seasons Archives - Otherworldly Oracle

The Christmas Pickle Tradition: A Surprising History and How-to

kitty fields — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 23:26:02 +0000

Out of all the things I associate with the Christmas and Winter holidays, a pickle wasn’t one of them. Until last year when I was given a glass ornament for the Yule tree in the shape of a pickle. And yes, like you, I definitely scrunched my eyebrows a bit and wrinkled my nose. Why is this person giving me a pickle ornament of all things? There has to be a story behind this. Well, there is! Here we’ll dive into the pickle jar and learn where the Christmas pickle tradition actually came from, as well as learn how to carry on this fun holiday custom. First, Let’s Talk About The Magical Pickle I feel for us to fully understand the Christmas pickle tradition, we have to understand the importance of the pickle itself. The history of the pickle might surprise you. Or, at the very least, it will entertain you. So what is a pickle? A pickle is defined as an “article of food that has been preserved in brine or vinegar.” But what we typically think of when someone says pickle is a pickled cucumber. In the United States, pickles are often sliced into “spears” or slices and they come in a sour “dill” form or the sweet “bread and butter” variety. But What About Cukes? But before we go too deeply down the pickle hole, let’s talk about cucumbers a little. The cucumber is a “creeping plant of the gourd family, widely cultivated for its edible fruit”, according to Brittanica. Apparently it’s been cultivated for at least three thousand years from its native India, and the farming of cukes isn’t slowing down any time soon. They’ve long been associated with the element of water, as well as believed to have powers of chastity, healing and fertility. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess the fertility powers are due to the shape of the cucumber? One writer says eating the fruit hinders lust, yet eating the seeds promotes fertility. The Pickle Symbolizes Preservation & Survival Before I even researched the origins of the Christmas pickle tradition, I was already thinking symbolically how the cucumber and pickle might align with the Winter holidays. And surprisingly, I came up with a pretty reasonable theory. Pickle means preservation, which in older times was a necessary task – preserving food for Winter stores. The more you were able to preserve and store, the more food you had over the colder months, and the more likely you’d actually survive the Winter. And yes, pickles have been made for thousands of years, dating to at least 2000 BCE in the Tigris Valley. So this theory might just stand up! A Strange But Interesting Piece of American Lore on Pickles… “It is generally believed that a menstruating woman can perform all of her ordinary household tasks save one – she can’t pickle cucumbers. I have known women who laugh at most backwoods superstitions yet were convinced that there was something in this idea. One girl told me that she and her sister tried it out repeatedly, and that the pickles prepared by a girl who was menstruating were always soft or flabby, never properly crisp.” Vance Randolph, Ozark Magic and Folklore So…Onto the Christmas Pickle Tradition We know pickles are old as time, and we know they represent preservation through the Winter. But how the heck did the actual Christmas pickle tradition (or Weihnachtsgurke) start? And who made it an actual thing? Some sources will tell you it was a German tradition originally, brought to the United States with German immigrants. HOWEVER, this origin story might not be correct. There’s no solid evidence to support this claim. What we do find is a man named Tim Merck who has built his business on old-timey German folk art ornaments. Namely, the Christmas pickle. He claims it is a German tradition, while others say it’s actually a German-American tradition. The origins are truly convoluted. Sketch Origin Stories and The TRUTH There are origin stories involving German-American soldiers and people hiding in pickle barrels. Yet none of these stories have supposedly been heard of before by folks who actually live in Germany. Only by German-American families. The truth is, the pickle likely came as a marketing ploy in the 1880s when there was supposedly a surplus of glass pickle ornaments. Maybe folks will be disappointed to hear their tradition isn’t German in origin. To me, it doesn’t matter. Because any tradition we carry on in my family takes on a life of its own and is inherently magical. I believe it’s simply an American tradition. But either way, the Christmas pickle has become a somewhat popular gag gift as well as actual activity for families. And its gaining popularity every year. The idea is the Christmas pickle is hidden in the Christmas tree, and on Christmas morning the first child to find it gets to open his or her gift first. What this does is gets the children to slow down and allows the family to enjoy their time together (rather than kids just tearing through their presents all at once). Alternatively, the first person who finds the Christmas pickle will have good luck all that coming year. Bad Santa and the Wooden Christmas Pickle When I brought up the Christmas pickle to my family the first time, my husband said, “you mean like in Bad Santa?” I couldn’t remember exactly what he meant, so I had to look it up for myself. And yes, the little boy whittles a wooden pickle for Billy Bob Thornton who’s the “Bad Santa” in the comedic film. I can’t help but wonder if this is a nod to the Christmas pickle tradition of the ornament in the tree. How to Carry On the Christmas Pickle Tradition The Christmas pickle tradition is easily carried on in your family, if you like a fun Christmas morning activity. In our family, we typically open presents then eat breakfast. But, honestly, my […]

The post The Christmas Pickle Tradition: A Surprising History and How-to appeared first on Otherworldly Oracle.

Mabon Blessings, Symbols, and Spells for an Enchanted Equinox

kitty fields — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 23:08:25 +0000

