Homunculus Awareness Day

International Energy Saving Day

International Singles’ Day

James Bond’s Birthday

Kaga-Boucha Day (Japan)

King Jigme Single Wangchuck Day (Bhutan)

Lāčplēsis Day (a.k.a. Lacplesa Day; Latvia)

Lunantishees Day (Ireland)

Metal Day

Mortens Day (Denmark)

National Athleisure Day

National Black Travel Day

National Chase Day

National Day of Bookstores (Spain)

National Education Day (India)

National Forestation Day (Turkey)

National Indiana Day

National Isabelle Day

National Lei Day

National Metal Day

National Timothy Day

Nigel Tufnel Day

Old November Eve

Ones Day

Origami Day (Japan)

Pepero Day (South Korea)

Puerto Princesa Underground River Day (Philippines)

Red Lipstick Day

Republic Day (Maldives)

Route 66 Day

Singles’ Day (a.k.a. Guanggun Jie; China)

Soccer Day (Japan)

St. Martin's Day [patron saint of tavern-keepers] (a.k.a. ... 

Beggar's Day (Netherlands)

Funeral of Saint Martin

Jum San Martin (Malta)

Mardipäev (Estonia)

Märtekuu (southern Estonia)

Mārtiņi (Latvia)

Martinigians (Sursee, Switzerland)

Martinje (a.k.a. Martinovanje; Croatia)

Martinloben (Austria)

Martinmas (Old England)

Martin Přijíždí na Bílém Koni (Czech Republic)

Martinstag (Germany)

Old Halloween

Old Hallowmas Eve

Saint Martin (Austria)

St. Maarten Day (Sint Maarten)

Tear-Stomach Day

Tori No Ichi (Rooster Day #1; Japan)

Veteran Champion International Awareness Day

Women's Day (Belgium)

World Day of Shopping

World Hair Transplant Repair Day

World Origami Day

World War I Victory Celebrations (a.k.a. ... 

Armistice Day (Belgium, France, New Zealand, Serbia)

Death/Duty Day

Independence Day (Poland; from Austro-Hungary, Prussia & Russia, 1918)

Poppy Day [also Last Monday in May]

Remembrance Day (UK, Commonwealth of Nations)

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Day

Veterans Day (f.k.a. Armistice Day; US)

Veterans of Foreign Wars Day (Micronesia)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bean Sprouts Day (Japan)

Bonza Bottler Day

Cheese Day (Japan)

Kölsch Day

National Sundae Day

Noodle Day (Japan)

Pocky & Pretz Day (Japan)

2nd Saturday in November

All American Day [2nd Saturday]

Carl Sagan Day [2nd Saturday]

International CCHS Day [2nd Saturday]

International Dorothy Dunnett Day [2nd Saturday]

Lord Mayor’s Day (London, UK) [2nd Saturday]

National Family Volunteer Day [2nd Saturday]

National Saddle Hunting Day [2nd Saturday]

Neighborhood Toy Store Day [2nd Saturday]

Poppy Day (South Africa) [Saturday nearest 11.11]

Sadie Hawkins Day [Saturday after 11.9; also 11.13, 11.15]

Tasman Beerfest [2nd Saturday]

Wine Tourism Day [2nd Saturday]

Independence Days

Abrus (Declared; 2015) [unrecognized]

Anastasia (Declared; 2015)

Angola (from Portugal, 1975)

Cristo (Declared; 2010) [unrecognized]

Kaz (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Pannonia (Declared; 2011) [unrecognized]

Poland (Restoration of independence after 123 years of partitions by Russia, Prussia, and Austria, 1918)

Washington Statehood Day (#42; 1889)

Feast Days

Bartholomew of Grottaferrata (Christian; Saint)

Carnival Session begins (a.k.a. Fasching or Karneval; Austria, Germany, Netherlands)

Charlie Manson Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Day of Remembrance of the Volhvs (Asatru/Slavic Pagan)

Edouard Vuillard (Artology)

Einherjar (Feast of the Fallen; Norse)

Fasching begins (a.k.a. Karneval; Austria, Germany, Netherlands)

Feast of Dionysus

Feast of the Fallen (Norse)

Feast of the Fallen Warriors (Pagan)

Frans Snyder (Artology)

Guru Nank Jayanti (India, Nepal)

Louis XI (Positivist; Saint)

Lunantishees Day (Celtic Faery Day)

Martin of Tours (Roman Catholic Church) [tavern-keepers] *

Menas (Christian; Saint)

Mercurius (Coptic)

Paul Signac (Artology)

Samson (Muppetism)

Small Furry Creatures Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Søren Kierkegaard (Lutheran Church)

Theodore the Studite (Christian; Saint)

Turn It Up To Eleven Day (Pastafarian)

Victory Over Pinks VP Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Binary Day [1111] (9 of 9)

Lucky Day (Philippines) [62 of 71]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Premieres

An American in Paris (Film; 1951)

Arrival (Film; 2016)

Bad Moms (Film; 2016)

Beep Prepared (WB MM Cartoon; 1961)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Film; 2022)

Buddy’s Beer Garden (WB LT Cartoon; 1933)

Desire Under the Elms, by Eugene O’Neill (Play; 1924)

An Early Frost (TV Film; 1985)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson (Magazine Article; 1971)

Fearless, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2008)

Coming to America (Film; 1988)

Fearless, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2008)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 (Film; 2010) [#7]

I’m Eighteen, by Alice Cooper (Song; 1971)

Interview with the Vampire (Film; 1994)

It’s Not Unusual, recorded by Tom Jones (Song; 1964)

Lego House, by Ed Sheeran (Song; 2011)

Magic Mike (Film; 2012)

Men at Arms, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 1993) [Discworld #15]

Mull of Kintyre, by Paul McCartney & Wings (Song; 1977)

My Best Friend’s Girl, by The Cars (1st Picture-Disc Single; 1978)

The Open Road, by Jean Giono (Novel; 1951)

Pride & Prejudice (Film; 2005)

Ratatouille (Animated Pixar Film; 2007)

Semi-Tough (Film; 1977)

Smith of Wootton Major, by J.R.R. Tolkien (Short Story; 1967)

Spirited (Film; 2022)

Tarantula, by Bob Dylan (Novel; 1970)

Ted (Film; 2012)

That’s the Way It Is (Elvis Presley Concert Film; 1970)

The Twist, recorded by Hank Ballard (Song; 1958)

The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien (Novel; 1954) [Book 2 of The Lord of the Rings trilogy]

The Ugly Duckling, by Hans Christian Andersen (Fairy Tale; 1843)

Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins, by John Lennon & Yoko Ono (Album; 1968)

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Film; 1988)

Working for Peanuts (Disney Cartoon; 1953)

Today’s Name Days

Martin, Menas, Senta (Austria)

Minka, Minko, Viktor, Viktoriya (Bulgaria)

Davorin, Martin, Viktorin (Croatia)

Martin (Czech Republic)

Morten (Denmark)

Alev, Elev, Elvo (Estonia)

Panu (Finland)

Martin, Vérane (France)

Leonie, Martin, Mennas, Senta (Germany)

Drakon, Minas, Minos, Victor, Viktoras, Vincent (Greece)

Márton (Hungary)

Martino (Italy)

Nellija, Ojars (Latvia)

Anastazija, Martynas, Milvydė, Nastė, Vygintas (Lithuania)

Martin, Martine, Morten (Norway)

Anastazja, Bartłomiej, Maciej, Marcin, Prot, Spycisław, Teodor (Poland)

Mina (Romania)

Anastasia (Russia)

Maroš, Martin (Slovakia)

Martín (Spain)

Mårten (Sweden)

Mina, Stephania, Victor, Vincent (Ukraine)

Chandler, Dallas, Jalen, Johnathan, Johnathon, Jon, Jonatan, Jonathan, Jonathon, Jonte, Jorel, Jorrell, Lincoln (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 315 of 2024; 50 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 45 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ngetal (Reed) [Day 12 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Ten-Xu), Day 28 (Gui-You)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 27 Heshvan 5784

Islamic: 27 Rabi II 1445

J Cal: 15 Mir; Oneday [15 of 30]

Julian: 29 October 2023

Moon: 3%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 7 Frederic (12th Month) [Louis XI]

Runic Half Month: Nyd (Necessity) [Day 1 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 49 of 89)

