FEATURE: Celebrating Halloween the witchy way

For witches, Halloween, or Samhain, marks the end of the year instead of January 1, and it is believed that October 31 is the night when the veil between the living and spirit world is at its thinnest.

But according to high priestess Shelley Mayes of Flange & Prong witchcraft shop, contrary to what is believed thanks to Hollywood’s misconception of witchcraft, Halloween is not the summoning of the devil, communicating with evil spirits, or casting spells. But rather, as this is the end of the pagan year, celebrations are more of a time of reflection to remember loved ones and ancestors.

Witches celebrate with a whole week of celebrations, starting on Halloween night and running through until November 7.

The main celebration is marked by holding ‘dumb suppers’, where a place is left at the table for loved ones who have passed over to the other side and candles are lit for them.

Covens then cast a circle and open the veil with a clairvoyant or spiritualist medium in attendance and open the doorway and call upon their ancestors to join them for their celebrations.

For Shelley Mayes, the purpose of the event is to be respectful of passed loved ones and to remember them, not to try and or raise the dead.

“We embrace the darker half of the year at Samhain,” Shelley said. “We’re reflecting on loved ones rather than bringing people back.

“One day, we will be ancestors to those who come after us and it's important to honour them as one day, we hope to become them.

“It’s a really beautiful thing and you can really feel a shift in the energy in the room,” Shelley said. “We have photos of deities and our ancestors too.”

A feast usually is eaten by witches shortly after with an array of seasonal food including pumpkins, turnips and swedes.

Witches will dress in their best capes with head dresses, flower crowns, and hats but not all in black. This is another common misconception that witches dress all in black which came from the 17th century Puritans in a bid to demonise witchcraft.

“The origin of the witch in the pointy hat is debatable,” Shelley said. “Some will say it was inspired by the cone-shaped hennins that women of nobility wore during the Middle Ages, while others will point to the Salem Witch Trials’ description of the devil as a tall, dark man in a ‘high-crowned hat.’

“There’s also Mother Shipton, a 16th century English prophetess who was said to have made a slew of predictions that came true, including the Spanish Armada and, strangely enough, the arrival of the internet – she was also depicted as wearing a tall, conical hat.

“One interesting theory points to the “witches of Subeshi,” a trio of third or fourth century BC female mummies, [who were thought to be sisters accused of witchcraft], and were discovered in China’s Tarim Basin that wore extremely tall, pointed hats made from black felt.”

You can hold your own Samhain celebration in your own home by placing your photos and seasonal food around an open fire, or just a safely placed candle, and gazing into the flames and remembering your loved ones who have passed.

You can find out more about Halloween celebrations in the pagan calendar by visiting Flange & Prong in West Street in Horncastle, between 5pm and 8pm on October 31 where an evening of mediumship and discounted readings will be offered by Shelley and Horncastle’s resident witches.

Flange & Prong also host a witchcraft demystifying podcast where they attempt to debunk other myths and misconceptions about witchcraft

You can find this, and more, by visiting www.facebook.com/fpwitchcraft/

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