Mabon is the gateway to the true holiday season, if you ask this witch. It’s the day I really come alive in my witchiness. And I feel as though there’s magic undulating in the crisp breeze and flowing all around me. Maybe you feel that way about Mabon too. So how do we prepare for the most magical Autumn Equinox ever? By deciding on what rituals we will perform, what foods to eat, and spells to cast. Here, we offer you our favorite Mabon blessings to pass on to your family and friends, as well as Mabon symbols, spells and divination methods ripe for the Autumn season. First, What is Mabon? Mabon is the Wiccan term for the Autumn Equinox that occurs annually between September 21st and 23rd. It’s the first official day of Fall, sometimes known as the Witches’ Thanksgiving. Mabon is the second of three harvest festivals for many Wiccans, witches and neo-pagans (Lughnasadh and Samhain are the other two). Mabon is a reaping of some of the harvest, and our last farewell to the long days of Summer. Because following the Autumn Equinox, the days will start to fall shorter than the nights. Certain deities are directly linked to this sabbat including Mabon (the sabbat’s namesake), Mabon’s mother Modron, Rhiannon, Demeter, Persephone, Inanna, and others. If you’d like to learn more about the traditions and history of Mabon click here. Mabon Blessings for All Mabon blessings are as simple as granting someone good wishes and prayers for prosperity, health, long life, love, and all the things that bring joy in life. You don’t have to write fancy Mabon blessings, if you don’t want to. You can even use a few of our own blessings and prayers below, if you’d like: “Autumn is upon us,Mabon blessings be brought to us,Through the harvest season,Health and prosperity from now through Samhain.” To give Mabon blessings to a newborn child or newly wed couple: “Who’s that knocking at joy’s door?Life has just begunAnd will be blissful ever more.From Mabon to Mabon,As the gods will it,so mote it be.” From Laurie Cabot’s Celebrate the Earth, Mabon Blessings for Health: “Oh Great Mother, speak your farewell anew, anew.As the wheel spins round, is marked by the sound,Anew, anew, adieu! Adieu!from the wells come the healing powers of Mabon.” Mabon Symbol and Magical Associations We are human and we use symbols in our daily lives for many reasons: to communicate, to understand, to mark what is ours. We also assign symbols and representations to holidays and sabbats. Mabon has its own symbols and associations. Find the symbol below, as well as a table of Mabon associations and properties. Mabon Magical Associations Herbs Foods Stones Gods Customs Acorn/Oak Apple Amber Mabon Feasting Rosemary Bread Clear quartz Modron Harvesting Sage Wine Citrine Demeter Offerings Rue Pumpkin Yellow topaz Persephone Rituals/Spells Sunflower Squash Goldstone Rhiannon Corn dollies Mabon symbols can also be things like an acorn, sunflower, or corn dollies. 2 POWERFUL Mabon Spells for Prosperity and Balance Mabon is a great time to cast spells for balance, peace, healing, and prosperity. This witch likes to plan and prepare for my Mabon spells beforehand, gathering ingredients from nature and from my own stock. I let Mabon’s symbols and magical associations inspire my spell-crafting, and I choose an intention that best fits my situation. Here’s a few Mabon spells I’ve cast before. Feel free to adapt and change them to fit your specific needs and wants. An Acorn Mabon Spell for Prosperity You won’t need much for this spell: An acorn Marker or paint with paintbrush Small spell bag or sachet Small bell (you can get these from craft shops. Walmart has them too) How to cast the acorn Mabon Spell for blessings of prosperity: Cleanse your space in whatever way you prefer. For Mabon, I typically do a smoke-cleanse with rosemary or use my besom. Set the magical Mabon mood – turn on music, burn incense, light a few candles, etc. Gather your ingredients and tools. Cast a circle, if you so choose, and invoke the elements. Hold your acorn in your hands and envision prosperity flowing from the acorn into your hands and through your entire body like a soft orange light. Keep the acorn in your left hand and pick up the little bell in your right. Say the following 9 times:“Blessings of oak, earth and the Mabon season.Flow through this acorn into my home.Each time the front door opens,The Mabon bell rings and prosperity flows in.” Now draw or paint the Mabon symbol onto the acorn (see the Mabon symbol in the graphic above). Place the acorn and bell in the small bag. Thank the earth, Mabon spirits, and energies present. (Release your circle if you cast one). Hang the Mabon spell bag on your front door, until the Autumn season has ended. Then bury the acorn near the front door. Cleanse and re-use the bell. A Mabon Bath Spell for Balance As the Autumn Equinox is a day of balance, it’s only an appropriate sabbat to cast spells when balance is needed in our lives. Maybe you need balance within your body, mind, or outwards in your work-homelife balance. Or maybe you need balance within your relationships. Wherever balance is needed, decide you’re ready to improve those things and cast this Mabon spell. What You’ll Need: Sunflower petals: linked to the Sun and properties include good luck and joy. Also a traditional herb used on Mabon. Chamomile: also linked to the Sun and properties include prosperity and warding off negative energy. Rosemary: for purification, health, and clarity of mind and memory 3 crystals (of your choice, but we recommend clear quartz, citrine, and amber) Muslin bag (optional) What To Do: Cleanse the space and set the mood. Turn down the lights and turn on some music, if you choose. Light a candle or two. Draw a warm bath and add the herbs to the water (if you have a bag, add your herbs […]

The post Mabon Blessings, Symbols, and Spells for an Enchanted Equinox appeared first on Otherworldly Oracle.