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 19 of 29)

Calendar Changes

Nyd (Necessity) [Half-Month 22 of 24; Runic Half-Months] (thru 11.25)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 11.11

Holidays

Air Day

Baccharis Day (French Republic)

Battery Day (Japan)

Cartagena Independence Day (Colombia)

Children’s Day (Croatia)

Chopsticks Day (Japan)

Concordia Day (St. Marten Island)

Cuppy Day (Nigeria)

Death/Duty Day

Eleven Eleven Eleven Day (Netherlands)

11-11 Make a Wish Day

Four Ones Day

Freedom Fighters’ Remembrance Day (Latvia)

Garaetteok Day (South Korea)

Graphics Information Systems Day

Guang Gun Jie (Bare Sticks Day, or Singles Day; China)

Heir to the Throne Day (Tuvalu)

Hollantide (a.k.a. Hallow-tide; Isle of Mann)

Homunculus Awareness Day

International Energy Saving Day

International Singles’ Day

James Bond’s Birthday

Kaga-Boucha Day (Japan)

King Jigme Single Wangchuck Day (Bhutan)

Lāčplēsis Day (a.k.a. Lacplesa Day; Latvia)

Lunantishees Day (Ireland)

Metal Day

Mortens Day (Denmark)

National Athleisure Day

National Black Travel Day

National Chase Day

National Day of Bookstores (Spain)

National Education Day (India)

National Forestation Day (Turkey)

National Indiana Day

National Isabelle Day

National Lei Day

National Metal Day

National Timothy Day

Nigel Tufnel Day

Old November Eve

Ones Day

Origami Day (Japan)

Pepero Day (South Korea)

Puerto Princesa Underground River Day (Philippines)

Red Lipstick Day

Republic Day (Maldives)

Route 66 Day

Singles’ Day (a.k.a. Guanggun Jie; China)

Soccer Day (Japan)

St. Martin's Day [patron saint of tavern-keepers] (a.k.a. ... 

Beggar's Day (Netherlands)

Funeral of Saint Martin

Jum San Martin (Malta)

Mardipäev (Estonia)

Märtekuu (southern Estonia)

Mārtiņi (Latvia)

Martinigians (Sursee, Switzerland)

Martinje (a.k.a. Martinovanje; Croatia)

Martinloben (Austria)

Martinmas (Old England)

Martin Přijíždí na Bílém Koni (Czech Republic)

Martinstag (Germany)

Old Halloween

Old Hallowmas Eve

Saint Martin (Austria)

St. Maarten Day (Sint Maarten)

Tear-Stomach Day

Tori No Ichi (Rooster Day #1; Japan)

Veteran Champion International Awareness Day

Women's Day (Belgium)

World Day of Shopping

World Hair Transplant Repair Day

World Origami Day

World War I Victory Celebrations (a.k.a. ... 

Armistice Day (Belgium, France, New Zealand, Serbia)

Death/Duty Day

Independence Day (Poland; from Austro-Hungary, Prussia & Russia, 1918)

Poppy Day [also Last Monday in May]

Remembrance Day (UK, Commonwealth of Nations)

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Day

Veterans Day (f.k.a. Armistice Day; US)

Veterans of Foreign Wars Day (Micronesia)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bean Sprouts Day (Japan)

Bonza Bottler Day

Cheese Day (Japan)

Kölsch Day

National Sundae Day

Noodle Day (Japan)

Pocky & Pretz Day (Japan)

2nd Saturday in November

All American Day [2nd Saturday]

Carl Sagan Day [2nd Saturday]

International CCHS Day [2nd Saturday]

International Dorothy Dunnett Day [2nd Saturday]

Lord Mayor’s Day (London, UK) [2nd Saturday]

National Family Volunteer Day [2nd Saturday]

National Saddle Hunting Day [2nd Saturday]

Neighborhood Toy Store Day [2nd Saturday]

Poppy Day (South Africa) [Saturday nearest 11.11]

Sadie Hawkins Day [Saturday after 11.9; also 11.13, 11.15]

Tasman Beerfest [2nd Saturday]

Wine Tourism Day [2nd Saturday]

Independence Days

Abrus (Declared; 2015) [unrecognized]

Anastasia (Declared; 2015)

Angola (from Portugal, 1975)

Cristo (Declared; 2010) [unrecognized]

Kaz (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Pannonia (Declared; 2011) [unrecognized]

Poland (Restoration of independence after 123 years of partitions by Russia, Prussia, and Austria, 1918)

Washington Statehood Day (#42; 1889)

Feast Days

Bartholomew of Grottaferrata (Christian; Saint)

Carnival Session begins (a.k.a. Fasching or Karneval; Austria, Germany, Netherlands)

Charlie Manson Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Day of Remembrance of the Volhvs (Asatru/Slavic Pagan)

Edouard Vuillard (Artology)

Einherjar (Feast of the Fallen; Norse)

Fasching begins (a.k.a. Karneval; Austria, Germany, Netherlands)

Feast of Dionysus

Feast of the Fallen (Norse)

Feast of the Fallen Warriors (Pagan)

Frans Snyder (Artology)

Guru Nank Jayanti (India, Nepal)

Louis XI (Positivist; Saint)

Lunantishees Day (Celtic Faery Day)

Martin of Tours (Roman Catholic Church) [tavern-keepers] *

Menas (Christian; Saint)

Mercurius (Coptic)

Paul Signac (Artology)

Samson (Muppetism)

Small Furry Creatures Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Søren Kierkegaard (Lutheran Church)

Theodore the Studite (Christian; Saint)

Turn It Up To Eleven Day (Pastafarian)

Victory Over Pinks VP Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Binary Day [1111] (9 of 9)

Lucky Day (Philippines) [62 of 71]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Premieres

An American in Paris (Film; 1951)

Arrival (Film; 2016)

Bad Moms (Film; 2016)

Beep Prepared (WB MM Cartoon; 1961)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Film; 2022)

Buddy’s Beer Garden (WB LT Cartoon; 1933)

Desire Under the Elms, by Eugene O’Neill (Play; 1924)

An Early Frost (TV Film; 1985)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson (Magazine Article; 1971)

Fearless, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2008)

Coming to America (Film; 1988)

Fearless, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2008)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 (Film; 2010) [#7]

I’m Eighteen, by Alice Cooper (Song; 1971)

Interview with the Vampire (Film; 1994)

It’s Not Unusual, recorded by Tom Jones (Song; 1964)

Lego House, by Ed Sheeran (Song; 2011)

Magic Mike (Film; 2012)

Men at Arms, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 1993) [Discworld #15]

Mull of Kintyre, by Paul McCartney & Wings (Song; 1977)

My Best Friend’s Girl, by The Cars (1st Picture-Disc Single; 1978)

The Open Road, by Jean Giono (Novel; 1951)

Pride & Prejudice (Film; 2005)

Ratatouille (Animated Pixar Film; 2007)

Semi-Tough (Film; 1977)

Smith of Wootton Major, by J.R.R. Tolkien (Short Story; 1967)

Spirited (Film; 2022)

Tarantula, by Bob Dylan (Novel; 1970)

Ted (Film; 2012)

That’s the Way It Is (Elvis Presley Concert Film; 1970)

The Twist, recorded by Hank Ballard (Song; 1958)

The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien (Novel; 1954) [Book 2 of The Lord of the Rings trilogy]

The Ugly Duckling, by Hans Christian Andersen (Fairy Tale; 1843)

Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins, by John Lennon & Yoko Ono (Album; 1968)

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Film; 1988)

Working for Peanuts (Disney Cartoon; 1953)

Today’s Name Days

Martin, Menas, Senta (Austria)

Minka, Minko, Viktor, Viktoriya (Bulgaria)

Davorin, Martin, Viktorin (Croatia)

Martin (Czech Republic)

Morten (Denmark)

Alev, Elev, Elvo (Estonia)

Panu (Finland)

Martin, Vérane (France)

Leonie, Martin, Mennas, Senta (Germany)

Drakon, Minas, Minos, Victor, Viktoras, Vincent (Greece)

Márton (Hungary)

Martino (Italy)

Nellija, Ojars (Latvia)

Anastazija, Martynas, Milvydė, Nastė, Vygintas (Lithuania)

Martin, Martine, Morten (Norway)

Anastazja, Bartłomiej, Maciej, Marcin, Prot, Spycisław, Teodor (Poland)

Mina (Romania)

Anastasia (Russia)

Maroš, Martin (Slovakia)

Martín (Spain)

Mårten (Sweden)

Mina, Stephania, Victor, Vincent (Ukraine)

Chandler, Dallas, Jalen, Johnathan, Johnathon, Jon, Jonatan, Jonathan, Jonathon, Jonte, Jorel, Jorrell, Lincoln (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 315 of 2024; 50 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 45 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ngetal (Reed) [Day 12 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Ten-Xu), Day 28 (Gui-You)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 27 Heshvan 5784

Islamic: 27 Rabi II 1445

J Cal: 15 Mir; Oneday [15 of 30]

Julian: 29 October 2023

Moon: 3%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 7 Frederic (12th Month) [Louis XI]

Runic Half Month: Nyd (Necessity) [Day 1 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 49 of 89)

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 19 of 29)

Calendar Changes

Nyd (Necessity) [Half-Month 22 of 24; Runic Half-Months] (thru 11.25)

[wolverinesorcery]

What to do with an Allan Apple?

