I fell out of the routine of celebrating the changing seasons over the summer. Maybe it was the weird weather we had in Utah. Maybe I was too busy trying to soak up as much summer as possible. Or maybe I just got lazy. Honestly, it was probably a perfect combination of all three. But after getting back into my groove by tuning into the Autumn Equinox, I’m planning a few fun, easy ways to celebrate Samhain, too.
I would classify myself as a fairly casual observer of the Wheel of the Year. I don’t consider myself a Neo-Pagan or a Wiccan but I do like the way the eight Sabbats serve as reminders and opportunities to intentionally tune back into the seasonal changes both in the physical and energetic sense.
And, let’s be honest, any excuse to slow down a bit and savor life is good enough for me.
I like to keep things low-key and I try not to pressure myself to stick too closely to any specific timeframe. There are a few things I like to do right on or around the actual Sabbat and then there are activities I like to focus on more generally to ride the vibe of the season as long as possible.
Enjoyment is the name of the game here, so if I’m stressing myself out trying to celebrate the seasonal Sabbat “correctly”, I’m doing it wrong.
So, with that in mind, here are a few of the ways I’ll be celebrating Samhain, both on the actual day and throughout the following weeks until the Winter Solstice.
8 Low-key Ways To Celebrate Samhain
Nature Walk
If there’s one ritual I try to do for every seasonal transition, it’s a nature walk. Spending time really experiencing nature and noticing the shifts as the seasons change is my favorite way to feel connected to my natural surroundings. I’m definitely lucky in that the Salt Lake Valley has numerous parks, trails, and walking paths to enjoy. So I’ve been trying to find a new one to explore each time. I make sure and set aside enough time that I can walk for as long as feels good to me without worrying about getting back at a certain time. And then I put my phone on “Do Not Disturb”, put it in my bag, and try to really tune into all five senses as I walk.
Samhain Simmer Pot
Simmer pots have become one of my go-tos for celebrating seasonal transitions. They’re easy and fun to create and the act of combining ingredients and stirring with intention feels really good to me. Plus, they make my house smell amazing. For a Samhain simmer pot, I’ll combine the following:
- 1 sliced apple, for…
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, for…
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh sage, for…
- 1 tablespoon of dried or fresh lavender buds, for…
Fill a large pot with water and add all the ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low so that the water is just barely simmering. Let the simmer pot do its thing all day (as long as you’ll be home to watch it, of course) adding more water as needed.
Journaling
I journal nearly daily. It helps keep me from getting too “in my head” over everything, which I have a habit of doing. So, for these seasonal shifts, I like to use a prompt or two to align with the energy of the season to help me develop some self-awareness and any intentions I want to carry through the next six weeks.
I’ve found a few journal prompts I like and I plan on picking whichever one (or more) feels right when the time comes. Maybe I’ll even pick one journal prompt to do each week throughout the season. Like I said, I like to keep things loose.
- What are the qualities about myself that are no longer serving me that I’m ready to release?*
- What am I still holding on to that’s holding me back and what do I need in order to let it go?*
- What are any grievances or wrongs I’m holding on to, either with myself or others, that I can let go?*
- What are the “mistakes” I’ve made this year and what did I learn from them?
- What are my views on rest?
- What parts of me need more nurturing? How can I prioritize that nurturing?
- What aspect of myself am I keeping hidden? What would it take for me to allow these aspects to be seen?
- How do I feel about the unknown? How can I find comfort and wisdom in the unknown?
- What do I need more of that I haven’t been giving myself lately?
*Several of these journal prompts lend themselves nicely to releasing through burning. I love to write about the things I want to release or be rid of and then burn what I’ve written as a way of symbolically letting go. It’s very satisfying.
Bake Something With Apples
I love any excuse to bake something. Not because I’m particularly good at it (I’m not) but because it is one of the most cozy, comforting, soothing activities I can think of. Apples are commonly associated with fall in general and Halloween/Samhain in particular. I got curious as to why (other than the fact that apples are in season, of course) and found this on Bustle:
“Samhain, (is) a Celtic festival that celebrates the end of the harvest… and marks the beginning of winter. One of the purposes of the holiday was to honor the Roman goddess of fruit, Pomona, who was represented by an apple.”
While I’d love to be the type of person who bakes apple pie, I know I’m not that motivated. But this apple crisp is right up my alley. Or possibly these apple muffins. I might also just make a big batch of stewed apples to stir into oatmeal or dollop on waffles.
Make Family Recipes
Samhain brings with it the opportunity to remember our loved ones and our ancestral roots. And food is often an integral part of how we stay connected to our lineage. For me, I remember growing up my mom would always make baking soda biscuits on the first rainy day in fall (at least that’s how I remember it). I loved coming home from school to find freshly baked biscuits waiting for me. They are synonymous with warmth, coziness, and home for me. So I plan on making a batch as a way to remember my mom and conjure that nostalgic, cozy feeling. Plus, they’re perfect for slathering with some of the peach jam I made this season.
Whether it’s your grandma’s lasagna recipe, cookies that remind you of your childhood best friend, or a recipe from your ancestry you’ve been meaning to try, Samhain is a great time to make food that reminds you of your roots and where you came from.
Focus On Seasonal Produce
Even though I love to cook, I often find myself going back to the same trusty recipes over and over again. So I plan to challenge myself to find new recipes to try that focus on the vegetable of the season: squash.
I have a few squash recipes I love but, for the most part, I just end up dicing/slicing and roasting. I want to try some more creative recipes to expand my squash repertoire this season. Here are a few recipes I’m looking forward to trying:
- This Apple Sausage Stuffed Squash recipe looks AMAZING but I think I’ll try it in delicata squash (my favorite squash) instead.
- This Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart recipe looks exactly the right amount of fussy for a weekend experiment. I’m interested to see how it reheats, too.
- I’ve had this Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowl with Lime Peanut Sauce recipe pinned for literal years. I think it’s time to give it a try.
Create An Ancestor Altar
This is something I’ve been meaning to do since my father-in-law passed a few years ago. I sort of started one when my mom passed last year but, I’ll admit, it’s been a bit half-hearted. So I think this is the Samhain to carve out a bit of space to honor and remember family members who have passed. And perhaps even ancestors in the broader sense.
Carve Pumpkins
This is one of my favorite Halloween/Samhain traditions because it’s something I do with my sisters and their kids. I love getting together a few days before Halloween to carve pumpkins together. I just love a good secretly-witchy secular Halloween activity.
The Halloween season, and fall in general, is definitely my favorite time of year. So I look forward to spreading out these Samhain activities over the next several weeks to really cultivate that sense of connection and savor the season.
What are your favorite ways to celebrate and observe the Samhain and Halloween season? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