20 Christmas Spices & Herbs to Fill Your Home With Joy

kitty fields — Sat, 23 Jul 2022 14:49:15 +0000

The holidays are coming! And what better way to fill your home with Yuletide cheer than to decorate, cook and bake with the season’s traditional herbs and spices? I’ll bet some of your best Christmas memories are invoked with certain traditions, aromas and flavors. Was it the smell of gingerbread baking in the oven that you’ll always remember? Or maybe the woodsy scent of evergreen Christmas tree filling the family room? Here we explore the fun folklore behind traditional Yule herbs and Christmas spices, and remind our readers the many ways they can be used to set the mood this holiday season. 10 Traditional Yule Herbs Yule is the pagan Christmas holiday and dates back thousands of years. In fact, most of our modern Christmas traditions originate in the Old Germanic and Norse celebration of Yuletide. Take note here – not all of our Yule herbs listed are edible or are safe for human consumption. Pay attention to which say edible or not edible. 1. Mistletoe (NOT Edible – For Decoration) For centuries, mistletoe has been a traditional Yule herb. True, it’s not edible, but it’s been used as a magical herb by the Celts and Norse peoples for similar reasons. Did you know at one point the Church banned it completely? Mistletoe was sacred to the Druid priests as it could be found growing on their most treasured tree – the oak. The Celts believed whatever powers the tree had, so too would the mistletoe that grew on it. The Norse people associated mistletoe with the trickster god Loki. The belief that mistletoe brought good luck and banished evil likely gives way to the tradition of kissing underneath of it at Christmas-time. 2. Ivy (NOT Edible) Ivy was once an inseparable part of Christmas celebrations in Medieval Times, likely originating centuries before in ancient Yule and Winter Solstice traditions. If Holly represents the divine masculine energy, Ivy is the feminine. Ivy and holly and other evergreens not only honored life in the Dead of Winter but also warded off evil spirits. The Christmas Ivy’s magic dates back to the ancient Celts – it was linked to the Celtic goddess Arianrhod and thought to bring fertility to women. Again, a plant that lives even in Winter. The Christmas ivy has fallen out of favor in modern holiday celebrations, but wouldn’t it be wonderful to bring it back? “The Holly and the IvyWhen they are both full grownOf all the trees that are in the woodThe Holly bears the crown.” ~ Old British Christmas Folk Song 3. Holly (NOT Edible) Holly is a tree with spiky, glossy green leaves and red berries. A tree that lives through the harsh Winter weather and doesn’t lose its leaves or life. An evergreen that was particularly beloved by the ancient Romans and Celts. It was seen as a representation of the Divine Masculine, and when the Church rose to prominence, the holly berries became a symbol of Christ’s blood on the cross. And the leaves a reminder of life after death. Use holly in your Christmas and Yule decorations: wreaths, garlands, table centerpieces, etc. 4. Rosemary (Safe in Food / Edible) Rosemary has been a favorite Yule herb and Christmas plant for centuries. Unfortunately, I don’t have solid evidence of its ancient pagan origins linking it to Yule or the Winter Solstice. But I do know it’s been a part of the Winter holidays for centuries, and once Christianity became the main religion in Europe, the rosemary plant took on a new legendary status. Mother Mary is said to have draped baby Jesus’ swaddling clothes over a rosemary bush. The white flowers turned blue in honor of the baby. Ever since, rosemary has been included in Christmas and Yule herbs. Rosemary is safe to use in your foods, teas, decorations and other Yule preparations. It’s delicious stuffed into roasted chickens and turkeys. Flavors soups, stews, and pork dishes perfectly. Some people even keep a small “rosemary tree” in their homes for the beautiful aroma and as a bringer of prosperity. You can even diffuse rosemary essential oil in your home to evoke that Yuletide energy. 5. Juniper (Semi-Edible, See Below) Juniper has been part of the Winter festivities in Europe for likely thousands of years. It is evergreen, like many of the beloved Yule herbs, and produces berries. Juniper berries can be used to flavor some broths, soups, and meat dishes. But the whole berries are removed before serving. In Medieval times, folks burned juniper branches in their homes to ward off bugs, as well as negative spirits around Christmastime. In parts of Switzerland, boys still parade through the streets carrying Juniper branches on New Years Eve. Use juniper berries to flavor your Christmas dishes, or burn juniper bundles to spiritually cleanse your home at Yuletide. 6. Spruce: The Yule Tree A plentiful tree in Northern Europe, Spruce has been a popular choice for Christmas tree for centuries. But even more so in recent years. We could imagine our ancient Germanic ancestors decorating giant Spruce trees in centuries-past. And possibly clipping off branches and bringing them inside to keep the hope alive through the Winter holidays. 7. Rose of Jericho: Christmas Resurrection Herb In modern times, a plant called the Rose of Jericho has become a popular Christmas and Yule herb. It’s actually not an herb, per se, but a type of spike moss that’s native to the deserts of Mexico and the Southwest United States. The amazing thing about this plant is that it goes into a period of hibernation when it’s source of water is gone. Once you place the balled-up dry plant in an inch of water, it springs back to life within 24 hours. Both pagans and Christians have come to recognize this plant as a symbol of resurrection and life after death. It brings hope for the sun’s return after a long Winter. And reminds some of the death and rebirth of Jesus of Nazareth. It’s common to bring […]

The post 20 Christmas Spices & Herbs to Fill Your Home With Joy appeared first on Otherworldly Oracle.

Bobbing for Apples: History & How to Keep The Halloween Tradition ALIVE

kitty fields — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 17:55:40 +0000

Some of my favorite things during the holidays give a nod to the past. Bobbing for apples is one of the old-timey Halloween customs that most of us have no idea where it originated. In this Samhain article, we’ll talk about the history and origins of bobbing for apples, why apples were a sacred fruit to our ancestors, and how to keep this fun Halloween tradition alive today. What is Bobbing for Apples? To put it simply, bobbing for apples (also called apple ducking) is a game in which apples are floated in a tub of water, and players have to use only their mouths to pull up an apple from the water. It’s messy. It’s sloppy. And it’s a lot of fun! There’s some variations on bobbing for apples nowadays that amplify the silliness and make it even spookier like turning the apples into shrunken heads (shown later). It’s typically played on Halloween and at Fall Festivals. Apple Symbolism: Love Regeneration Health and Vitality (an apple a day keeps the doctor away) Knowledge and Wisdom (the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil) Death and the Afterlife Divine Feminine Energy Fairy Magic The History of Bobbing for Apples The actual origin of bobbing for apples is unknown, but likely stems from ancient Celtic and Norse traditions. One thing is for sure – the apple has been part of Autumn celebrations for centuries. It’s truly a symbol of the Autumn season, rivaling only the pumpkin, in the United States and elsewhere. When Fall comes around, the apple trees are heavy with fruit, as apples are typically ready to harvest between late Summer and late Fall. But let’s go back to the beginning, shall we? The Apple as an Otherworldly Fruit There’s evidence that apples were brought to Ireland circa 6000 BCE. And they’ve been grown and harvested ever since. To the ancient Celts, the apple was a sacred fruit, a gift given to us via the Celtic Otherworld. Cliodhna, a goddess and Celtic Fairy Queen, lives off of an eternal apple tree, from which her divine birds also perch and eat. To the Norse, apples were the fruit of immortality, guarded by the goddess Idunn. And in the British Isles, a mythical land called Avalon is said to be wooded with magical apple trees. Is it any wonder that Christians often depict the “fruit of the knowledge of good and evil” as an apple? In the Celtic Ogham, an alphabetic system based on trees, the Apple tree is the Quert marking which represents the letter Q. Its spiritual meanings include protection, healing, love and immortality (not surprisingly!) If you cut an apple in half horizontally, you’ll see a pentagram formed from its seeds. This has become a symbol of the elements and of the goddess in modern witchcraft traditions. Before Halloween, There Was Samhain Before there was Halloween, there was an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. Samhain was the end of summer and a liminal time, a time betwixt being neither here nor there. And therefore, the Celts believed the door to the spirit world was opened during this time. Spirits, both ghosts and fairies, wandered the earth on Samhain night. They could either provide the living with their blessings or trick them with misfortunes. Samhain became Hallowe’en (All Hallows’ Eve) over the centuries and after the pagan Celts were converted to Christianity. But the belief in the spirit world and contact with it never went away. A Very Victorian Halloween With Apples Divination was big on Halloween night, particularly during the Victorian Era. The eighteen hundreds saw a renaissance of interest in the spiritual and supernatural. Spiritualists believed the dead could be contacted via seances with spirit boards, pendulums, and through psychic mediums. And for those who weren’t serious about their beliefs, things like Ouija boards and the like became common parlor games. An activity to entertain your neighbors and friends. Halloween, a holiday brought to America en masse in the 1840s with the immigration if the Irish, became a favorite day to party, divine the name of your husband, and revive the old ways. Apple Divination Games According to Silver RavenWolf in her book Halloween, the Victorian divination games played on Halloween night were mainly played by young girls seeking to learn the name or identity of their future husbands. And they frequently employed apples: Peel an apple at midnight, then throw the peel over your left shoulder OR in a bowl of water to divine the initial of your future husband Stand in front of a mirror at midnight, comb your hair and eat an apple, and the image of your future husband will appear in the mirror over your left shoulder (I’m pretty sure I would poo my pants if this ever actually happened to me!) Hang an apple peel over the front door on Halloween, and the initial of the first man to enter will be the same as your future husband’s (this seems pretty vague to me) Then the bobbing for apples tradition: in the U.S., a group of single boys and girls are to bob for apples in a tub and whoever pulls up an apple first will be the first to get married (then by placing the apple under your pillow will bring dreams of your future spouse) I could go on and on with the ways in which to use apples to divine one’s future spouse. There are many more depending on the country, region and family. One thing is for sure – bobbing for apples is a tradition steeped in older forms of divination. Snap Apple Night Snap apple night was essentially the same night as Halloween in places throughout Ireland and the British Isles. Upon research, I can’t find anything solid that the name “snap apple night” was ever used except for as a name to a painting done by Irish artist Daniel Maclise in 1833. The painting depicts a gathering of people on Halloween night playing various […]