For every Sunday leading up to Allantide I'm going to make every effort in the world to post a blog entry detailing some specific part of Cornish folk customs around the event! Today is the function of Allan Apples in divination, along with other fun divination methods!

An Allan Apple is any highly shined, big red apple. There's no requirements beyond that! They're easy to get hold of and their use is central to Allantide! Traditionally there were Allan Apple markets where people could go and buy their apples for the festival.

Before the discussions of apples and divination it's important to confirm what Allantide is!

Allantide, also translated to Kalan Gwav (first day of winter), Nos Kalan Gwav (first eve of winter) or Dy' Halan Gwav (day of the first day of winter), is analogous to Hallowe'en or Hollantide of England and Cymru, or Samhain from Éire. As a result it's in-keeping with the themes of death, open gateways, divination and the dark of winter. More controversially (only because it divests the day and night of it's Christian attachments) it is also a festival of magic and charms. It's a particularly rich time for the appearance of ghosts, spirits and the Pobel Vean. Along with most Cornish festivals, fire and beacons are also very important.

Back to the apples - how to they factor into Allantide aside from the name? Divination...of course! The most important function of an Allan Apple was fortelling the users true love. They were generally given as gifts, so was a fairly easy affair. Older girls and young women would simply tuck the apple under the pillow during the night and sleep on it - that was enough to induce dreams of their future lover. Another more expansive use was to tell general fortune for the rest of winter, and even young children involved themselves in that.

Gifts of Allan Apples also brought luck to the receiver even if their divinatory use wasn't fulfilled!

Along with the apples, young hopefuls would throw molten lead or other metals into cold water and divine their future lovers occupation from the shapes they took - a fish would be a fisherfolk, for example. There was also the tradition of couples throwing walnuts onto an open fire to ensure their fidelity to each other throughout the coming year.

In more modern times the gifting and use of all of these divination methods fell out of favour, largely in part to increased Christianisation of Cornwall. It's starting to resurface more and more with the resurgence of folk witches and folk traditions, with apples being used as more than just divination - some offer them as gifts to ancestors passed on or as an offering to Ankow or the newly empowered Bucca Dhu.

A song has been written by a delightful Cornishwoman called Brenda Wootten and it can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIGkuNyjTdM

Next Sunday's post will be about magic and superstition in Cornwall!

crossposted to pysksos, my cornish folkcraft blog - https://pysksos.blogspot.com/2021/10/take-allan-applecornish-divination.html

[under-the-lake]

Samhain Part 1: Why We Have Hallowe’en

Hallowe’en, or Samhain (modern Irish - pronounce ‘sow-in’ or ‘sah-win’) or Samain (classical Irish), is a feast that takes place at the end of the harvest season. It is an ancient festival, predating the arrival of Christianity in the Celtic world. It was a very important festival, one of the two main marking changing points in the Celtic society. It was celebrated on or around 31st October - 1st November (that’s the dates in our modern calendar), which is, from an astronomical point of view, about mid-way between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It was also centered on the Hill of Tara and its banqueting hall (picture above, credit to https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/hill-of-tara/ ) but not only.

How did that ancient society work? Why was Samhain so important? That is what this first short text is trying to summarise, (I say ‘trying’, because the sources as various and sometimes conflicting).

Origins of the Word(s)

Foreword: Since Celtic peoples have spread in many parts of Europe and the world, it is obvious that this short paper cannot tackle the variety of customs and traditions. So I will focus on the Irish, because it is the most documented and living, with occasional incursions into Cornwall, Wales or Scotland and the Isle of Man, but I won’t be dealing with the wider world. At least not this time.

Today many of us Humans call it Hallowe’en and imagine only trick-or-treating, sweets and scary costumes in a basically children’s party evening, not knowing that this word has a historical significance. Hallowe’en is a short form for All Hallows Even/Evening, which means the night before the Christian feast of All Saints, which takes place on 1st November in our modern Christian calendar. The feast, like many others in monotheistic religions, starts on the evening - the eve - preceding the actual day. Take Christmas or Rosh Hashanah, for instance. They start the evening before, usually at sundown, with a period either of feasting or waiting.

Hallowe’en aka Samhain was never a fully religious feast, in the sense we understand the word today. It was a celebration of new year, of harvest, of the merging of the worlds of the living, dead and spirits, and supernatural creatures and phenomena. Offerings were made to divinities and creatures, obviously, and druids were involved, but it was nothing religious as we consider the word today, Religion was not related to big buildings as places of worship, but more to natural spots, rural shrines associated with springs, rivers (like the Shannon or the Boyne), trees, water sources, rocks and other type of natural places. Druids were not only the mediators between porous worlds but educators and teachers.

Samhain (or its variations) means ‘end [fuin] of the summer [sam]’. This hints towards change of season rather than any sort of worship, or even of ritual. In other parts of the Celtic world, the name of the feast is different, because the languages are different, but the idea is the same: first day of winter in Wales (aka Hollantide or Calan Gaeaf), or beginning of November in Cornwall (aka Allantide) and Britany (aka Kala Goañv; kala and calan stand for calend, which, is the first day of any month). Btw don’t ask me how to pronounce those, I don’t know, and didn’t find out. However, what is to be noticed is, that whatever the language, the beginning of each quarter of the year was celebrated, and the names we use today are the names of the months corresponding to the ‘first of’. For instance, Beltaine is actually the month of May, and the feast was held on the eve of and on the day of 1st May.

The Celtic Year

It is a commonly shared preconception that all ancient societies have a yearly cycle based on the movements of the sun or the moon. It is often true, but not with the Celts. At the beginning, the Celtic year was regulated by seasons and agriculture (of course you could argue that seasons are an astronomical feature, but they didn’t know that 4 millenia ago- or did they?). Only later did the division become lunar, with the inclusion of a 30-day month every third year, to align on the solar cycle (Coligny Calendar, see picture of close-up, credit wikimedia commons). The Coligny Calendar even shows that some months were considered auspicious (and thus labelled MAT - good) and not good (ANM - for anmat), giving a wee insight into this culture’s proscriptions.

However, time was mainly measured by the moon, and, as mentioned in the Coligny Calendar, the night preceded the day (whereas we live in a conception that the day comes before night, which is a bit mental because midnight is the actual beginning of the new ‘day’, and, apart from polar regions, it’s actually dark at that moment at all times of year). It sort of makes sense to me in the way that it makes the day and year go from darkness and cold to light and warm rather than the contrary, and makes death something that is not fatal and horrible and to be dreaded, but more like the beginning of something new. I remember reading somewhere that some Celts believed in the fact that even if the body decays and is eaten by worms and other saprophyte friends in the soil, the soul travels to a new being. And since spirits of deceased people could come over to the world of the living at Samhain, there is a parallel belief of souls just remaining souls, I would say.

