I see Halloween so differently now...

[khlouiie-nicole]

Every halloween I become extremely happy.

That's all I KNow.  

[Lilith Marie Raventhorne]

I decorate for Samhain, and then go trick or treating. I'm 19 but I look younger so I can get away with it! Then I come home and do my Samhain ritual and use the candy as an offering to the Gods and my ancestors.  

[Yanueh]

Geeze... it's cold this morning...

Definitely autumn now. A little earlier than I expected, but it's definitely autumn.  

[[ Nicolette ]]

Morgandria

I don't look at Hallowe'en differently at all. It's still the same secular holiday full of candy and 'spooky' things. I enjoyed Hallowe'en as a child, but I don't celebrate it in any way anymore.

My focus now at that time is on Samhain, and honouring my ancestors. Hallowe'en isn't a pagan holiday.

Actually, as far as Saxon Paganism is concerned, Hallowe'en is a holy day. The name even comes from their tradition of celebrating holy days on the eves before the holy day, hence Christmas Eve, and the more modern New Years' Eve. The etymology of Hallowe'en is: Hallow[ed] + e'en (which is a shortening of evening). Why would the name itself have a word denoting holiness if it wasn't in fact holy?

However, while there is no evidence that the Saxons gave sacrifice or held rituals on that night, it is, in my opinion, very probable, as Hallows' Eve signified the end of October and the beginning of November, which was known as Blotmonath, or blood month, in which sacrifice was given.

Today, I believe most (or at least some) Saxon Pagans celebrate All Hallows' Eve by celebrating their own version of Samhain by honoring their ancestors with 'sacrifice', such as setting the table for them.

But to add to the general topic discussion, I don't see Hallowe'en that differently; I still think of dressing up and staying up to watch scary movies, but I also think of my ancestors and sacrifice.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

[ Nicolette ]

Actually, as far as Saxon Paganism is concerned, Hallowe'en is a holy day.

I have never come across this. Modern Halloween's roots are primarily in Samhain and All Saints' Day, not in Germanic Paganisms.

Of course, evidence to the contrary is very welcome.

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The name even comes from their tradition of celebrating holy days on the eves before the holy day, hence Christmas Eve, and the more modern New Years' Eve.

Christmas Eve is a holiday now?

Actually in this particular case it seems to be a church tradition, as when this holiday was developed the Florentine Calendar was in use by the church. Note that the page linked compares days starting in the evening to Jewish and Celtic calendars, not Saxon ones.

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The etymology of Hallowe'en is: Hallow[ed] + e'en (which is a shortening of evening). Why would the name itself have a word denoting holiness if it wasn't in fact holy?

Actually it's "All Hallows Eve", the night before All Hallows or Hallowmas, aka "the Solemnity of All Saints". A Christian holiday.

The modern church seems to prefer to save their celebration for All Saints Day itself. Seems rather beautiful, with candles and flowers and so forth.

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However, while there is no evidence that the Saxons gave sacrifice or held rituals on that night, it is, in my opinion, very probable, as Hallows' Eve signified the end of October and the beginning of November, which was known as Blotmonath, or blood month, in which sacrifice was given.

Would Bede not have mentioned it, if they did?

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Today, I believe most (or at least some) Saxon Pagans celebrate All Hallows' Eve by celebrating their own version of Samhain by honoring their ancestors with 'sacrifice', such as setting the table for them.

As I understand it, Theodism doesn't differ too much from Asatru, as a form of Heathenry. What do Theodsmen call this holiday? Can we see some links? I am having trouble finding AS-specific Heathen sites.

Within Asatru Winternights, the nearest equivalent holiday (unless we count Walpurgisnacht, celebrated at the other side of the year), is not a commonly celebrated holiday and is not held certainly on the 31st of October, but on the first day you truly feel winter on the wind.  

[goddess_elppy]

Everyone else can watch as their dreams untie . . .

Halloween is my favourite holiday ever, even above Christmas and my birthday! XD
October is my favourite month, I think, because this is when the leaves start turning, and they're so beautiful. I live in a very hilly, woody area of the US (Appalachia), so autumn is the best time of the year, because everything just starts looking so much more colorful. I went for a drive into the state park yesterday, and it was so gorgeous!

