Samhain Has Come and Gone

Being that this would be my family's first official Samhain celebration I wanted to make it as simple as possible.  I set up an alter (known as a nature table at my house).  It has various fall findings, a couple of pentacles that are actually star Christmas tree ornaments but it worked great for just starting out.  We also had a beautifully carved witch, a black crow sitting on top of a white pumpkin and a really cool wicked witch of the west shoe.  I almost forgot... we did have a white and black candle as well.

A couple of days before Halloween  I opened up a scrapbook to one of our favorite pictures of my husband's dad and Little J as an infant.  I placed in behind all of the other items and rested it against the wall.  It is actually still there.  I talked to the boys about why we celebrate Halloween.

I explained it similar to the following:
Halloween is the time of year when it is easiest to talk to the spirits of the ones that we love that no longer live here on earth.  If we put out pictures of them and talk about special times we have had, it helps us to never forget them.  It also lets them know that we still care about them and love them.  We will light our pumpkin to help guide granddaddy to our house when it is dark tonight.  We can also invite him to come and stay for a sleep over.  When we feel happy or toasty warm on the inside, we will know that granddaddy has come for a visit and is with us always.

Before trick-or-treating we did light our pumpkin and of course take pictures while in our costumes.  Then, as we walked around trick or treating, we talked about some of our favorite memories of granddaddy.  We made plans on how we can remember him always and give a little piece of him to our future family.  Let me explain.  My husband's dad was always given a coin that he had to retrieve from his grandfather's pocket every time they would see each other.  Granddaddy would always give T Man a hot wheel car that he had to retrieve from granddaddy's pocket.  Granddaddy would also collect coins that were from other countries or not in circulation as much and have the boys place them in an old bank safety deposit box that he had gotten each of them shortly after they were born.  T decided that collecting coins to give his grandchildren would be a great way to let them know a bit about granddaddy.  He said if it was girls he might have to get bracelets or hair bows instead of hot wheel cars though.

I think this was simply perfect for my boys.  I kept it easy to understand and not too far off from what we would normally have done on Halloween.  Next year, I hope to make some of the recipes that I have posted and have a true Samhain feast.  I just thought we should ease into the changes.  Both of my boys really liked taking the time to remember granddaddy.  JJ doesn't really remember him and T Man is sad because he remembers him less and less.  He just knows that the sadness of  missing him is still there.