And now for a Halloween themed post.
Also known as Samhein, Sauin, La Samhna, Samhuiin, Oiche Shamhna, Samain, Hallowmas, Shadowfest, All Hallowâs Eve, Samhuinn, Samhain, Witchâs New Year, Summerâs End, the Third Harvest, Samana, Vigil of Saman, and others.
The name âSamhainâ, and its other spellings and similar names, comes from the Old Irish âsamâ for summer and âfuinâ for end, thus making this holiday the mark of the end of summer.
The celebration of Halloween goes back six thousand years where the Celtic people celebrated the end of the harvest and the coming of winter. This day is traditionally October 31st, though some celebrated it in the early days of November. Its most precise date is when the sun is at 15 degrees Scorpio. In the year of 2013, it will occur on November 7th. The celebration usually began the day before, at sunset.
This day was used to honor the dead and those who had passed away that year, as it was said the veil between the living and the dead was thinnest at this time of year. Rather than mourning the dead, Halloween was a celebration for the death of all things old and the beginning of all things new.Â
An owl that circles a house three times is said to be a sign that someone within the house will die soon.
It is said robins gained their red feathers because they attempted to remove the thorn crown from Jesusâs head, but his blood fell on the bird instead.
It is unlucky to kill a robin.
The eye on a peacock feather is said to be the âevil eyeâ and therefore bad luck to bring inside a home.
There are countless superstitions about birds near homes and windows that signify oncoming death.
Tip your hat at a magpie to avoid back luck.
Itâs unlucky to kill sparrows because they carry the souls of the dead.
A crow at the window represents the soul of a dead person.
A nearby robin carries the soul of a deceased family member.
If a bird call comes from the north, misfortune will follow.
If a bird call comes from the west, good luck will follow.
If a bird call comes from the south, a good harvest will follow.
If a bird call comes from the east, love will follow.
Unbaptized children become birds until they are accepted into Heaven.
Pet birds must be informed of important family events or they will die.
It is unlucky to find a dead bird outside the home.Â
A raven near a sick person means death is coming.
In Wales, a blind person can regain sight by showing kindness to a raven.
Victorian Funeral Customs and Superstitions
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Superstitions About Death
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Put almonds in your pocket when you need to find something.
Scatter chili peppers around your house to break a curse.
Never blow out the first candle you lit before you blow out the others or bad luck will follow.
Throw rice in the air to make it rain.
Ask an orange a yes or no question and count the seeds. An even number of seeds means no and an odd number means yes.
In a photograph of three, the person in the middle will die first.
Walk through the branches of a maple tree to have a long life.
Carry peach wood to have a long life.
Eat a peach to assist in making a tough decision
Mix salt and pepper together and scatter it around your house to repel evil.
Eat mustard seed to ensure fertility.
Place chips of cedar wood in a box with some coins to draw money to you.
If you bite your tongue, someone is talking about you or thinking of you.
Hanging up a new calendar before the year is over will bring bad luck
Irish Superstitions and Folklore
Superstitions From Europe
Superstitions in Shakespeareâs Time
Put out all fires in the home the night before Halloween to cleanse negative spirits. Reignite them from a common source on Halloween.
Burying apples along the path is said to serve as food for souls as they pass through our world.
The veil between the living and the dead is said to be thinnest on Halloween.
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Halloween Superstitions and Folklore
Home & Hearth Superstitions:
Hanging a pair of scissors over the front door will cut off negativity
Hanging a cluster of acorns on the front door will protect those who live there
Put thorny branches on your doorstep to keep evil away
Smell dill to get rid of hiccups
Place cotton on an aching tooth to relieve pain
Place a sliced onion in the room of an ill person to draw out the sickness
Hang a pea pod with nine peas above your door to draw your future lover
Place a pine branch above your bed to keep illness away
Cut an apple in half and give one half to your love for a long relationship.
Put pepper inside a piece of cotton and sew it shut to bring back a lost love
It is bad luck for siblings to marry within the same year
If you see a robin on Valentineâs Day, you will marry a crime fighter
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Love Superstitions (highlight to read text)
Smell peppermint to help you sleep
Eat a bit of thyme before bed for sweet dreams
Putting garlic under the bed will prevent nightmares
Rub a lettuce leaf on your forehead to help you sleep
Placing a full glass of water by your bed every night will collect any negativity in the room, but donât drink it
Putting a broom on the bed brings bad luck
If you leave laundry hanging outside during the night, a spirit will attach itself to it and possess the wearer
Never put a hat on the bed
Place morning glory seeds under your bed to cure nightmares
Place an onion underneath your pillow to have prophetic dreams
Never sleep with your head pointing east
Never sleep with your head pointing west
If you go to bed backwards, you will have good dreams
Superstitions and the Sea
Superstition Bash: Sailors
Best Books to Read for Halloween
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Reading for October Evenings
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Forests in Myth, Folklore, and Fairy Tales
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