Hallowtide Night One—Samhain/All Hallow’s Eve
After cleaning the beautiful corner with the trifoliate orange wash that was one of the items used earlier today to ward the house, and replacing the altar cloth with the one I use to represent a family graveyard, I rung my elephant bell as a substitute for church bells to summon the ancestors. I faced the direction of the cemetery where my husband’s family plots are located, less than a quarter of a mile from us as the crow flies. I thought his Dad could lead the charge! 😝
I left candles in the window to lead the way. One in the glass holders common on graves at Dušičky in the Czech Republic and the other my hromnička, generally used as protection during thunderstorms, but also lit when someone in the house was dying—with this association with the dead, it made sense to light it during Hallowtide.
While I waited for the ancestors to arrive I wrapped my scissors and needles in my ribín Bride, where they will remain until Hallowtide is over—it is taboo to do needlework during this time period lest the needles or scissors harm the souls of the dead.
I poked a little bit of my elderflower that I gathered on Midsummer Night at the local cemetery through my hag stone. I developed this little charm while researching the folklore of the elder flower with the intention of helping to lead the ancestors from the otherworld.
“Sleeping under an elder tree was believed to induce vivid dreams, connecting individuals to the fairy realm and otherworldly insights.”
“The elder’s blooming period around the summer solstice made it integral to midsummer celebrations, symbolizing the height of life and the thin veil between worlds.”
Discover elderberry folklore, its ancient wisdom, magical properties, and rituals for June. Deepen your connection to nature and midsummer m
“Many believe that the hole [in the hag stone] is a gateway into the world of spirits and Little People. Medicinal broths and brews can be poured through the hole and the medicine will pick up blessing from the other world as it passes through.”
—Brandon Weston, Ozark Folk Magic: Plants, Prayers & Healing
I placed the little figure representing Děduška, our house guardian, on the little cupboard in the beautiful corner, based on a drawing from one of the Czech folklore accounts I follow on Instagram showing Dušičky traditions.
Offerings tonight included kosti svatých Czech saints’ bones, Barmbrack soul cakes, Lagavulin, and homemade muscadine wine. These offerings are a mixture representing my Gaelic, Anglo, and Moravian heritage. There was also a glass of milk which in Czech tradition was left to cool souls from purgatory as well as butter to heal burns. I used pats of butter I made on St. Bartholomew’s Day, which in certain regions of Czechia was considered particularly potent. Tomorrow night for La Toussaint (All Saints Day) I plan to include a cabbage soup recipe (from @lesorciercanadien ) for the Québécois grandparents.
This year I used my tablet to show a slideshow of ancestor photos as the beautiful corner is smaller than my usual altar.
Tonight prayers included one from an All Souls prayer card I inherited from my great-aunt, Sister Margaret Mary.