The post Bobbing for Apples: History & How to Keep The Halloween Tradition ALIVE appeared first on Otherworldly Oracle.

Pagan Holidays: Sabbats, Feast Days & Festivals Around the World

kitty fields — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 16:32:24 +0000

Samhain is for witches and creepy pagans. Especially if you like ghost hunting, watching horror movies, and singing witchy songs at the top of your lungs. Or how about the pagan versions of Easter and Christmas? Yes, they exist. You can even celebrate fertility and passion on one of the many fire festivals occurring annually worldwide. So no matter the ancient culture, there’s a pagan holiday or two to explore. If you’re new to the world of paganism, or you’re just curious, we present some of the Wiccan sabbats and other pagan holidays here. The Celtic Pagan Holidays The Celts were an ancient people whose empire (it wasn’t a unified empire, but we’re calling it this for now) once stretched from the British Isles to Turkey. When most people hear Celtic, they think Irish, which is correct. But there were also the Gaulish Celts (now modern day France), Celts in Germany and even in Northern Italy and Spain. So if you have European ancestry, you likely had Celtic ancestors at one point in time. The Celtic pagan holidays that we know most about are still celebrated in Ireland, and some throughout the world as part of the Wiccan Wheel of the Year…also called the sabbats. 1. Imbolc: Celtic Pagan Holiday On Imbolc, also called St. Brigid’s Day, we recognize the initial breaking of winter ground into spring (early stages) and the milking of the ewes. We celebrate Saint Brigid and Goddess Brigid, and ready ourselves for warmer days to come. Light every lamp in the house, or light candles in each room to represent the sun’s rebirth. If snow is on the ground, or falling, walk around in it and draw a sun with your projective hand. Make Saint Brigid’s crosses or dolls to celebrate Saint Brigid. A bonfire is appropriate as the ancients tended Saint Brigid’s flame for years, never letting it burn out. 2. Beltane: Celtic Fire Festival Beltane is celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere on May 1st and in the Southern Hemisphere on November 1st. This Celtic pagan holiday is a fire festival. And in ancient times was focused on fertility rites and purification. Cattle were driven between two giant bonfires to cleanse them of any evil and prepare them for the Summer. People danced and made love around the fire. And celebrated the sun’s rulership over the sky. Today, Wiccans and modern pagans carry on some of the old Beltane traditions and have added a few of their own. Cleansing rituals, fertility rites, and any fire working is appropriate on this Celtic pagan holiday. 3. Litha: Pagan Holiday Celebrating the Summer Solstice Summer solstice, also called Litha, is the longest day of the year. It’s celebrated around June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere and around December 22nd in the Southern. At this time, we honor the wedding of heaven and earth and the sun in all its glory. Also a fire festival, so bonfires and lighting candles are appropriate. Make a cloth pouch of herbs such as lavender, chamomile, St. John’s Wort, Vervain, or others. Mentally pour all troubles into this pouch as you construct it. Burn in balefire and visualize troubles burning and blowing away for good. Put out offerings of cake, milk, ale or mead for the faeries. This is a pagan holiday on which the fae are particulary active. 4. Lughnasadh: Celtic First Harvest Festival Not only is Lughnasadh the first of three Celtic harvest festivals, it also honors the beloved Celtic god of many skills, Lugh. It is celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere on August 1st and in the Southern on February 1st. It was traditional to climb a hill and be close to the sun, therefore to Lugh, on this day. Other traditions include giving offerings to Lugh, harvest gods and the land. Modern pagans who celebrate also like to pick blackberries, make blackberry pie, make sun bread (a pagan harvest symbol), feast, and drink wine. 5. Mabon: 2nd Celtic Harvest Festival Mabon is the second of the three Celtic harvest sabbats and occurs at the autumnal equinox when the season changes from summer to fall. At this time, day and night are divided equally and we pay respect to impending night. Druids celebrate Green Man; Wiccans celebrate the aging Goddess who is turning from Mother into Crone and the God preparing for death and rebirth. It is also called the Witches’ Thanksgiving, as feasting and drinking wine is traditional. If you’ve grown herbs or vegetables, this is a time to harvest and incorporate into your Mabon feast. 6. Samhain: A Pagan Holiday of the Dead Samhain (pronounced Sow-en) is the third of the Celtic harvest festivals and a popular modern pagan holiday. In America and other places throughout the world, Samhain is also known as Halloween. But Halloween is essentially the modernized version of this ancient Celtic feast of the dead. Samhain is celebrated on October 31st in the Northern Hemisphere and April 30th in the Southern Hemisphere. Samhain is the Pagan new year and night of the dead, when the spiritual world has its thinnest veil. This means ghosts, fae, and other spirits are most active on this night. This sabbat honors the year’s last harvest— anything harvested after Samhain belongs to the fay and is not to be eaten by humans. We honor our ancestors at this time. Dumb Suppers are traditional, as well as trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, bobbing for apples, guising, divination and other fun customs. Norse and Germanic Pagan Holidays and Sabbats There are actually quite a few Norse and Germanic pagan holidays, so we aren’t going to list them all here. However, we will list the more popular ones. 1. Ostara: The Germanic Pagan Easter and Sabbat Ostara, also known as the Vernal Equinox, marks the changing of the season and the arrival of spring. The earth’s rebirth and awakening from a long, harsh winter as well as fertility and motherhood are celebrated. This Germanic pagan Easter is also part of the Wiccan Wheel of the Year, […]

The post Pagan Holidays: Sabbats, Feast Days & Festivals Around the World appeared first on Otherworldly Oracle.