There are some remains of the tradition of starting things at nightfall in some sayings in English: the use of sennight (a week - seven nights) or fortnight (a couple of weeks - fourteen nights) tells us the time was calculated in nights and not in days. Following (actually preceding but you know) the same idea, the Celtic year started with the first day of winter, which opened at Samhain. The year was divided into two main parts, the winter half (Geimhreadh) and the summer half (Samhradh), each of which was divided into two quarters, the first of which was sort of more important because it held the opening festival for the winter/summer half. Each quarter started with a festival, but the most important were the ones opening the winter half (Samhain, 1st November) and the summer half (Beltane, 1st May). The table below summarises the Celtic year at the time when Samhain was important. I put the full ‘modern’ dates for all festivals, since as we know the ‘day’ started the night before.

The days in this calendar obviously have various names according to the country, culture and Celtic language spoken. Many of those correspondances in the main Celtic languages can be found, surprisingly, on a wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_calendar ).

None of the four festivals is connected with the times of equinox or solstice, because the calendar was mainly lunar and seasonal. However, the two main Celtic festivals were later merged into Christian ones, as usual. Samhain was made All Saints Day, and Beltane became St John the Baptist’s Day even if it has nothing to do with it date-wise. The latter also replaced Midsummer in the cultures in which it was an important festival (some sources say it was another version of Beltane, with similar rituals). Today Midsummer is still a very important festival in some parts of Europe, with many traditions that have nothing to do with Christianity, even if a church celebration usually follows the night of pagan feasting. Beltane and Midsummer aren’t the same festival. They may have arisen separately, one being the start of the summer, when herds are taken out to pastures, and midsummer being more of an agricultural festival, also marking the year’s longest day.

In the case of Samhain, the Christian Church first tried to move it to spring, in the early 7th century (Pope Boniface IV) and then back into autumn (Pope Gregory III) when it made 1st November All Saints’ Day, and Catholics made it one of the ‘obligatory feasts’ of the year for parishioners to attend. In that sense the ‘wiping off’ of Samhain is more significant than the replacement of Beltane by St John the Baptist’s Day. That is very visible in the fact that while Midsummer traditions have survived rather well in many European countries, Hallowe’en is not such a big thing on continental Europe, while Celts had dominated Europe in many ways during many centuries.. Sometimes, however, the Samhain rituals are found to be observed on St Martin’s day, which is 11th November.

Since the Celtic festivals were primarily agricultural and pastoral feasts, not only some sort of religious presence (aka druids) is involved, but, connected to druidism, also magic. The importance of magic was in helping or asking favours from the powers of life and growth, to help have good crops and flocks, and in the relationship with spirits, souls and creatures.

Samhain - the End of the Year, and a Liminal Festival

As said before, Samhain is probably the most important of the Celtic festivals, because it was the one that started the Celtic year, merging the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It was a capital social and religious occasion. Many things happening at Samhain were believed to have an influence on the whole of the coming year.

Among those were the obvious agricultural pre-winter tasks, but also the settling of business matters including debts, and inauguration of new kings. Less savoury things like trials were also held at Samhain. Those events were important things in the running of the Celtic world, obviously, but also remember that peoples weren’t gathering that often, and were spread all over the country, meaning such big gatherings were a real opportunity.

In the Celtic world, the otherworld and the world of the living are not opposed and separated like they are in our monotheistic societies. They are more like parallel worlds with constant connection, but the period surrounding Samhain was believed to be the one when the barriers between the two worlds were at their thinnest, as well as the ones between the ‘human’, and ‘spirit and creatures’ world. Therefore many offerings and rituals were carried on, to keep relationships if not good, at least not bad. During the festival, gods, who became visible, were believed to play tricks on mere mortals, making the period also one of fear and supernatural presence, counteracted (or not) by the above mentioned offerings and sacrifices. Not only are the boundaries between dead and living at their thinnest, but Samhain is also the moment when the communities welcome those born during the past year in their midst. Both a festival of the dead and the living, it is, ultimately, a festival of life in all its forms and times. Remember that not all religions believe death to be something to fear or the dead spirits to be dreaded. That’s something very much linked to monotheistic religions (Harari, 2014).

All those things bring us to the importance of liminal spaces in the Celtic world. All the ‘in-between’ places were fundamental in Celtic society: shores, springs, hedges, but also dusk and dawn. Those transition places or times are neither nor, meaning some sort of chaos in the usual order. However, that doesn’t mean it was a time of quarrel. It is usually believed it was rather a time of peace. No need to show off such things when the spirits and gods are so close.

Let’s get a bit into details about what was done at Samhain.

Harvest Festival

Given the timing, it seems natural that Samhain would celebrate the end of the harvest season, and crops being safely stored for winter. Like at the end of any job well done, you deserve a pint and some onion rings, you start thinking about what is happening next and are in a mood that would open many doors should Sucellus (Celtic god of agriculture, forest and alcoholic drinks for the Gauls) or whomever deity or spirit open conversation.

By Samhain all crops would have had to be gathered in, everything cleaned for the start of the new year. Any leftovers would be contaminated by the púca. Some people also believed that some berries like blackberries, could not be eaten after Samhain because they would be made inedible by the púca, who would spread a nasty slime on them.

Bonfires were lit for many reasons, but one was to help the regenerative agricultural process. Of course, we know that biologically, fire is a provider of a ‘start back from scratch’ effect. When any kind of fire destroys landscape, the result is a decrease in biodiversity and nutrients, and there are also physical modifications to soil structure. However, those ‘desolate’ landscapes, as press coverage usually has it, although indeed being less rich at the time, are fertile land for new opportunist plants. Animals, and other living organisms, who make it their habitat for a while, until the soil is again rich enough to host a different ecosystem. Some plants have even adapted to fire so much that their seeds need it to germinate. That’s the case, for instance, for eucalyptus. So I see the use of fire in the ‘regenerative’ purpose as something that today makes sense biologically, though it was a metaphorical use in the ceremony. The parallel I draw is that where fire barrens the land and starts the whole colonisation process from scratch, so do farmers, when they plough the soil. The major difference resides in the fact that a farmer would choose what seeds they are planting, whilst nature would use whatever pioneering species are at hand to set life back in the destroyed place.

New Fire

New year, new fire, new start.

To have all that, all the old year’s stuff had to be completed. Debts settled, crops gathered in, and, most importantly, old fires extinguished before the night. So the night of Samhain would be the darkest of all, because there wouldn’t be fires in grates. However, a new fire would be lit by druids from the sparks of a spinning wheel, which in turn was considered a representation of the sun, which was one of the Celtic gods. Some say that sacrificial bones were tossed into the fire, giving the word bone-fire, and bonfire. In Ireland, the Great Fire Festival would be held on the Hill of Tlachtga (near Athboy, co Meath, Ireland; also known as the Hill of Ward, see picture; https://www.discoverboynevalley.ie/ ), the fire lit on the eve of Samhain (aka our modern 31st October), before the actual festival of Samhain would start on the hill of Tara, 12 miles east.

People took a flame of this new fire to light their own at home, after all fires had been extinguished as a sign of the ending year..

Some sources say that bonfires - or winter fires - were lit to commemorate Dagda’s ritual intercourse with three goddesses: the Morrígan, Boand, and the unnamed daughter of a Fomorian king and warrior called Indech. That might hint towards Samhain being a festival of fertility, but there are no records to back this up. Btw that bloke, the Dagda, is the ‘good god’, one of the leaders of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the people of immortals that preceded the mortals in Irish mythology. Rings a bell? What about the Valar in Tolkien’s world? The Morrígan, the Great Queen, is the goddess of war fury in early Ireland. There is a lot more to say about her (or them - since she is often represented as a trio with Badb and Macha) but it will be for another time. Boand (or Bóinn) is the goddess of the river Boyne, and her intercourse with the Dagda gave birth to the Irish love god..

Divination

The fact that the boundaries between the world of the living and that of the dead were basically dissolved during the Samhain period allowed, according to belief, the druids to make relevant predictions about the future. The stronger the bond with the otherworld, the better the predictions. Samhain was therefore the very best moment. That was not only the druids’ job, though they were the most able. Everyone could have a go.

Sacrifices

We know cattle sacrifices were made at the start of every important festival or event. There is no clear evidence (from what I read, at least, and from the most recent documentaries about Celtic culture I watched), and therefore there is much debate around, the fact that humans were ever sacrificed, apart maybe in times of famine. Entrail reading of sacrificed animals -haruspicy- was common practice before the setting of an event, and no doubt Samhain would have been one of them.

What next?

