PP – Samhain With The Kids

By Jodi Lee
~Originally Published October 2000~
(see author/copyright info below)

Please note that our familial circumstances have changed since this article was written. I have removed the paternal influence’s name from the article at my daughters’ request.

As Samhain approaches, we will be delving into the Sabbats area of the book “Circle Round” to prepare for our circle and celebration. This is the first time my children will be joining me in circle for a Sabbat. I feel that they have asked often enough what mommy does out there, and they have enough understanding of the concept of my path to help celebrate and honor our ancestors. But, in the meantime (between now and Samhain), this is what I have planned…

This will seriously cut into their “trick or treat” time, as I celebrate on the 31st of October rather than November 1st. Instead of travelling to their grandmother’s that night, we’ll go the next night, with the girls in their costumes and painted faces, and stay home. They can go out with their dad while I stay home and pass out treats and prepare for our circle. Once they get home, it’ll be circle time. They are excited already, and I am glad they are, as I would love to have them follow in my path (although I don’t hold any illusions that they will…they are just as stubborn and independant as I was ;-) )

Firstly will be our “Dumb Supper”. Our table will be set with a place for my cousin Ollie, who passed away in her mid-eighties last fall. She’s been gone almost a year, and I can still feel her here every day – she gave me the courage at 12 years old to go follow the path my heart went down. And I did, and I will be forever grateful to her.

We will eat our dinner of soup and soda bread in silence, honoring all those who have gone before us. Once the meal is finished, and IF the weather holds nice, we’ll head outside to my ritual space. My husband will light the fire, while I explain again what Samhain means to my path, and myself, and tell the girls a short story.

Care will be the one to sweep the circle (this is not something I always do – but for their first circle, we’ll be going all out), and Rhiannon will set up the candles. All four of us will stand within the circle as I call the winds and the ancestors, and cast the circle. The girls can then speak their minds, if they wish to tell a story, or thank the ancestors, or just sing a song, they can. However they wish to celebrate the New Year, and honor the past, is fine with me.

Rhiannon has asked if we can light candles for their twin sisters, whom we lost in premature birth a year and a half before Rhiannon was born. I have told her that this is a wonderful idea, and she has picked out two tiny pink candles. Care doesn’t seem interested in the candles, she wants to be more active in the casting of the circle (read “Children Are Amazing!” for an explanation of that girl…) and the herbs and crystals I’ll be leaving out for the old ones. She has asked if she can pick them out, and I agreed.

Finally, we’ll have “cookies” and apple juice, which is our “kid friendly” cakes and wine. Rhiannon will pass the cookies, and Care will pass the juice, each leaving a generous portion for the old ones. A moment of silence for those who have gone before, and then we’ll release the circle.

I haven’t decided yet if they should stay in their costumes throughout all of this or not – Rhiannon wants to be a “real” witch again this year (black pointy hat, green face, wart and all..sheeeesh…) and Care wants to be a gnome (ever see the movie Merlin, with Martin Short as Flick? again, I say sheeesh). Perhaps it’s appropriate?
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Jodi Lee – is a freelance writer/editor living in southern Manitoba, Canada.
© 2000 – present All Rights Reserved; Republish notice excluded.

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