Yule Cookies: 10 Cookie Recipes for a Sweet & Magical Winter Solstice

kitty fields — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:00:02 +0000

I sure do like those Christmas cookies, Sugar. I sure do like those Christmas cookies, Babe. Just a little George Strait song for you, folks. You don’t have to like George Strait or country music to be here, but you DO have to like Christmas treats. Over the past few years, I’ve been researching and thinking – why aren’t there more pagan and witch-themed Yule cookie recipes? There’s a few, but not as many as there should be. SO I’ve come up with some of my own, mixed in with some of the traditional Christmas cookies (with a witchy twist). Here’s my top 10 procured and personal witchy Yule cookie recipes. 10 Yule Cookies for a Very Witchy Winter Solstice The great thing about Yule cookies is this – you can make traditional Christmas cookies and put your own witchy spin on them by adding special Christmas spices or Yuletide herbs. Nature-themed and witchy cookie cutters are easy to procure and use in place of angels or nativity scene cookies. Get inspired. Get your kids involved. Bring on the witchy this Yule in the kitchen! 1. Sun and Moon Yule Cookies As pagans, we have a thing for the sun and moon. We just can’t help ourselves. And with the Winter Solstice being the longest night of the year, why not celebrate the moon’s rule PLUS the return of the sun the following day with sun and moon Yule cookies? These are as simple as using your favorite sugar cookie or gingerbread recipe, and then cutting out moon and sun shapes with cutters or by hand. Stars are appropriate too and an easy-to-find cookie cutter shape during the holidays. Or try this Yule moon cookie recipe by CDKitchen. Offer a sun cookie to a solar god or goddess and a moon cookie to a lunar god or goddess. OR keep a few as offerings for Odin…I mean Santa…I mean Odin. 😉 2. Prosperity-Drawing Snickerdoodles for Yule Snickerdoodles are an absolute family favorite when it comes to Yule cookies. And, not to brag, but Allorah says my snickerdoodles are the best she’s ever had! Something about the light-airiness of the cookie coated in cinnamon just screams joy and abundance. And, not to brag, but I make some pretty amazing snickerdoodles. How do we consider these pagan or witchy? We look at the ingredients and see cinnamon – which is an herb that draws success, prosperity, and strength. Bake and eat snickerdoodles to draw an abundance of health, happiness and wealth in the coming year. They are little sugary spells on your plate! 3. Magical Snowballs Also called Russian teacakes, snowballs are one of my all-time favorite Yule time cookies. They literally melt in your mouth. Pair it with some milk or coffee…oh my gods. Drool-worthy. I like to think these little treats are witchy – with a name like “snowball”, coated in powdered sugar (pure magic) and walnuts added. Walnuts bring fertility, wealth, and new opportunities. So eat up! Here’s my favorite snowball recipe. 4. Krampus Cookies Is there such thing? Yes. And again, you can make the cookies from any recipe you’d like, but we prefer sugar cookie. Get yourself a Krampus cookie cutter. Then be sure to ice it or put sprinkles and red hots on top. There’s angel cookies and nativity cookies, why can’t we Pagans celebrate Krampus with a Krampus cookie? And if you’ve ever seen the movie titled Krampus, you can make regular gingerbread men with evil little faces to celebrate the film. 5. La Befana and Berchta Cookies Traditionally, La Befana has her own special cake in Italy. It’s called…yep…La Befana cake. But since we’re talking Yule COOKIES, we are going to modify the tradition a bit to fit our own. In case you didn’t know, La Befana is the Italian Christmas witch that gives presents to kids during the Winter season. And just like her American elven counterpart (Santa Claus), she enjoys treats to show one’s gratitude. One way to make La Befana cookies is to modify the cake recipe into a cookie recipe. OR you can acquire witch-shaped cookie cutters. These will also work as Berchta cookies! Read more about Christmas Witches here. 6. Gingerbread (The “Original” Christmas Yule Cookie) My research says the first Christmas cookie was something close to gingerbread. According to the History network, “many Christmas cookies are still heavily spiced. We think of ‘traditional’ Christmas flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, and those are exactly the same spices medieval cooks would have used in their cookies ages ago.” My kids love making gingerbread men, specifically. You can also make gingerbread krampus cookies, Christmas witch cookies, and whatever shapes you feel evoke the pagan Yuletide season. 7. Chocolate Chip Cookies With Sea Salt This Yule season, bake a holiday favorite – the chocolate chip cookie. But make it witchy by adding sea salt. Every witch worth her salt (pun intended), knows the potent magical properties of sea salt. Adding a bit to your Yule chocolate chip cookies not only amplifies the flavor profile, but also provides a protective magical boost. Want to learn more about salt’s magical properties? Click here. Make chocolate chip cookies with sea salt with this recipe. 8. Sandbakelse: A Traditional Nordic Yule Cookie Baking sandbakelse in Norway is a common, two-centuries-old family tradition. Sandbakelse translates to sand tarts, but aren’t made with sand. They’re made with flour, sugar, butter and chopped almonds. Similar to the American sugar cookie or snowball. Norwegian immigrants brought sandbakelse to the New World with them in the nineteenth century, along with the quintessential cookie tins. If you have Norwegian ancestry, or just want to try making these cookies, check out this recipe. And here’s the tins. 9. Melomakarono: Traditional Greek Cookies Likely the oldest cookie we have on our list here is melomakarono. Melomakarono is a Greek dessert made at Christmas-time that’s based on the ancient “Mercy Meal”, also called Makaria. Makaria was a Greek goddess and the daughter of Hades, […]

The post Yule Cookies: 10 Cookie Recipes for a Sweet & Magical Winter Solstice appeared first on Otherworldly Oracle.

