Traditions

This weekend was a full one for us just like many of you. Friday night was spent at my daughter's annual work Halloween/pumpkin carving contest. Everyone one brings a dish and their own carving utensils and her work supplies the pumpkin. When they are finished, they are taken to work the next day and displayed for all the customers to vote on. My daughter and I came up with the idea of a werewolf pumpkin. But she wanted it to have a "fun" face so when we where done he looked more like a.....ummm....bat.clown??

That whole "spook" factor went right out the window!!! Yes...yes that is red licorice we used for it's hair. Notice the lime for the nose, and lets not forget those big bat...I mean werewolf ears!!  That pumpkin was quite a site. We found out today that our pumpkin WON the contest!! I see some celebrating in our future. (Yeaaaaaa)
Saturday rolled around and it was my husbands birthday. After he got off work my daughter and I took him out to one of our favorite local resturants then a movie afterward. We went and saw RED. If you get a chance go see it. It was a great movie. Action/comedy with all the great actors! It will diffently make our "to get" DVD list this holiday.
Sunday arrived and I was full of anticipation. I have been planning for my first Samhain for a couple of months now. Saturday night I put the finishing touches on the cloth gift bags I made for my husband and daughter. I put them on my alter (with the pendant for my husband and the focus beads for my daughter in them) along with the sleep protection bags I had made right before the full moon.
Durning the day I took the mini pumpkins I was using for a fall decoration and carved them to make tea light candle holders. I am thrilled at the way they turned out. (but I got to tell ya...after carving the four we had at home, then the one for the contest and now these little one's....I am kinda pumpkin'ed out)
I cooked a homemade dinner and set some aside for any traveling spirits. When it got dark, we went around and put lighted candles in the windows and I lit my mini pumpkin tea light holders. My husband went out in the backyard and started our fire pit. Just a small one mind you. (It only got down to the 70's last night, so a big one was not needed) As a family we sat around the fire and wrote on pieces of paper the things each one of us wants to let go. We took turns putting them in the fire and watching them burn. I read a Halloween poem I found on the internet on a Samhain site. Then I handed out the bags I had prepared earlier.
It was a great feeling to be starting a new tradition for us. I came away from that fire last night with a new appreciation for the season. and a renewed since of self.
I hope all of you had a fullfilling and safe Samhain!
Blessings to you and yours