From what is written above, we know that originally, Samhain was a very important part of the year, a new beginning for everything from agriculture to social life. We also know that Samhain was a period of feasting, of sacrifice, of increased druidic activity, but also of more active communication between the realms of the living and the spirits and dead. A liminal period of time. That is for the anthropological part.

We also know that a lot of stories were told that happened at or around Samhain. Those are, for instance, the story of Fionn Mac Cumhaill and Aillén Mac Midgna, or How Tara Was Saved From Yearly Samhain Burning. The hero is Fionn, and the Burner is Aillén, one who dwells in a sídh, which is a barrow. Another one is the history of the Second Battle of Mag Tuired, between the Fomorians and the Túatha Dé Danann, in which the evil Balor, king of the Hebrides, was slain by his grandson Lug. All the Tuátha Dé usual people are present in that one story, including the Dagda and the Morrigan. Those two stories can be found in many places, but I summarised them from various sources in the next paper (Samhain Part 2 - Celtic Myths and Stories).

Obviously, if we have Hallowe’en as we have it in the 21st century (or say, as the United Statesian have it), there is a history to it. Monsters, Fright, Spirits, Haunting, Jack-o-Lanterns, those are not just commercial inventions (though today they are commercial invasions), but they have roots in ancient beliefs and rituals I want to dwell into. I also want to explore a bit how those traditions were used in the Harry Potter series. This will be the subject of the third Samhain paper: Samhain Part 3 - What Became of it Today?

Louhi

Sources

Online Sources:

https://brewminate.com/samhain-the-celtic-inspiration-for-modern-halloween/

Text of the Second Battle of Mag Tuired: https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T300010/index.html

https://celticmke.com/CelticMKE-Blog/Samhain-Tlachtga.htm

https://www.knowth.com/the-celts.htm

https://thefadingyear.wordpress.com/2016/11/01/the-puca-and-blackberries-after-halloween/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/holydays/samhain.shtml

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbkdcqt

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Samhain

https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/courses/13things/7448.html

Coligny Calendar, wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coligny_calendar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_calendar

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/samhain

https://www2.nau.edu/~gaud/bio300w/frsl.htm

Bookses and Papers

Farrar, J., Farrar, S., & Bone, G. (2001). The Complete Dictionary of European Gods and Goddesses. Capall Bann Publishing, Berks, UK.

Harari, Y. N. (2014). Sapiens: A brief history of humankind. Random House.

MacKillop, J. (2006). Myths and Legends of the Celts. Penguin UK.

Meuleau, M. (2004). Les Celtes en Europe. Ed. Ouest-France.

Rees, A., & Rees, B. (1991). Celtic Heritage: Ancient Tradition in Ireland and Wales. 1961. Reprint.

Rowling, J. K. (2000). Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Bloomsbury, London.

Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954). The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of the Lord of the Rings. George Allen & Unwin. London.

Tolkien, J.R.R. (1977). The Silmarillion. George Allen & Unwin. London.

[momasarah]

Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year, for the Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark, at Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on November 1st. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle, just as the Celtic day began at night. For it was understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed below the ground. Whereas Beltane welcomes in the summer with joyous celebrations at dawn, the most magically potent time of this festival is November Eve, the night of October 31st, known today of course, as Halloween.  Samhain (Scots Gaelic: Samhuinn) literally means “summer's end.” With the rise of Christianity, Samhain was changed to Hallowmas, or All Saints' Day, to commemorate the souls of the blessed dead who had been canonized that year, so the night before became popularly known as Halloween, All Hallows Eve, or Hollantide. November 2nd became All Souls Day, when prayers were to be offered to the souls of all who the departed and those who were waiting in Purgatory for entry into Heaven. Throughout the centuries, pagan and Christian beliefs intertwine in a gallimaufry of celebrations from Oct 31st through November 5th, all of which appear both to challenge the ascendancy of the dark and to revel in its mystery. In the country year, Samhain marked the first day of winter, when the herders led the cattle and sheep down from their summer hillside pastures to the shelter of stable and byre. The hay that would feed them during the winter must be stored in sturdy thatched ricks, tied down securely against storms. Those destined for the table were slaughtered, after being ritually devoted to the gods in pagan times. All the harvest must be gathered in -- barley, oats, wheat, turnips, and apples --for come November, the faeries would blast every growing plant with their breath, blighting any nuts and berries remaining on the hedgerows. Peat and wood for winter fires were stacked high by the hearth. CONTINUED IN LISTING https://shop.conjuredcardea.com/Samhain-Oil-Summers-End-Halloween-All-Saints-Ancestors-sam.htm https://www.instagram.com/p/CECzZk_HOGV/?utm_medium=tumblr

[gosaltybouquetflowerus-blog]

The Traditions Of Halloween

The title Halloween (originally spelled Hallowe'en) is a contraction of All Hallows Even, that means the day earlier than All Hallows Day (better recognized today as All Saints Day ), a Catholic holiday commemorating Christian saints and martyrs noticed because the early Center Ages on November 1. At the moment, it is broadly thought that Halloween originated as a pagan Celtic pageant of the lifeless associated to the Irish and Scottish Samhain, however there is no evidence that it was connected with the useless in pre-Christian occasions. Eight hundred years later, the Roman Catholic Church additional modified Samhain, designating November 1 as All Saints' Day, in honor of all Catholic saints. Each All Hallows' Eve - known today as Halloween - and All Saints' Day, which follows on November 1, have been designated as days to hope for lifeless souls that had not passed out of purgatory, within the belief that the prayers of the living will assist. Within the nineteenth century, cultural anthropologist Sir James Frazer studied the practices of the Northern Celtic individuals on Hallowmas (a time period that has come to explain the three day period of October 31st, Halloween, November 1st, All Saints' Day, and November 2nd, All Souls' Day). The supposed connection to paganism comes with the truth that the Roman Catholic Church moved the celebration of All Saints' Day to November 1st in the 8th century. Because Popular Costumes Halloween of Christianity unfold into Celtic lands, in the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day, a time to honour saints and martyrs, to switch the Pagan competition of Samhain. Exploiting the skeletons, ghosts, vampires and demons, even within the ludicrous type of costumes and masks, the fashionable Halloween does greater than obliterate the reminiscence of dying - it is a form of invitation for our youngsters to be accustomed to the worst aspect of Paganism, which is its familiarity with horror and the satan. Many scholars claim that Gregory III chose to commemorate the saints on November 1 with a view to fight an historical pagan Celtic pageant called Samhain that was celebrated on the same day. From the early days of the church, saints (more particularly martyrs — the only individuals initially acknowledged as saints) were honored and celebrated.1 Nonetheless, with time, the rising quantity of martyrs (particularly below the persecution of Diocletian, the Roman Emperor from 284-305 ADVERT) made it inconceivable to assign a separate celebration for each. Greater than a thousand years ago in Eire and Britain, a standard custom of Christians was to come collectively on the eve of the feast of All Hallows Day to ask for God's blessing and protection from evil on the earth. A very powerful of these holidays to affect later Halloween customs was Samhain, a holiday observed by the ancient Celts, a tribal people who inhabited most of Western and Central Europe in the first millennium BC. Among the many Celts, Samhain marked the end of one 12 months and the start of the following. The celebrations for this holiday started in historic, pre-Christian occasions as a Celtic ceremony for the dead. Check Out believed that through the pageant Samhain, which marked the transition to the brand new yr on the end of the harvest and starting of the winter, spirits walked the Earth. Today, it's extensively believed that the church was attempting to exchange the Celtic day of the dead with a associated, church-approved holiday in an effort to indoctrinate the Celtic individuals to Christian beliefs. Halloween is celebrated annually on October 31. It had its beginnings in an historic, pre-Christian Celtic competition of the useless. Begun as a spiritual observance, with Christian religion co-opting pagan faith, Halloween is now the second most business holiday in phrases of cash spent, behind solely Christmas, another holiday syncretized by the Roman Catholic Church with pagan rituals and gone extra commercial than sacred in modern occasions. Known in Modern Irish as Lá Samhna, in Welsh as Nos Galen-Gaeaf (that is, the “Night time of the Winter Calends”), and in Manx as Laa Houney (Hollantide Day), Sauin or Souney, Samhain is often stated to have been an important of the fireplace festivals, because (in keeping with most Celtic scholars) it might have marked the Celtic New Year.