Winter Gods and Goddesses: Berchta, Odin, Cailleach, and More

kitty fields — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 19:18:12 +0000

Why do we have feasting, gift-giving, and share merriments during the Winter? Our ancestors needed a light-hearted approach and break from the brutal Winters of the past. Before electricity and modern conveniences, our ancestors had to endure the cold, hunger, sickness and more. They celebrated the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, because it meant the sun would return the next day. Winter was also a season to honor seasonal deities including those who personified Winter and those who represented death and the sun. Here are our 12 favorite Winter gods and goddesses from various pantheons for the 12 days of Christmas. 6 Winter Gods This list of Winter gods merely scratches the seasonal surface. Nearly every culture that experienced a Winter, and particularly harsh Winters, had their own version of Winter deities. Some were even regarded as Winter personified. 1. Odin (Wotan) Santa Claus…or Odin the Allfather? Let’s just say Odin has been a part of the Winter festivities since long before Santa Claus was a thing. Yet they look awfully alike, don’t they? Santa drives a sleigh led by 8 reindeer. Odin flies on his trusty eight-legged steed Sleipnir. Both Santa and Odin slip down chimneys and give candy and gifts to the children. In Germanic lore, Wotan (Odin) led the Wild Hunt which is a spiritual cavalcade of sorts that flies through the sky on Winter nights. Sometimes the Wild Hunt collected lost souls and sometimes a person joined the Wild Hunt in their sleep (via astral projection, no doubt). In Nordic countries, the people gave sacrifices to Odin in the Winter months to ensure safety and prosperity. Don’t take Odin out of Christmas, folks. 2. Jack Frost: A Norse & Anglo-Saxon Winter God Turned Folkloric Figure While Jack Frost might not technically be considered a “god” to some, he is a powerful spirit in his own right. Jack Frost is the personification of frost, ice, sleet and snow. In England and the Nordic countries, people used to say that Jack Frost had visited when patterns of frost were left on their windows. Many believe he was once a Winter god that became demoted to a folkloric figure over the centuries. He regained popularity in the late eighteen-hundreds and took on a more elemental-trickster type personality. He may be the same spirit or an offshoot of Old Man Winter. 3. Bacchus and Dionysus Yes, the Greeks had their Winter gods too. As did the Romans. Bacchus is the Roman equivalent to the Greek god of wine, Dionysus. While he’s most well-known for ruling over wine, Dionysus is much more than that. He presides over the cycles of life, death and rebirth. This god is a divine shaman and teaches his devotees ecstatic trance, untamed primal wildness, and much more. His feast days are throughout the Winter months: Dionysia at the end of November, another feast day one month later, then again in January and February. Because of this, he is considered a Winter god to some. I don’t mind a little wine and a party in the Winter time. 4. Ullr: The Norse God of the Winter Interestingly, many Norse pagans venerate Ullr as a Winter god. Yet scholars say Ullr is never mentioned as a god anywhere in the Eddas. But more of a mythical figure. I say, just because Snorri wrote it, doesn’t mean it was the full truth. There’s archaeological evidence of a large shrine in Sweden to suggest Ullr was indeed honored as a god by the people. But whatever you believe, Ullr is a divine figure of some kind that brings the Winter season to his people. His domain also includes skiing, snow sports, and the Northern lights. Legend says the spray from Ullr’s skis created the Aurora borealis. Read more about Ullr here. 5. Boreas: The Winter God of the North Wind Boreas sounds like a nice Winter god to work with, but be warned. He’s also known as The Devouring One. He is the spirit of Winter and can be both violent and benevolent. Depending on the person and situation. The Greeks believed he came from the North, being the North Wind, and because of this was considered Thracian in origin. He’s depicted with two faces – one in front and one in back. Judika Illes surmises this means he can see the past and the future. I believe it means he has a benevolent and malevolent side and is always “watching his back”, so to speak. 6. Morozko Get to know this old Winter god’s true nature by reading Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy. He is featured as a complex character in this book series, and personally, one of my biggest book crushes of all time. Morozko is a Russian fairy tale and his name means Father Frost. The Story of King Frost is featured in Andrew Lang’s Yellow Fairy Book and tells this Winter deity’s tale. In other tales, he is called Ded Moroz and is an East Slavic version of Santa Claus and St. Nicholas. He brings presents to well-behaved children in the Winter months, particularly on December 31st. 6 Winter Goddesses Any goddess that personifies Winter, Death, or the Winter holidays may be honored at this time of year. There are certain pagan deities that have been venerated on the Winter Solstice for centuries, but remember you can make your Winter sabbat your own. Here are 6 of our favorite Winter goddesses from various traditions: 1. Berchta I believe Berchta was inspiring me to write this article about Winter deities…possibly so she can get her name out there again. I don’t mind promoting her. She’s a wonderful Winter goddess to work with and honor in your practice. Who is Berchta? She’s an ancient Germanic (possibly Celtic) Alpine goddess who has been honored in Germanic Winter festivities since time immemorial. She was considered a goddess of the dead, specifically of children and lost souls, who was demonized by the Church in the Middle Ages. They turned […]

The post Winter Gods and Goddesses: Berchta, Odin, Cailleach, and More appeared first on Otherworldly Oracle.

Yule Recipes: 13 Traditional & Modern Winter Solstice Meals & Beverages

kitty fields — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 01:30:36 +0000

