Halloween 🎃

Hope you all had a fab Halloween, a bit more like 'normal' for most even with Covid still creeping about. We did our usual thing of turning the lights out (to deter trick or treaters) and watching something on the laptop. At the moment we are on the newly released season two of Locke and Key which is great, we really enjoyed season 1 so have been looking forward to it. Obviously the other TV gem last night was the new series of Doctor Who - Flux! Great stuff.

Reading wise I am about to dive into The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy.  I love his writing and am very much looking forward to it having been madly interested in the case for years.

Anyway, have a good week all!

Calan Gaeaf

Calan Gaeaf - the start of winter in Wales celebrated on November 1st following 'Nos Calan Gaeaf' (Halloween, All Hallow's Eve, Samhain or what ever you wish to call it) on October 31st when spirits abound, and the old year is ended and the earth is ready to rest over winter.

The start of winter was observed, and in some places still is, in Welsh villages and towns. Traditionally the main celebration was when the women and children danced around a fire in the centre of the village, everyone would write their name on a stone which would be placed into or near to the fire. As the fire started to fade, everybody would run home through fear that Yr Hwch Ddu Gwta - an evil spirit appearing as a tailless black sow with a headless woman would take their souls.

The next morning, all the named stones would be retrieved from the ashes and checked, any stones missing would foretell the person named dying within the year.

Tuamgraney Woods Manifestation - Ireland

On the 31st October and around Halloween generally, some choose to avoid Tuamgraney Woods in County Clare, it is said that the hollow changes into dense woodland from which one can not escape, and within lurk dark creatures with glowing red eyes.

One tale tells of a young man who decided to ignore the warnings, he entered the woods carrying a large stick when soon a feeling of melancholy and fear came over him, the woods quickly became so dense he could not find the footpath to get out again.
Shortly after this, he saw a large black hound in front of him, with glowing red eyes, it glared at him a while before vanishing, this was followed by a hare, usually a passive  animal, but this one was also menacing, when it disappeared a large, hissing cat was seen, he could feel the threat and anger in the beast and he turned to run. However, the trees were so tightly packed, and the ground so uneven that he could not flee, he simply stumbled headlong into the branches. As it started to grow dark, the man appeared in a clearing where he saw an imposing black ram with the same glaring red eyes, and a cowering deer which was clearly near death following an attack. He became emboldened now, and attacked the ram with his stick, his blows went straight through the ghostly beast, but it in turn knocked him to the ground. When he awoke, the woodland had returned to normal, the trees were easy to navigate and the feeling of fear was gone...but he felt the physical pain of the struggle with the ram.

On telling this tale afterwards at home to his family, they said that others too had this experience, and Tuamgraney Woods were definitely best avoided at Halloween.


Sources: www.yourirish.com www.paranormaldatabase.com

Autumn Vibes

Hi folks, I don't know about you, but as soon as September starts I feel the spooky autumn vibe. Meteorology here in the UK considers September 1st as the start of autumn, and the weather seemed to oblige this year, a definite chill in the air and somehow a smell too, maybe a subconscious thing, maybe an inner sign of things approaching but I feel the need to buy hot chocolate, visit family graves, plan Halloween and look forward to the ever increasing dark nights. Bring it on! 🎃🦇🦉🍂👻

Hallowe'en!

For many of us, Halloween is as much of an event as Christmas. For me, the feelings this time of year conjure up are fantastic, legends and myths abound, and stories of the past beg to be read. I love the dark, moon, colder weather and fires, all of these together make autumn, and Halloween very special.

The commercial side of Halloween is not for me though, pumpkin carving, dressing up and trick or treating luckily passed me by when I was young, and now I see Halloween has become a money-making opportunity for shops as much as Valentine's Day. I will however be doing my own celebrating, remembering the 'proper' Samhain from my pagan roots and will be indulging in lovely wintry food tomorrow night.

Happy hauntings everyone.

Folklore of brooms.

With halloween approaching, the image of witches flying on brooms across the night sky will be a familiar one, but broom folklore is very interesting with many superstitions relating to them.
When moving into a new home, finding a broom was considered to be lucky, although one should never sweep towards the door of a new abode for fear of sweeping out the good luck. In days gone by, old brooms were never thrown away, but were burned or buried so as not to anger the hearth spirits.
Brooms were seen as an emblem of the home, and of womanhood, in England, joinings and celebrations were often marked by people jumping over a broom handle.
So love your broom, no home is complete without one...and they aren't just for witches!