Witch's Calendar Chapter 6 Summary

La dia de los Muertos dates back to as early as the maya and aztec days, nearly 3,000 years ago. “The Aztecs didn’t fear death. They believed the way a person died determines their type of afterlife.” (Sarah Massey) Families place alters in their homes with favorite foods of the deceased people, sugar skulls with their name on it, special possessions of the loved ones, and Pan de Muerto (bread of the dead). On the altar are four special elements, water, wind, fire, and earth. Candles represent fire, food represents the earth. Halloween dates back to the celt days, about 2,000 years ago. They lived in what now is known as Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. They gathered on October 31st to celebrate the end of the harvest season. The celts believed that spirits roamed the earth on this night. Celts out food out for the spirits, this was the first form of trick or treating. Some dressed up as the dead to scare away the spirits. They carved turnips and put candles in them to make lanterns. This tradition continued when the immigrants came to America, but pumpkins were easier to find so they carved pumpkins. They swapped scary stories and had a big feast. Roman Catholics began to celebrate All Hallows’ day on November 1st, October 31st became All Hallows’ Eve, later shortened to

Although there was some variation in the number of days of a Festival, they were always completed within seven days of the dances and the eating Prayers were said that God might bless the corn and meat during the year and make the people healthful. The preliminary Green Corn Feast was held in August and the main Corn Feast was held in the middle or latter part of September, when the corn was ripe.

Halloween is praised on October 31 in a few nations. It has its roots in agnostic festivals for the end of the harvest season, different celebrations of the dead. Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos) is a Mexican occasion, additionally celebrated in parts of Latin America and the U.S., to recall and appeal to God for family and companions who have kicked the bucket. It is on November 1.The Latin American festival Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is praised amid the same time period as Halloween. Both occasions are focused on conventions established in recognizing the perished. Albeit for the most part diverse, a couple of attributes of both occasions make them comparable - clarifying why disarray between the two exist. Halloween and Day of the Dead are both celebrated between people who are in the Christianity culture.

One of the holidays was All Hallows Eve or Hallowmas. It was a version of a pagan holiday “night of the witches.” It was believed that on this night ghosts and other supernatural creatures could be seen. People wore masks and costumes and lit bonfires to keep the evil spirits away. This night was also celebrated by dancing, mummery and singing.

Eleven respectable middle-aged housewives dance around a bonfire butt naked in the middle of the night; their boisterous chants echo through the surrounding forest. A film student traveling abroad finds security in his unfamiliar surroundings by casting a protection spell at his portable altar, his Goddess statuette staring up reassuringly. On the Oregon coast, a small group of environmentalists fume their rage during a ceremony to rid the Earth of its state of man-made dilapidation from pollution and deforestation. Their experiences differ, their practices deviate, and their devotions vary, but all of these people belong to the same religious movement. In this one way, they are united. They are all Wiccan.

Many of these festivals last from sunset the night before to sunset the next night. One festival that is one of the four minor ones is called, Beltane: and the Fire Burns. This holiday is celebrated on the first day of May, the celebration is started at sundown on April 30th. Beltane is celebrated because it is the season that the sap is rising, but most wiccans believe that the sap is not just rising in the trees, birds, and plants, but humans as well. An article found on wicca-spirtuality.com it said, "The whole earth seems to be rising up in joyful

2) Support (Evidence) The celebration takes place at midnight on October 31st and goes on through November 1st and November 2nd. It is designed to honor the dead souls who, it is believed, return to their earthly homes on Halloween. Many families construct an altar to the dead in their homes to honor deceased relatives and decorate it with flowers, favorite foods and drinks of the departed (Markello). Some other decor are the widely known sugar skulls which represent the celebration of life and death. They can all be made differently in colorful and creative design combinations to personalize the skulls after the person they are made for. The intent of all this is to encourage visits by the souls, so the souls will provide protection, good luck, and wisdom to their families.