[djzena]

Halloween Songs For Children Party Free

There are no Misfits on this listing as a result of that's a given at any Halloween party, and no Thriller on this Halloween music list both. Marla Mase, a mom and owner of the New York City-based party planning enterprise and , says she has thrown many Halloween parties over the of probably the most memorable was a graveyard social gathering, the place she adorned the world with hay, overhanging branches, leaves, lighting, tombstones, coffins, skeletons, body parties, sound results, filth and enormous plastic rubbish cans, pumpkins, black lighting, and so forth. You do not have to obtain any new software program into your laptop with a view to purchase the PDF for these Halloween songs. Get ready for a Spooky, Loopy and Enjoyable Halloween Evening @ The Meals and Booze Exchange on 22nd October. Music, Joint Attention & Autism - Read about my master's analysis examine and my findings as they relate to music and kids with autism. I really like the classic feel to those Halloween bingo cards from The Crafting Chicks.

The track makes use of the deranged fictional schizophrenic analogously for a man who cannot escape his anger issues - in actuality, not totally far off out of your typical angsty http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-spirit-of-halloween-62-classic-halloween-songs-mw0002499407 rock quantity, which is probably why it practically topped the Mainstream Rock Songs chart last 12 months. A tune that offers the texture of Halloween and the phrases a way relate to Halloween. Many individuals thought this was a love tune when it was first launched in 1983, with some even choosing it as the primary dance at their wedding ceremony. Last 12 months he unleashedthe mutated beast Zombies' as a part of the newly minted1984 Suite, and those mind-gorging rotters mingle withBobby Boris Pickett's rock'n'roll basic, The Monster Mash'andthe Prince Of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne, who loses his thoughts on Bark At The Moon'. I have been in search for years of this little Halloween tune that I also discovered within the third or fourth grade ( 1969-1970). American Halloween is much more enjoyable than the tradition in a number of European international locations, nevertheless, masking and elaborate parties for adults presently of year have become in style everywhere now. Right - now we have horrified you to your core with our fiendishly scary, hastily-assembled Halloween run-down - we go away you with this catchy ditty to hang-out you all through the night. CanTeach - Songs & Poems - A whole bunch of track lyrics listed by themes: Seasons, Special Days, Animals, Vegetation, Meals, Family & Mates, language Arts, Math, At School, Other. Mr. Cooper's vocal is delivered with an ominous, biting confidence that makes it an ideal wild-card Halloween celebration choice. In the event you're searching for some spooky get together tunes then there are 5 full-size Halloween tracks at that are perfect for any terrorizing kids Halloween celebration. Like Alice Cooper, this had some rock royalty guesting on it - Mick Fleetwood and John McVie of Fleetwood Mac carried out drums and bass duties respectively. Once they do, although, his lyrics rapidly stir up photographs of bats, undead souls, witches with capes and, after all, murder that match completely alongside any Halloween-like setting. Instead, the rhymes have been steeped with political and satirical messages, created in such a method to confuse the authorities listening; thus, preventing legal or other backlash. It's Halloween is a picture guide written by Jack Prelutsky and illustrated by Marylin Hafner, published in 1977. It is vitally likely that the English pageant of Halloween or Hollantide equates to the lfablt at the moment of yr, talked about in Scandinavian sources, however little or no is thought about that. Six songs will compete in every semi-final, with the top 3 from each advancing to the Grand Last, decided by public televoting. Greater than 160 lullaby songs: lyrics and music to take heed to, for soothing songs, to sing to children earlier than they fall asleep. These 30 child-friendly songs last about 1.5 hours making it child Halloween celebration good. This can be made in the identical approach as the hat besides that the children solely need a sheet of A4 paper that must be rolled lengthwise. But when it got here time to report Pink Floyd's second album, drugs would only allow Syd one song, and the band was forced to exchange him. The next is a listing of melodies Snh48 mv Halloween Night time Pleased Halloween very best that individuals explain to and exhibit to your account. We hope you've got enjoyed this informative record of the highest ten spooky hits; all ideally suited for Halloween-themed parties and even weddings! Halloween can also be typically called All Hallows' Eve, All Hallowtide and may also be written Hallowe'en. Whereas Harley Poe's lyrics are often graphic and might make your skin crawl, the music is one other story. I particularly benefit from the lyric, You go to work today, you'll go to work tomorrow, stfaced tonight, you may brag about it for months. If your Halloween occasion is any good, this may most likely happen! There were monsters in rock songs before Alice Cooper surfaced in the early 70s with songs like The Ballad of Dwight Fry, Useless Infants, and Killer, But there weren't monsters in rock. Study the pre-faculty nursery rhymes for children and excellent visualize 3D animated multiple cartoon animals dinosaur finger household rhyme for youths by my superhero rhymes. Fashionable Nursery Rhymes - Read and look at the pictures of those wacky rhymes and songs. For the second ESL occasion vocabulary train it's essential select the choice (A-D) that has the phrase that matches the definition given in each query. Prepare your self for the intriguing vacation that is about to come your means, with epic dance moves on these songs or can use them as theme setters. Everyone loves a bit of socio-political commentary to carry a celebration to life: The Specials cowl urban decay, de-industrialisation, the rise of inner city violence and unemployment in Ghost Town', the track that spent three weeks at number one again within the 80s at the time of the riots. Not fairly what you'd think about as a Halloween song, apart from the music's title and the lyric no more haunting, baby. But Ella's powerful pop lament managed to reach the top five on the Grownup Pop Songs chart, so something about it clearly creeped under listeners' skin - even if it is not precisely trick-or-treating pre-game material.

[lailoken]

The Astronomical Cross-Quarter Days & the Traditional Cross-Quarter Days

April 30th is a very special day for my tradition, as it is for many others. Though, I think I approach it a little differently than most.

In the Wending Way, the Cardinal Sabbath of Amplemas is celebrated upon the Astronomic Cross-Quarter midpoint between the Equinox and Solstice—which is May 5th, this year. When I discuss "astronomic" versus "traditional," I am referring to the long-held belief that the Cross-Quarter days hold power because they represent liminal midway points between the Solstices and Equinoxes; these celestially based windows of time change year to year and are what I refer to as "Astronomic." In the past, though, these seasonal points became more standardized and syncretized within the framework of the Gregorian calendar, resulting in the static dates that are generally regarded today; these are the dates I refer to as "traditional." Using our Sabbath of Amplemas as an example, it is related to the folk-celebrations of Beltane, May Day, and the like, and as such, the traditional date of celebration would seemingly be on May 1st. However, since we observe the Astronomic date of celebration, the actual date depends on the given year.

Even with the Wending Way celebrating the Celestial Sabbath days, though, the traditional Spirit Nights—which we generally call Maedoc's Feast (late night of January 31 & early morning of February 1,) Walpurgis (late night of April 30 & early morning of May 1,) Neot's Night (late night of July 31 & early morning of August 1,) and Hollantide (late night of October 31 & early morning of November 1)—are still enthusiastically observed.

In conclusion, I do believe there are eight times a year that represent astronomical periods of heightened energy and spirit activity, which fall strictly upon the equinoxes, solstices, and cross-quarter days between them. But that being said, there is a very real power to thousands of people coming together in worship and celebration—especially when it's been going on for so very long. That much veneration creates a lot of energy and spirit activity in its own right. What's more, there is a sacredness to the fact that these traditional dates have been passed down to me by my mother.

[brookston]

Holidays 11.11

Holidays

Air Day

Battery Day (Japan)

Cartagena Independence Day (Colombia)

Children’s Day (Croatia)

Chopsticks Day (Japan)

Concordia Day (St. Marten Island)

Eleven Eleven Eleven Day (Netherlands)

Four Ones Day

Graphics Information Systems Day

Guang Gun Jie (Bare Sticks Day, or Singles Day; China)

Heir to the Throne Day (Tuvalu)

Hollantide (a.k.a. Hallow-tide; Isle of Mann)

James Bond’s Birthday

King Jigme Single Wangchuck Day (Bhutan)

Lāčplēsis Day (a.k.a. Lacplesa Day; Latvia)

Lunantishees Day (Ireland)

Metal Day

Mortens Day (Denmark)

National Athleisure Day

National Education Day (India)

National Metal Day

Nigel Tufnel Day

Old November Eve

Ones Day

Origami Day (Japan)

Pepero Day (South Korea)

Red Lipstick Day

Republic Day (Maldives)

Route 66 Day

Singles’ Day (a.k.a. Guanggun Jie; China)

Soccer Day (Japan)

St. Martin's Day [patron saint of tavern-keepers] (a.k.a. ... 