Whenever I think of Halloween, I think of parties and bonfires and spirits of all kind coming out to play. I might even get dressed up this year! (if I don't have to work in the evening... I hope not!!)

. . . so why can't I?

 

[[ Nicolette ]]

Sanguina Cruenta

I have never come across this. Modern Halloween's roots are primarily in Samhain and All Saints' Day, not in Germanic Paganisms.

Of course, evidence to the contrary is very welcome.

It is true, I believe, that the Saxons began celebrating on that night due to the Celtic festival of Samhain, since along with bringing their own gods, they accepted those already there. However, a quote further down will show that it was more of a night of sacrifice than a night of celebrating the dead.

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Christmas Eve is a holiday now?

Well, I didn't mean it was a holiday, but that 'eve' was added to the end of it due to Saxon tradition.

Quote:

Actually in this particular case it seems to be a church tradition, as when this holiday was developed the Florentine Calendar was in use by the church. Note that the page linked compares days starting in the evening to Jewish and Celtic calendars, not Saxon ones.

Unfortunately, you have me there! I do not have any proof that they started the tradition of eves other than hearsay, in which case I allow you to hit me on the head several times with a rolled-up newspaper. (This statement pretty much makes the rest of my argument moot, doesn't it? sweatdrop )

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Actually it's "All Hallows Eve",

Well, yes, but the etymology within the etymology is correct. And All Hallows' Eve derives from an Old English phrase, "eallra hālgena ǣfen", which is translated to All Hallows' Evening. However, this name wasn't brought about until the church holiday was moved.

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the night before All Hallows or Hallowmas, aka "the Solemnity of All Saints". A Christian holiday.

Actually, the Christian holiday of All Saints' Day was moved to November 1 by...whatever Pope was in power to help get rid of pagan festivities. (In fact, it was moved from the date of another, Roman, pagan festivity, on May 13) I won't contest that the modern name or the Anglo-Saxon term derives itself from this Christian holiday, but it is common belief, at least, by modern Saxon Pagans that our ancestors sacrificed at the beginning of Blotmonath. (Source: Earendel link below)

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Would Bede not have mentioned it, if they did?

I'm not sure if he did or not, but Joseph Bosworth appears to have translated a statement about the month.

Se mónaþ is nemned on Léden Novembris, and on úre geþeóde blótmónaþ, forðon úre yldran, ðá hý hǽðene wǽron, on ðam mónþe hý bleóton á, ðæt is, ðæt hý betǽhton and benémdon hyra deófolgyldum ða neát ða ðe hý woldon syllan.

"In Latin this month is called Novembris, but we call it Blotmonath, because our forefathers, when they were heathens, always sacrificed in this month, that is, they took and devoted to their idols the cattle which they wished to offer."

The actual link to whatever site it was originally from is broken, so all I can give you is the link to a wikisource where I found it. http://www.book-of-thoth.com/thebook/index.php/Anglo-Saxon_mythology#Practices

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What do Theodsmen call this holiday?

There are two names for it. Winterfinding/Winternight (from Winterfylleth) or simply Hallows.

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Can we see some links? I am having trouble finding AS-specific Heathen sites.

http://earendel.alaricalbertsson.com/index.php - An inhired's (kindred's) website

http://englishheathenism.homestead.com/introduction.html Not really relevant to this discussion, but it's good to have a link anyway--provides info on the texts and whatever evidence there is about Heathenistic worship.

Once again, my point was that it is considered a holiday by Saxon pagans, at least nowadays, as I don't personally have any proof that my ancestors did anything on that day/eve, other than a kindred's say-so.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

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Actually, the Christian holiday of All Saints' Day was moved to November 1 by...whatever Pope was in power to help get rid of pagan festivities. (In fact, it was moved from the date of another, Roman, pagan festivity, on May 13) I won't contest that the modern name or the Anglo-Saxon term derives itself from this Christian holiday, but it is common belief, at least, by modern Saxon Pagans that our ancestors sacrificed at the beginning of Blotmonath. (Source: Earendel link below)

I know it was moved. But it wasn't moved to after a day called Hallowe'en; you had to have an All Hallows before you had an All Hallows eve, so if there was one when All Saints was in May so was the day before it.