It’s almost time to break out your warm blankets, cozy slippers, and dutch ovens. Look, I know most pagans live for the Samhain season. But I most look forward to the Winter Solstice season every year. Particularly for the warm, hearty meals and drinks. I mean, truthfully, there’s more to it than just the food. But who am I kidding? The food is hands-down the best part! Here we give you our favorite 10 traditional and modern Yule recipes for the Winter sabbat season. Solstice Blessings! 13 Yule Recipes for Heartwarming (And Tummy-Filling) Meals and Drinks The Winter Holidays scream the colors of red and green, as well as heavy, rich flavors. Depending on where you live, the traditional Winter and holiday meals will differ. I think that’s half of the fun! Try making both traditional Yule fare as well as modern meals and alternatives. Include your own traditional Winter foods. Make these meals throughout the Winter season, as well as on the Yule sabbat. You won’t regret it. 1. Ham (In Place of a Roast Boar) *A Traditional Yet Modern Yule Recipe* To our Norse ancestors, the Winter Solstice (or Yule as they called it), was a time of being together and feasting. It was a time to give thanks to the gods for all they had. On Yule, a great boar was sacrificed in the name of the god Freyr and then eaten. Since most of us don’t have access to a wild boar for our Yule feasts, a ham or roast pork is a delicious substitution. Order a special honey-baked ham and have it delivered to your front door. OR try this delicious brown-sugar, mustard glazed ham recipe as your main entree next Yule. Pair it with traditional American sides like broccoli casserole and mashed potatoes. 2. Wassail *A Traditional Yule Recipe* Wassail is an ancient Yule tradition in the British Isles that still continues today. Hot wassail is essentially a hot cider drink infused with heady spices and fruit juices. There is more than one custom of wassailing, including going from door-to-door to visit neighbors and wish them luck. AND singing blessings in apple orchards to ensure a good harvest the following harvest season. Whether you have a local orchard or not, making hot wassail this Yuletide honors your ancestors from the Isles and the spirits of Yule. 3. Cioppino *Italian Seafood Soup* For Christmas and Yule If you’re Italian, you know how decadent Cioppino is as a Winter holiday meal. A tomato-based soup jam-packed with shellfish like clams, mussels, oysters, as well as calamari, fish, and basically any seafood you like. The seafood is NOT cheap, so this is what makes Cioppino such a special Yule dish. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to disclose our family recipe; HOWEVER, I’ve found one that’s pretty darn close. Find a Cioppino Recipe for Yule here. Don’t forget to add some crusty bread, polenta, and green herbs to this meal. The green herbs and red soup evoke all the Yule feels. 4. Surf and Turf *Steak and Crab* I don’t know where you live. But whether it’s out in the country or near the sea, surf and turf for the holidays is always a great choice. We can’t always afford steak and lobster year round, but like I said before, we try to go “all out” for Christmas and Yule every year. So save up your extra dough and indulge on some filets (or rib-eyes, whatever you can afford). Then pair your turf (steaks) with some rich seafood like lobster tails, snow crab, etc. This meal is a LOT of meat, so balance it out with a side of vegetables or mashed potatoes. 5. Prime Rib With Pureed Parsnip Prime rib. Yummy. One of my all-time favorite Yule meal recipes that any meat lover will drool over. Frankly, my favorite part of THIS meal is the horseradish dressing. Call me a weirdo. I can’t help but enjoy having my sinuses cleared out on Yule eve. This is a decadent dish and if you add pureed root vegetables like parsnip to it, you have a Winter Solstice meal perfect for nobility. Keeping in mind, you can substitute the parsnip for mashed potatoes OR roasted carrots. Any root veggie is traditional for Yule. 6. Eggnog (Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic) *Traditional American Recipe* You love it. Or you freaking hate it. Either way, eggnog made our list for Yule recipes. It’s just too darn prevalent around the Winter holidays. And to give you a brief history, eggnog apparently dates back to Medieval Times. In the thirteenth century, there was a drink called posset. The monks made and drank this beverage and it was made from milk, figs, and eggs. This may have been the origins of eggnog and over the centuries, folks decided to add liquor. Leave it to us partiers. Here’s a traditional eggnog recipe made from scratch. Of course you can always buy your eggnog from the store and simply add liquor and spices to it, if you’d like (you cheater you). I like thinking of eggnog as a magical way to encourage Spring to come soon, since eggs are a symbol of rebirth and regeneration. 7. Yule Log Recipe Ever made a Yule log? Like a real log decorated with greens, ribbons, and topped off with candles? Or thrown into the Yule fire? If not, don’t worry about it. You can always make one this year. PLUS you can make an EDIBLE yule log. It’s called cake. And it’s fantastic. It looks like a REAL yule log but tastes like you’ve died and gone to the Summerland. Try Ree Drummond’s Yule Log Recipe here. 8. Rum Cake Nothing says the Winter Solstice to me than a rum-soaked bunt cake…aka the rum cake. I have a few family members who enjoy making rum cakes every year and giving them as gifts. And, I’m lucky to be on the receiving end. Even luckier that these two women can be rather competitive. […]

The post Yule Recipes: 13 Traditional & Modern Winter Solstice Meals & Beverages appeared first on Otherworldly Oracle.

Snow Spells: Make Magick with ICE and SNOW, Magic Properties & More

kitty fields — Sat, 20 Feb 2021 21:48:17 +0000

Depending where you live, you might get snow every Winter. You might love the snow or hate it. But one thing is for sure – snow is one of the gods’ most beautiful creations. Here we identify snow’s magic properties, ice magic properties, and look at the many ways to cast snow spells for various intentions. Grab your magical shovel and dig in! The Magick of Snow Days Remember being a kid and having a snow day? It meant not going to school. It meant taking your sled to the tallest hill in your neighborhood and sledding down as fast as possible. Where I grew up in the Northeast, snow days were coveted by all the kids. I remember listening for our county’s school snow days to be announced on the radio and cheering with delight. And as soon as you were done making snow angels, sledding with your friends, and having snowball fights, you’d go inside and have a nice hot cup of cocoa. Now, don’t get me wrong. I realize snow days for adults are quite a different matter. We have to shovel our driveways, brush the ice off windshields, pipes might burst, the salt sticks to our cars and many other wonderful things. But instead of complaining, why not use snow and ice to your magical advantage? Why not cast snow spells and make ice magick? In addition, take some time on snow days to rest and heal yourself. This is a great time to self-reflect and regenerate. Snow Magic Properties Snow is essentially a frozen, crystallized form of water. It takes on the magic properties of the water element, which includes: intuition, emotion, dreams, purification, healing, creation and destruction. However, snow’s magic properties differ just a bit from water’s, because of its unique form. They include: Quiet/silence Solitude Peace and harmony Rest and regeneration Deep self healing Gentle purification Creation AND destruction (depending on the quantity of snow, mirroring the water element) Uniqueness Beauty Family matters Patience Goddess work Femininity Snow Spells: Ways to Use Snow in Your Magick Everyone’s magick is unique and beautiful. What you choose to do with snow in your practice is only limited by your imagination and drive. That being said, we’ve found some awesome ways to cast snow spells and use snow in one’s witchcraft practice. Here are just a few: Collect snow in a jar and save the snow water Snow water can be used to purify your altar, home, magic tools Snow can be added directly to ritual baths for snow spells of the healing, self-love, and cleansing kind Bury your petition in the snow to “cool off” a situation (a snow spell that is temporarily binding) Use snow as an offering to Winter deities like Holda, Berchta, Odin, La Befana, the Cailleach, etc. Use snow when working with Winter fairies and spirits: anoint your third eye with snow to “see” them, use as offerings, etc. Melt in a pot with herbs and other ingredients to make a simmering potpourri then bottle and spray around the house to purify and bring a time of peace Make an infusion of snow water and herbs for floor washes and front door washes for various intentions Go out into the snow and build a snowman as offering to the Winter deities and spirits Go sledding with a focus on healing your inner child and bringing joy to your life Have a snowball fight with your friends or family to cool off a hot situation (if there’s a lot of discord in the home, etc.) and “let off steam” with each other Snow spells using floating candles – float the candles in snow water to merge fire and water elements Draw/paint pictures of your intentions into the snow with natural objects OR use food dye (see Rita B’s pretty flower snow magick below! Rita decided she was tired of the snow and wanted to see Spring, so she painted flowers in the snow using food dye. This is called using your imagination and creativity in your snow spells.) Make paper snowflakes to put in your grimoire when recording your snow spells Hail & Ice Magic Properties Ice is a different matter from snow. While they go hand-in-hand, ice’s magic properties are unique to ice. When it rains down from the sky, it takes the form of sleet, freezing rain, or hail. Each are unique unto themselves. They all carry the magic properties of water, but also their own properties. Hail forms in thunderstorms that can happen in any season, while sleet happens mostly in Winter. Hail is often more destructive than sleet or freezing rain and because it comes from thunderstorms picks up the properties from thunderstorms. Though, as we’ve said before, the level of destruction depends on the quantity of hail, sleet, snow, etc. Interestingly, our Norse and Germanic ancestors felt so strongly about the power of Hail and Ice, there are two runes that correspond (listed below under their respective magic properties). Hail’s Magic Properties: Abrupt change/transformation Survival Acceptance Crisis New Opportunity When you need to “Shake Things Up” Intense emotions The Rune: Hagalaz Ice Magic Properties: Stillness Self-identity and self control Focus Concentration Stasis Pause Harsh conditions and survival Cooling “hot” situations off Self defense Purification The Rune: Isa Hail and Ice Spells and Magical Uses As with snow, hail and ice magick is up to your creativity. Keep in mind hail and ice magic properties are different than snow, so use it appropriately with your intentions. Collect hail and ice for ice spells, store in your freezer, or let it melt for ice or hail water. OR use ice from your freezer in your spells. Here’s some ways to do magick with ice and hail: Freeze a hot situation in the freezer to cool things off or to stop something or someone in their tracks Use hail water in the bath to supercharge yourself before rituals Freeze herbs or flowers in ice and use in kitchen magick Melt […]