This trinity includes the previously mentioned beach slumber for 3 nights, the consumption of fish for 3 days, and the 3 days of leisure. Clearly, Seasonism contains a few particularly odd

The catholic, mexican holiday, Day of the Dead and the very westernized holiday Halloween may seem very alike with their traditions and themes, but in retrospect, they are very different and have very different origins. Halloween and Day of the Dead happen at the same time, end of October and beginning of November. The background of these two holidays are very spiritual and they have an interesting story of how the Halloween and day of the dead was created. In this essay, I will be talking about the how Halloween and Day of the Dead are celebrated , the origins of Day of the Dead and Halloween, and decorations and celebrations of Day of the Dead and Halloween. Both Day of the Dead and Halloween deal with spooky traditions but they are very different than the stereotypical thought that they are just weird, scary holidays but after reading some background to these two holidays, many people realize there is a lot more to Halloween and Day of the Dead.

Samhain in October, Yule in December, Imbolic in February, Ostara in March, Beltane in May, The summer solstice in June, lughnasadh in August, and Mabon in September. Each sabbat is about accepting change wither it be the leaves falling to the ground and colder weather coming, which represents death, or warmer weather and growing plants which, represents rebirth and life. Most wiccans choose to practice witchcraft around and on these holidays, as well as decorate their altar to honor their gods, along with offerings for their gods. Some wiccans will cast spells that relate to that time of year, where they will be the strongest and work the best. Some choose to enjoy the holidays by just simply honoring the change and doing what correlates with the holiday.

When groups, towns, or communities were made, people made public hearths, called prytaneums. That is the place a fire was constantly maintained for the good of all. If the fire ever goes out, someone couldn’t just light it with any normal fire. It had to be done precisely and only with friction or by burning glass, drawing fire from the sun. This was believed to invoke Hestia to guard your hearth.

These festivals are held eight times throughout the year to mark the changes in the seasons. These festivals include Winter Solstice, the shortest day, Summer Solstice, the longest day, and spring and Summer Equinoxes. Witches also honor their deities at monthly rites known asesbats, which are held on the full Moon, when the mind is thought to be more magically powerful. Sabbats begin at sunset and end at sunset the next day. Along with Sabbats there are festivals also known as rites, these are held at night.

This is one of the Celtic fire festivals, honoring the Celtic culture-bringer and Solar God Lugh . Often known as the "Feast of Bread" or "Loaf Mass", this celebration brings the god in his aspect of the Harvest King along with the Mother goddess, now full with child (just as the fields and trees are full with ripening bounty). As the first blows are struck with the sickle to reap the grain, so the Harvest King begin to weaken, and to sacrifice himself willingly so that others will survive the dark infertile winter season. There are many old tales of the sacrificed king, stemming from this archetype. This image shows the stag, the sickle used for reaping, and harvest bounty. This is a time for aiding the survival of your community through charitable

If Americans were asked to give examples of holidays, they would most likely mention the Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. These specific dates, known as calendar customs, are traditional practices that have become incorporated into culture due to “social pressure, common usage, and parental or other authority” (Brunvand 406). Each holiday has rich, historical roots, and many of the customs associated with them have been transmitted over several generations. In addition, most contemporary holiday customs vary dramatically from the date’s original purpose. In the case of Halloween, the commercialization of candy and costumes has contributed to a more family-oriented atmosphere compared to the initial

This festival is not only about the outer illumination but also promotes awareness of inner feelings which is the core for each and every human being. The true essence of Hinduism is the spirituality and prophesizes the fact that a human being is not only a body and mind but goes beyond that- a powerful eternal source of energy known as soul. The festival depicts realization of this inner power which shows the path of righteousness and prosperity even during darkest and hardest times and an individual. The awakening of one’s true and pure soul gives universal compassion, immense peace of mind and higher knowledge. The illumination of houses with candles and diyas along with the fireworks is an evidence of obeisance of health, peace of mind, happiness, wealth and prosperity. It is believed that the sounds of crackers are indications of happiness for the people on this earth. Also a scientific reason behind fire crackers are that the fumes created from the crackers kills various kinds of