History of Samhain
What cultures does Samhain come from?
Ancient Ireland and Scotland
The ancient Celts lit bonfires and opened portals to the divine. Drinks, meats, divination, fairies, and dearly departed were celebrated on a day between the worlds.
Funny story: Samhain is just one name for the huge number of Spiritual & Ancestral celebrations around the world. The Celtic name stuck during the Witchcraft Revival.
Am I allowed to celebrate Samhain if I’m not Celtic?
Long story short: Yes.
- As many Witches know, and now science supports, our DNA carries the memories of everyone who made us who we are today.
- You may have DNA from a culture that doesn’t represent who you associate with today.
- You may have Irish or Scottish ancestry which would call you to celebrate Celtic traditions.
We love to tell everyone to follow their own guidance, follow their own energy, and, if you’re called to, follow their ancestry. Learn anything you’re called to learn and then respect what you have learned and experienced. Respect is key.
What are other names for Samhain?
Similar Holidays
These are other similar spiritual- and ancestor-centric holidays that occur around this day that may resonate more with your ancestral history:
- All Hallow’s Eve, England, Universal 🏴
- Dia de los Muertos, Mexico & Latin America 🇲🇽
- Dzień Zaduszny, Poland 🇵🇱
- Fed Gede, Haiti 🇭🇹
- Halloween, America, England, Universal 🇺🇸
- Ognissanti, Italy 🇮🇹
- Pangangaluluwa, The Philipines 🇵🇭
- Seleenwoche, Austria 🇦🇹
- The Witches New Year, Modern Universalism 🔮
Samhain Correspondences
Goddesses and Gods
Cerridwen, Hecate, Hel, The Morrigan, Thanatos
Colors
Orange, Black, Purple
Herbs, Oils, and Incenses
Cinnamon, clove, patchouli
Foods
Apples, meats, potatoes, pumpkins, turnips
Symbols
Acorn, cats, familiars, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, scrying items, scythes
Theme
Witches’ New Year, Ancestor Remembrance, New Beginnings, Psychic Abilities
Shopping
$178.95
- Perfect on an Air altar 🌬️
- Use when meditating with the spirit of Raven 🖤
- 6 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 14" 📏
$9.95
Sage and Sweetgrass have both been used for purification and cleansing, making Sage Spirit’s cleansing stick a great tool for ritualistic blessings and prayers. This herbal stick measures 7 inches in length. ShareTweetPin1RedditMore1 Shares
$18.95
- Great for learning the basics of palmistry 🖐
- Use as a learning prop or to hold your magical rings 💍
- 7.5" tall 📏
$21.95
Also known as red banded Jasper, this is a bulk order of Tumbled Red Malachite. Red is the color of energy, courage and passion; when blended with Malachite, the natural properties of the stone blend flawlessly with the influences of the color Red. This combination creates a vibration that brightens the energy and lives of those [...]
$24.95
- Unique + Great for Samhain 🔮
- Larger card format 🎴
- Symbolism like Rider-Waite ⭐
$25.95
Used in Native American ceremonies for generations, Sweetgrass is traditionally great for balancing, purification, and healing rituals. When burned, this Sweetgrass Braid invites positive, blessed, beneficial energies to your sacred space. This beautiful braid measures 18″. Wondering how to burn a Sweetgrass Rope? Click here for a quick tutorial! ShareTweetPin1RedditMore1 Shares
$13.95
- Great for protection ⚫
- Perfect for removing harmful energy ⚡
- 4.75" 📏
$4.95
Resin incenses are the most popular type of incense among Witches because it is the cleanest and most pure form of incense. This Copal Resin Incense is great for purification, consecration, communication across other planes, and banishing. Burn resin incense on charcoal tablets. ShareTweetPin2RedditMore2 Shares
$8.95
- Great for your ancestor altar 🧡
- Helps create a connection to higher planes 👁️
- 2.75". From Morocco 🇲🇦
$16.99
- Perfect for Samhain 🔮
- Great starter book 🔥
- 256 pages 📖
$7.95
- Great for removing harmful energies 👋
- Simply carve a name into the candle, visualize, and light 🕯️
- 7.25" tall 📏
$8.95
- Great for good luck spells 🐈
- Perfect for cat healing spells 💛
- 5.5" in height 📏
$14.95
This beautiful sphere of highly polished orange selenite makes a perfect crystal ball for Mabon and Samhain! This crystal ball measures 2″ – 3″ in diameter. Share1TweetPin1RedditMore2 Shares
$2.95
Known for its vanilla-like aroma, this Benzoin Incense Powder is made from its granular state and can be used with your charcoal burner to improve the atmosphere of your home or add to your ritual magick. This is a 1/3 ounce package. ShareTweetPinRedditMore0 Shares
$6.95
This Bat’s Blood Spell Writing kit comes with 5 sheets of parchment, 1 feather to fashion as a quill pen, and 1 bottle of Bat’s Blood magical ink to create magic seals, spells & petitions of curses, jinxing & their reversals. ShareTweetPin1RedditMore1 Shares
$1.75
The color brown represents grounding, stability, neutrality, and the element of Earth. Use this Brown Taper Candle in candle magic and other rituals when you are seeking the energies of the color brown. This taper candle measures 6″ x 5/8″. ShareTweetPin1RedditMore1 Shares
$16.99
- A Guide to Ancestral Veneration 🙏
- Respectful and accessible to all religions 💜
- 218 pages 📖
$104.95
- Reconstituted 10% quartz 🔮
- Crystal clear ✨
- 5" in diameter 📏
$4.15
This Black Pentacle Drawstring Bag, measuring 5 inches in length, is a great tool for spellcraft! Boasting a pentacle on both its front and back, this bag is perfect to create a spell sachet, a mojo bag, or gris gris bag with. Comes randomly selected with a black or orange drawstring. ShareTweetPin1RedditMore1 Shares
$6.95
Known for its vanilla-like aroma, this Benzoin Incense Powder is made from its granular state and can be used with your charcoal burner to improve the atmosphere of your home or add to your ritual magick. This is a 2 ounce package. ShareTweetPinRedditMore0 Shares
$8.95
- Protect your altar from candle wax 🕯
- Great for Samhain decorations 🎃
- 24" x 24" 📏