The post Snow Spells: Make Magick with ICE and SNOW, Magic Properties & More appeared first on Otherworldly Oracle.

Samhain Foods: 10 Meals Your Family & Ancestors Will Love

kitty fields — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 01:04:57 +0000

There’s a chill in the air. Autumn and Halloween decorations set the spooky vibes in the neighborhood. The veil is thin. Samhain is coming. How do you like to celebrate this sabbat? My family loves to eat…so eating a Samhain supper is inevitable. Are you planning a Samhain meal for family and ancestors? If so, here we provide our favorite 10 Samhain foods your family, friends and ancestors will love. 10 Samhain Foods: Traditional & Modern Samhain is the last harvest in the Celtic tradition. Our Celtic ancestors used this time to harvest the last of the crops, cull some of the livestock, and prepare for the long Winter ahead. While times are different today, we can still celebrate the last harvest with a purposeful, magical meal. What kind of foods do you associate with Samhain or Autumn? Pumpkin, corn, cinnamon, squash and maybe apples? We say, it’s time for ALL of these Autumn foods! 1. Pumpkin Goat Cheese Fettuccine Alfredo I know what you’re thinking. Pumpkin pasta? Bear with me. Pumpkin is traditionally associated with sweet treats like pie. But trust me when I say, pumpkin is so much more than dessert! I’ve made this recipe almost every year and it never disappoints. It is rich and creamy and the perfect Samhain meal. HERE’S THE RECIPE. Wash it down with a nice Cabernet. 2. Irish Bangers and Colcannon *A Traditional Irish Samhain Meal* A traditional Samhain food, colcannon comes from the Emerald Isle. Samhain custom tells us to add little trinkets and charms to the mashed potatoes and cabbage and watch as each guest/family member finds their own charms. Each charm has meaning – this is an old school form of divination for Samhain Eve. Charms might include hearts, baby bottles, coins, etc. Just make sure everyone knows to be careful when eating it! Add Irish bangers (sausages) and call it a full Samhain meal. 3. Butternut Squash Soup In addition to it being pumpkin season, in America it is also Fall squash season. So, it’s time to load up on Butternut squash, acorn squash, etc. Another of my favorite Samhain meals is butternut squash soup. If you’re night’s busy, prepare it ahead of time and throw it in your Instant Pot when you’re ready to eat. HERE’S THE RECIPE. 4. Apple Waffles When Samhain falls on a weekend, take advantage and make an elaborate Samhain breakfast and save dinner-time for dressing in costume and handing out candy. Apple waffles with cinnamon and syrup make Samhain breakfast a treat! Plus, everyone loves apples in the Fall. Particularly the ancestors. 5. Pumpkin Soup You all know how much I love making and eating soup. Remember our talk about pumpkin being more than just dessert? It’s back again, but this time in the form of a savory soup. I’ve made this for Samhain in years past and everyone enjoys it. Add a crusty bread and it will stick to your bones for that long Samhain ritual or Halloween trick-or-treating. HERE’S THE RECIPE. 6. Barmbrack *A Traditional Samhain Food* It’s not a full meal, but it is a traditional Samhain food. Barmbrack put simply is an Irish fruit cake. If you’re a fan of fruit cake, then try making Barmbrack for Samhain this year. HERE’S THE RECIPE. Slather it in butter before eating! 7. Pork Roast with Apple & Acorn Squash Stuffing I love using my crockpot and instant pot in the fall. Pork roast is always simple, delicious and feeds a family (or you end up with leftovers). Add apples and acorn squash to make it a full Samhain meal, and be sure to offer some to the ancestors. HERE’S THE PORK ROAST WITH APPLES RECIPE. Roast acorn squash in the oven like this. 8. Oktoberfest Sausages, Apple and Kraut If you’re German or have German ancestors, don’t forget that October is also Oktoberfest! This is a day when Germans celebrate food, family, friends, Fall and beer. Oktoberfest foods can be substituted as a Samhain meal. Sausages, apples and sauerkraut are traditional along with a frosty cold beer. PROST! Here’s a list of nothing but Oktoberfest foods for your Samhain meal. 9. Herb Roasted Chicken With Mashed Turnips And now my mouth is watering. One of my favorite seasonal feasts features an herb roasted chicken. When you stuff a chicken with lemons, fresh herbs from the garden and onion, cake the chicken’s skin in salt and pepper, and baste with butter, you have the recipe for mouth-watering, moist chicken for your Samhain meal. I’ve been making this recipe for years and it’s ALWAYS a hit! Ingredients: Instructions: And instead of mashes potatoes, go with traditional mashed turnips. 10. Pumpkin Pancakes As a Samhain Meal Do you ever eat breakfast for dinner? My kids absolutely love having breakfast for dinner. It’s always a fun meal for the whole family. Why not eat pumpkin pancakes for your Samhain meal this year? Here’s our favorite recipe. Choose Your Own: Samhain Veggies, Fruits, Etc. If none of the Samhain meals above tickle your witchy fancy, select your own recipes using some of our suggested Autumn ingredients: More Autumn Foods:

The post Samhain Foods: 10 Meals Your Family & Ancestors Will Love appeared first on Otherworldly Oracle.