Samhain: a new year, but for witches

While half the world is in fancy dress, we raise a glass to the year that's leaving (and to those who are no longer here).

In case the name hadn't already given you a clue, Samhain has Celtic roots (Gaelic, to be precise: Ireland and Scotland) and is celebrated from 31 October to 1 November. It's pronounced roughly "SOW-in", so don't get tangled up with that "m". And yes, it's one of the ancestors of Halloween, alongside the Christian eve of All Saints, and practically a first cousin of All Saints' Day.

What is Samhain?

It was the festival marking the end of the harvest: the last crops were gathered, the livestock were brought down and the dark half of the year began. That's why modern witchcraft and Wicca treat it as the start of the Wheel of the Year. Basically, it's our New Year's Eve, with more candles and fewer hangovers.

According to the belief, it's when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest, and the perfect moment to honour those who are no longer with us but still keep us company from another plane.

Samhain, Halloween and All Saints: the whole family

• All Saints' Day: the Church set it on 1 November, and in the year 835 it was extended to the whole Church. What a coincidence, right on top of Samhain.
• Halloween: comes from All Hallows' Eve, the eve of All Saints. In other words, the night of the 31st.
• Pumpkins: in Ireland people carved turnips, with the legend of Jack o' Lantern behind them. When the tradition crossed to America, the pumpkin won hands down (bigger and much easier to hollow out, let's be honest).

And in Spain?

We haven't held back here either. There's the Galician Samaín, with its pumpkins, revived in recent decades; the Catalan Castanyada, with chestnuts and panellets; the Tosantos in Cádiz; and the Night of Souls (Noche de Ánimas) in loads of villages. If there's a tradition for these dates where you live, tell me about it, because I love collecting them.

What you can do tonight

No need to overcomplicate things. A few ideas:

• A little altar: photos and candles for those who are gone, and if you fancy an autumn touch, pumpkins, apples, pomegranates, chestnuts or dry leaves.
• A dumb supper: lay a place for the dead and eat in silence. It sounds odd, but it's beautiful (and, for the chatterboxes among you, quite the challenge).
• Divination: traditionally it's a perfect night for the black mirror, apples or, of course, tarot.

A spread to close the witches' year

I think I've developed a taste for three-card spreads… Here's my suggestion:

1. What am I harvesting from this year?
2. What am I letting die?
3. What am I taking into the new year?

If a card leaves you with a poker face, the glossary is right there for you to have a look.

The Wheel of the Year

Samhain is the first of eight festivals. In the northern hemisphere: Samhain (31 October), Yule (21 December), Imbolc (1 February), Ostara (20 March), Beltane (1 May), Litha (21 June), Lughnasadh (1 August) and Mabon (22 September). Solstice and equinox dates shift by a day or so depending on the year. An honest note: the eight-festival calendar was put together by Wicca in the mid-20th century, mixing Celtic and Germanic festivals. Which doesn't make it one bit less lovely.

Maybe I'll do a Wheel of the Year series… Let me know what you think.

By the way, remember that my calendar has free resources for this time of year. Have a good look around the website! Happy witches' new year. 🐦‍⬛