Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

31st October 2019

Samhain fire rituals and the Wild Hunt, Vegan Day, adorable acorn crafts, pine-needle tea!

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

31st October 2019

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

31st October 2019

EVENT and DO Samhain Greetings
Celebrate summer giving way to winter at Samhain, or Samhuinn. Find out more about the legend of the festival and find ideas to celebrate it here, discover ancient Samhain traditions and history here and read Glennie Kindred’s magical ways to celebrate the day (including how to make headdresses and elderberry syrup) here .

If you’re near Glastonbury, why not join the spectacular-yet-spiritual Wild Hunt on Saturday? Not only are there street performances from musicians and poets, but also a dramatic ritual theatre show. Everyone is encouraged to be part of the event; bring your own lanterns and make costumes.

In Edinburgh, the Beltane Fire Society put on a blazing, fiery show at the top of Calton Hill with street theatre, pyrotechnics and performances. Watch a stand-off between the summer and winter kings, overseen by the Cailleach, a Celtic representation of the Goddess.

Perhaps you might choose to visit an ancient monument on the morning of Samhain; the tomb chamber in the Hill of Tara in County Meath in Northern Ireland will be lit by the sun’s rays on the day itself, while Avebury is closely connected to the festival – the official guided walk has sold out, but you can still go and commune with the stones for free.

MAKE Crafty Cups
Acorns are scattered across forest floors and city pavements right now, and they make for adorably cute craft and play inspiration. Go simple and draw faces on your fingers and use them as sweet little caps, or pair them with pinecones and leaves to make fairies. Or make elf-sized tea services, toadstools and magical baked marble necklaces. Alternatively, use them to decorate your home; acorn garlands, box toppers and tiny floating candles are all gorgeous! Preserve any surplus for year-round crafting – find out how here.

FORAGE and RECIPE Pines and Needles
Fancy an early winter forage? Pine needles and seeds are both edible. Heat a cone over a fire and shake it to release the nuts. They’re best eaten toasted or used as an ingredient in pesto. Or try making fragrant pine-needle tea, incredibly rich in vitamins C and A and beta-carotene – best avoided if you’re pregnant, however! And, as ever, identify your species before even thinking about eating.

EVENT After Hours

Museums at Night is a twice-yearly magical series of art, one-off events and wonderful experiences, as galleries and museums across the country keep their doors open into the evening (and, if you’re lucky, overnight). Expect action-packed sleepovers, parties, and immersive artworks, plus magic lantern shows, storytelling and portrait drawing. Why not join a torchlight tour of Margate caves, hear Fenland folk tales at Wisbech and Fenland Museum or celebrate Celtic Samhain at the Scottish Crannog museum? So much going on! Find an event near you here

EVENT and RECIPE Veggie Party
Friday is World Vegan Day, the beginning of World Vegan Month. Not only is going vegan good for animals and our bodies, it’s also going to play a vital role in saving our environment. There are some great ideas for ways to celebrate it here (we like the ideas of tasting sessions for non-vegan friends and vegan-themed movie nights). If you’ve not taken the plunge, why not sign up for the 30-day pledge, which offers support, daily encouraging emails, tips and resources. Find more inspiration at some of the most tempting vegan recipe sites. Right now we love Isa Chandra, From My Bowl, and Vegan Yack Attack.

What we’ve been reading this week:
Raising children to be helpers
“In our home, we don’t make our child do chores, instead, we are helping our daughter learn home life skills and habits that she will use for the rest of her life to care for herself.” More here

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