Common beliefs about history don't count; actual history does.

[ Nicolette ]

]

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What do Theodsmen call this holiday?

There are two names for it. Winterfinding/Winternight (from Winterfylleth) or simply Hallows.

So Theodsmen combine the two holidays of Winterfinding and Winternights?

Do any Theodsmen call this holiday "Hallowe'en"? "Hallows" is not the same thing. And seems suspiciously influenced by "Halloween" as a modern holiday. But that might just be me being cynical.

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Once again, my point was that it is considered a holiday by Saxon pagans, at least nowadays, as I don't personally have any proof that my ancestors did anything on that day/eve, other than a kindred's say-so.

I don't know any Saxon Heathens so I can't speak for them, but I do know no Asatruar I have come across has claimed to practise Hallowe'en as a religious holiday.

The point isn't that they have a holiday that happens to fall on the same day and shares roots with Hallowe'en. You're claiming that Halloween is practised as a religious holiday. It ain't - the only people who can legitimately claim that really are the Catholics because they're the ones as have the holiday with that name, and they don't tend to, as it's more the day before the holiday than the holiday itself. Plenty of people do things on the same day, that doesn't mean they're celebrating Hallowe'en.

Whether one's ancestors did things on a particular day is irrelevant. I'm sure they did many things, and some of them may have been religious. Point is they weren't celebrating Hallowe'en.  

[Arcaniss Vivian]

goddess_elppy

Everyone else can watch as their dreams untie . . .

Halloween is my favourite holiday ever, even above Christmas and my birthday! XD
October is my favourite month, I think, because this is when the leaves start turning, and they're so beautiful. I live in a very hilly, woody area of the US (Appalachia), so autumn is the best time of the year, because everything just starts looking so much more colorful. I went for a drive into the state park yesterday, and it was so gorgeous!

Whenever I think of Halloween, I think of parties and bonfires and spirits of all kind coming out to play. I might even get dressed up this year! (if I don't have to work in the evening... I hope not!!)

. . . so why can't I?

ooh! We sometimes just go for a random drive up to the Appalachians this time of year to look at the prettiful leaves. I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the States. Plus, Hallows is my favorite holiday too! I was raised without the whole trick or treat candy thing (because I hated trick or treating when I was younger), but we would have a prayer time we're we would honor our ancestors and such. Yeah, My mum is Catholic so... Anyway, this year my friend and I plan to build a fire, burn some incense (I grew the herbs myself yay! ^^) and honor God's life cycles with dancing and singing around our fire. We might or might not pretend to be little kids and get candy. > smile lol  

[Yanueh]

Arcaniss Vivian

ooh! We sometimes just go for a random drive up to the Appalachians this time of year to look at the prettiful leaves. I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the States. Plus, Hallows is my favorite holiday too! I was raised without the whole trick or treat candy thing (because I hated trick or treating when I was younger), but we would have a prayer time we're we would honor our ancestors and such. Yeah, My mum is Catholic so... Anyway, this year my friend and I plan to build a fire, burn some incense (I grew the herbs myself yay! ^^) and honor God's life cycles with dancing and singing around our fire. We might or might not pretend to be little kids and get candy. > smile lol

That sounds like fun. biggrin  

[GoddessAttuned]

I see Hallowe'en the way I have always seen and known it, a time for children to run around getting candy, for scary ghost stories to be told, for the older generation to gather and have parties in theme.
I still love and celebrate that part of te year but, I always pay hamage and respect to my ancestors and celebrate Samhain Eve.
Usually I celebrate Samhain earlier in the night then do what I may with either my witchy-friends or I go and hand out candy to children.
I enjoy a balance of both.

 

[Arcaniss Vivian]

Well, YAY for candy and hugging people as they open the doors and freaking them out. ^^ Happy Hallows!!!!! *hugs everyone who posted...and some random people that did'nt post!*  

[Doc Dillamond]

i feel the exact same way