Beggar's Day (Netherlands)

Funeral of Saint Martin

Jum San Martin (Malta)

Mardipäev (Estonia)

Märtekuu (southern Estonia)

Mārtiņi (Latvia)

Martinigians (Sursee, Switzerland)

Martinje (a.k.a. Martinovanje; Croatia)

Martinloben (Austria)

Martinmas (Old England)

Martin Přijíždí na Bílém Koni (Czech Republic)

Martinstag (Germany)

Old Halloween

Old Hallowmas Eve

St. Maarten Day (Sint Maarten)

Tear-Stomach Day

Tori No Ichi (Rooster Day #1; Japan)

Women's Day (Belgium)

World War I Victory Celebrations (a.k.a. ... 

Armistice Day (Belgium, France, New Zealand, Serbia)

Death/Duty Day

Independence Day (Poland; from Austro-Hungary, Prussia & Russia, 1918)

Poppy Day [also Last Monday in May]

Remembrance Day (UK, Commonwealth of Nations)

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Day

Veterans Day (f.k.a. Armistice Day; US)

Veterans of Foreign Wars Day (Micronesia)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bean Sprouts Day (Japan)

Bonza Bottler Day

Kölsch Day

National Sundae Day

Noodle Day (Japan)

Pocky & Pretz Day (Japan)

2nd Friday in November

Domino Day [2nd Friday]

National DTC (Direct-to-Consumers) Friday [2 Fridays before Black Friday]

Independence Days

Angola (from Portugal, 1975)

Poland (Restoration of independence after 123 years of partitions by Russia, Prussia, and Austria, 1918)

Washington Statehood Day (#42; 1889)

Feast Days

Bartholomew of Grottaferrata (Christian; Saint)

Carnival Session begins (a.k.a. Fasching or Karneval; Austria, Germany, Netherlands)

Charlie Manson Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Day of Remembrance of the Volhvs (Asatru/Slavic Pagan)

Einherjar (Feast of the Fallen; Norse)

Fasching begins (a.k.a. Karneval; Germany, Netherlands)

Feast of Dionysus

Feast of the Fallen (Norse)

Guru Nank Jayanti (India, Nepal)

Louis XI (Positivist; Saint)

Lunantishees Day (Celtic Faery Day)

Martin of Tours (Roman Catholic Church) [tavern-keepers] *

Menas (Christian; Saint)

Mercurius (Coptic)

Samson (Muppetism)

Small Furry Creatures Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Søren Kierkegaard (Lutheran Church)

Theodore the Studite (Christian; Saint)

Turn It Up To Eleven Day (Pastafarian)

Victory Over Pinks VP Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [62 of 71]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

An American in Paris (Film; 1951)

Bad Moms (Film; 2016)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Film; 2022)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson (Magazine Article; 1971)

Fearless, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2008)

Coming to America (Film; 1988)

Fearless, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2008)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 (Film; 2010) [#7]

Magic Mike (Film; 2012)

Men at Arms, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 1993) [Discworld #15]

Mull of Kintyre, by Paul McCartney & Wings (Song; 1977)

My Best Friend’s Girl, by The Cars (1st Picture-Disc Single; 1978)

Ratatouille (Animated Pixar Film; 2007)

Ted (Film; 2012)

The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien (Novel; 1954) [Book 2 of The Lord of the Rings trilogy]

The Ugly Duckling, by Hans Christian Andersen (Fairy Tale; 1843)

Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins, by John Lennon & Yoko Ono (Album; 1968)

Today’s Name Days

Martin, Menas, Senta (Austria)

Minka, Minko, Viktor, Viktoriya (Bulgaria)

Davorin, Martin, Viktorin (Croatia)

Martin (Czech Republic)

Morten (Denmark)

Alev, Elev, Elvo (Estonia)

Panu (Finland)

Martin, Vérane (France)

Leonie, Martin, Mennas, Senta (Germany)

Drakon, Minas, Minos, Victor, Viktoras, Vincent (Greece)

Márton (Hungary)

Martino (Italy)

Nellija, Ojars (Latvia)

Anastazija, Martynas, Milvydė, Nastė, Vygintas (Lithuania)

Martin, Martine, Morten (Norway)

Anastazja, Bartłomiej, Maciej, Marcin, Prot, Spycisław, Teodor (Poland)

Anastasia (Russia)

Maroš, Martin (Slovakia)

Martín (Spain)

Mårten (Sweden)

Mina, Stephania, Victor, Vincent (Ukraine)

Chandler, Dallas, Jalen, Johnathan, Johnathon, Jon, Jonatan, Jonathan, Jonathon, Jonte, Jorel, Jorrell, Lincoln (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 315 of 2022; 50 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of week 45 of 2022

Celtic Tree Calendar: Hagal (Constraint) [Day 14 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Lùyuè), Day 18 (Wu-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Tiger (until January 22, 2023)

Hebrew: 17 Cheshvan 5783

Islamic: 16 Rabi II 1444

J Cal: 15 Mir; Sunday [15 of 30]

Julian: 29 October 2022

Moon: 90%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 6 Frederic (12th Month) [Louis XI]

Runic Half Month: Nyd (Necessity) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 50 of 90)

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 20 of 31)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 11.11

Holidays

Air Day

Battery Day (Japan)

Cartagena Independence Day (Colombia)

Children’s Day (Croatia)

Chopsticks Day (Japan)

Concordia Day (St. Marten Island)

Eleven Eleven Eleven Day (Netherlands)

Four Ones Day

Graphics Information Systems Day

Guang Gun Jie (Bare Sticks Day, or Singles Day; China)

Heir to the Throne Day (Tuvalu)

Hollantide (a.k.a. Hallow-tide; Isle of Mann)

James Bond’s Birthday

King Jigme Single Wangchuck Day (Bhutan)

Lāčplēsis Day (a.k.a. Lacplesa Day; Latvia)

Lunantishees Day (Ireland)

Metal Day

Mortens Day (Denmark)

National Athleisure Day

National Education Day (India)

National Metal Day

Nigel Tufnel Day

Old November Eve

Ones Day

Origami Day (Japan)

Pepero Day (South Korea)

Red Lipstick Day

Republic Day (Maldives)

Route 66 Day

Singles’ Day (a.k.a. Guanggun Jie; China)

Soccer Day (Japan)

St. Martin's Day [patron saint of tavern-keepers] (a.k.a. ... 

Beggar's Day (Netherlands)

Funeral of Saint Martin

Jum San Martin (Malta)

Mardipäev (Estonia)

Märtekuu (southern Estonia)

Mārtiņi (Latvia)

Martinigians (Sursee, Switzerland)

Martinje (a.k.a. Martinovanje; Croatia)

Martinloben (Austria)

Martinmas (Old England)

Martin Přijíždí na Bílém Koni (Czech Republic)

Martinstag (Germany)

Old Halloween

Old Hallowmas Eve

St. Maarten Day (Sint Maarten)

Tear-Stomach Day

Tori No Ichi (Rooster Day #1; Japan)

Women's Day (Belgium)

World War I Victory Celebrations (a.k.a. ... 

