Halloween in our house seems to be as big as Yule. We decorate with paper chains and lights, we have a big meal usually made with the last of the vegetables from the garden, we play games, we bob for apples, we carve pumpkins, we use this time to make the final plans for the vegetable patch in the garden for next year and we celebrate the lives of our family and ancestors.
Now, for all those who read my blog regularly know, I am not one for spending hours on rituals, however we do have some family traditions that we have done for many years and that now my children are taking over. One of these are the apples at the crossroads.
Every year at Halloween we go out late at night with a bowl of apples. We all pile into the car and we drive to the crossroads at the top of our connecting village and place the apples onto the ground.
At Halloween, the veil between those who have passed on and those who are living is at its thinnest. Our family use the apples to signify our harvest and a gift then place them at the crossroads to wish all those ancestors who have visited us during the Halloween time a safe journey back (to wherever!) and to give them an apple for the journey. Now obviously, in reality this means that the foxes and badgers around there have a really good feast that night but it is still a lovely way for us to symbolise us saying goodbye to all those who are no longer with us.
We have been doing this for years and now our children are 12 and 11 they get the bowl ready themselves and get all wrapped up ready to go out into the (normally) chilly October late night air to place the apples at the crossroads with us.
Whatever you do this Halloween and wherever you are, have a wonderful and magical time. We’ll raise a glass from our house to yours on Halloween night!
The Village Witch
http://www.thevillagewitch.co.uk
Bio: The Village Witch is a traditional village witch offers services within my community and works full time as the village witch, whether that be a shoulder to cry on, making charms, spells, handfastings, baby blessings, naming ceremonies, cleansing, removing negative energies and much more. She is also a qualified complimentary health therapist taking her role within the village seriously but also loves to meet people, especially when sharing of cake is involved!
I leave offerings at the crossroads at Halloween, and at other times during the year. It was a challenge in the city, but now it's easy to find one. I resonated with this custom even at the beginning. It feels right – and familiar.
this is a great post! I would love to do something like this! Maybe I can get my sister and hubby on board too..
I love reading your blog so much. I always look forward to it when I sign on blogger
Merry Hallowe'en!
-A
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