Casa Bella Luna

Yay Halloween! My favorite holiday (of course right?).

There are a great many myths and legends surrounding this time of year and this Holiday in particular. Some with historical significances you may not be aware of. For example: Black Cats - Cats have been associated with goddess worship for centuries, and during the burning times, many women under the influence of torture said they were able to turn themselves into cats. Since cats were then associated with Witches, they of course became a popular symbol for Halloween. Why black? Probably because black is the color of mystery. How about Pitchforks: The symbol of the devil? Not so much! Pitchforks have been used in farming right? Well, Samhain (aka Halloween) is traditionally the last harvest festival of the year, and pitchforks come in handy when harvesting crops don’t they? So you see, there is a very practical reason why the pitchfork may have been seen commonly during this time of year. It is also a male fertility symbol.

I won’t get into the history of Halloween, or all the other superstitions such as witches, vampires, ghosts, scarecrows, etc… because I am writing a blog and not a novella. However, for those of you interested in such things, I recommend the book “Halloween” by Silver Ravenwolf. It is chock full of wonderful bits of history, recipes, and yes even some spells for the practicing witch, and it’s all centered around Halloween!.

Curious as to why we call it “Samhain”? or where trick-or-treating came from? Then read the book!! (No I am not plugging the book because I get a kickback LOL, I will just do anything to get people to read something, especially if it contains accurate information about my favorite holiday!)

Happy reading, and have a safe and blessed Halloween/Samhain! *cackle*