Armistice Day (Belgium, France, New Zealand, Serbia)

Death/Duty Day

Independence Day (Poland; from Austro-Hungary, Prussia & Russia, 1918)

Poppy Day [also Last Monday in May]

Remembrance Day (UK, Commonwealth of Nations)

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Day

Veterans Day (f.k.a. Armistice Day; US)

Veterans of Foreign Wars Day (Micronesia)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bean Sprouts Day (Japan)

Bonza Bottler Day

Kölsch Day

National Sundae Day

Noodle Day (Japan)

Pocky & Pretz Day (Japan)

2nd Friday in November

Domino Day [2nd Friday]

National DTC (Direct-to-Consumers) Friday [2 Fridays before Black Friday]

Independence Days

Angola (from Portugal, 1975)

Poland (Restoration of independence after 123 years of partitions by Russia, Prussia, and Austria, 1918)

Washington Statehood Day (#42; 1889)

Feast Days

Bartholomew of Grottaferrata (Christian; Saint)

Carnival Session begins (a.k.a. Fasching or Karneval; Austria, Germany, Netherlands)

Charlie Manson Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Day of Remembrance of the Volhvs (Asatru/Slavic Pagan)

Einherjar (Feast of the Fallen; Norse)

Fasching begins (a.k.a. Karneval; Germany, Netherlands)

Feast of Dionysus

Feast of the Fallen (Norse)

Guru Nank Jayanti (India, Nepal)

Louis XI (Positivist; Saint)

Lunantishees Day (Celtic Faery Day)

Martin of Tours (Roman Catholic Church) [tavern-keepers] *

Menas (Christian; Saint)

Mercurius (Coptic)

Samson (Muppetism)

Small Furry Creatures Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Søren Kierkegaard (Lutheran Church)

Theodore the Studite (Christian; Saint)

Turn It Up To Eleven Day (Pastafarian)

Victory Over Pinks VP Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [62 of 71]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

An American in Paris (Film; 1951)

Bad Moms (Film; 2016)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Film; 2022)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson (Magazine Article; 1971)

Fearless, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2008)

Coming to America (Film; 1988)

Fearless, by Taylor Swift (Album; 2008)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 (Film; 2010) [#7]

Magic Mike (Film; 2012)

Men at Arms, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 1993) [Discworld #15]

Mull of Kintyre, by Paul McCartney & Wings (Song; 1977)

My Best Friend’s Girl, by The Cars (1st Picture-Disc Single; 1978)

Ratatouille (Animated Pixar Film; 2007)

Ted (Film; 2012)

The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien (Novel; 1954) [Book 2 of The Lord of the Rings trilogy]

The Ugly Duckling, by Hans Christian Andersen (Fairy Tale; 1843)

Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins, by John Lennon & Yoko Ono (Album; 1968)

Today’s Name Days

Martin, Menas, Senta (Austria)

Minka, Minko, Viktor, Viktoriya (Bulgaria)

Davorin, Martin, Viktorin (Croatia)

Martin (Czech Republic)

Morten (Denmark)

Alev, Elev, Elvo (Estonia)

Panu (Finland)

Martin, Vérane (France)

Leonie, Martin, Mennas, Senta (Germany)

Drakon, Minas, Minos, Victor, Viktoras, Vincent (Greece)

Márton (Hungary)

Martino (Italy)

Nellija, Ojars (Latvia)

Anastazija, Martynas, Milvydė, Nastė, Vygintas (Lithuania)

Martin, Martine, Morten (Norway)

Anastazja, Bartłomiej, Maciej, Marcin, Prot, Spycisław, Teodor (Poland)

Anastasia (Russia)

Maroš, Martin (Slovakia)

Martín (Spain)

Mårten (Sweden)

Mina, Stephania, Victor, Vincent (Ukraine)

Chandler, Dallas, Jalen, Johnathan, Johnathon, Jon, Jonatan, Jonathan, Jonathon, Jonte, Jorel, Jorrell, Lincoln (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 315 of 2022; 50 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of week 45 of 2022

Celtic Tree Calendar: Hagal (Constraint) [Day 14 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Lùyuè), Day 18 (Wu-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Tiger (until January 22, 2023)

Hebrew: 17 Cheshvan 5783

Islamic: 16 Rabi II 1444

J Cal: 15 Mir; Sunday [15 of 30]

Julian: 29 October 2022

Moon: 90%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 6 Frederic (12th Month) [Louis XI]

Runic Half Month: Nyd (Necessity) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 50 of 90)

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 20 of 31)

[lailoken]

As part of a specific rite we undertook for Hollantide/Hallowe'en, we created this Jack-O-Lantern, inscribed with a compound-sigil that was generated using the ideographic sigilry my husband developed.

I was very pleased with the ultimate effect—both aesthetically, and magically.

[lailoken]

The Neep: A Hollantide Family Tradition

One of my very oldest familial traditions, which I've decided to share about some here, is the creation of Hallowed Lanterns called 'Neeps' on the Spirit Night of Hollantide/Hallowe'en. These Lanterns are made from hollowed root vegetables—with the Turnip serving as the most propitious—which are then carved with phantasmic faces and Illuminated from within using candles. They are meant to honor the dead, and most especially, the Forgotten Dead, who build the framework of our existence, but whose stories have been lost to the ages. What's more, they serve to connect us to our Beloved Dead, and helps guide those recently gone.. Additionally, the Neep is a powerful ward, which protects the home and household from the sway of the Restless Dead, and any wights of the Secret Commonwealth who may be up to mischief during this time betwixt.

They are constructed at Twilight, prayed over and/or sung to, and then fumigated, before being arrayed about the home as seen fit by the Neep-maker. Generally, they are arranged around the outer thresholds of the home, facing the comimg shadows of night, and are lit come nightfall.

If these sound suspiciously familiar to the more culturally familiar Jack-o-Lantern, that's because they were once essentially synonymous. The tradition is traced back to pagan festivals of the insular Celtic Isles, and it was only when the jack-o-lantern was gradually commercialized in the modern day that these pagan uses were forgotten by many. Though, of course, not all.

While I wasn't able to share pictures of the main "troops" of Neeps from this year, I have been given leave to share the above pictures of a particular Neep we constructed for our Quietus Altar, which was made using a Mangelwurzel, or Fodder Beet, from our Garden. Additionally, I can share one more picture of another beet Neep we made, from before its kindling, which was hung above the front step.

[lailoken]

The Summer Queen is Born!

Upon the Spirit Night of Walpurgis, we fashion a Corn Dolly to serve as an effigy of the Summer Queen.

She is sung to, bestowed with a Whitethorn Staff, and smoked by the Balefire of Hexennacht, before she is throned in her place of honor in the home, upon the Hearth Mantle. There she will watch over us and usher in the blessings of the Sun-Warmed Seasons, until her sacrificial death on the Spirit Night of Hollantide, when the Crone of Winter takes the throne.

[lailoken]

Recently, I experienced a very striking and powerful occurrence, and it has since been indicated to me that this was something I’m free to share when and if I choose to. And so, having given it some thought, I share it here now.

As I drove along a rural section of highway on my way to our home in the countryside, I was suddenly afflicted with an overwhelmingly strong sense of knowing. Which is to say that, all at once, I felt in my very bone marrow that I needed to park in the dirt pullout directly ahead of me. I was hesitant to do so initially, given my speed, but my instincts were screaming at me to bring the car to halt. And besides, the feeling was physical as well as mental—like a heat inside me that made me feel dissociated and short of breath, but which seemed to draw me onward—so pulling over seemed like the safer option.

So I parked and then walked, until I found myself standing between the intersection of a stream and a roadway named “Suttle.” When I looked down, I saw the virtually unscathed body of a freshly dead Black Cat. She appeared to be feral, and struck by a passing vehicle that snapped her spine without doing any real damage to the rest of her body.

As I stared down at the poor creature—that intense, almost foreboding, sense of purpose finally lifting from me—the import of it all began to sink in; I had been inexplicably drawn, at sunset, to the intersection of a roadway and running water, where I found the body of a Black Cat. What’s more, when I later looked up the origin and meaning of the name “Suttle,” I found that it was an East Anglian nickname for a clever individual, meaning ‘subtle’ or ‘cunning.’ For what I think are pretty obvious reasons, the ramification of that particular etymology, in relation to a way of crossing, left me somewhat gobsmacked. It was clear enough to me that I was meant to find the cat as I did, and accordingly, I carried the slain animal back to my car, where I wrapped her in a sweater until I could lay her remains to rest in the manner asked of me.

Immediately upon returning home, sortilege explicitly directed me to arrange a ceremonial internment, which was to be tendered by those flowers of the land still in bloom. Entirely by the hand of serendipity, I ended up ornamenting the burial with nine specific plants—significant both for its connection to my Current of the Craft, and for the folk-belief that a cat possesses nine lives. With the creature now laid to rest, the skeleton is to be uncovered again upon the Spirit Night of Hollantide, and a special selection of bones consecrated to my purposes on the proceeding Spidereal Sabbath of Hallowmas, before the abiding remains of the Suttle Cat are ritually reinterred.

What a fascinating and potent reminder to trust both my instincts and the divine forces that help to underpin them.