Halloween Countdown

The first of October is here and my heart is in the mood for Halloween, what better way to kick the month of fun and tricks off then to start on The Countdown to Halloween blog party which is being held by The Whimsical Cottage blog. The roll call and links of the players in this merry fun are in the side bar on the left under the party poster and if you click on the poster, either in the side bar or above you will get all the party  details. People taking part will try to post Halloween themed posts through out the 31 days countdown, so they will be well worth visiting if like me you love this season.

I may have already mentioned I love this season LOL it's an obvious fact to anyone who knows me, but many at first assume this is because I'm Pagan and it's to do with my faith. It's a natural assumption and I don't take any offence over that, the fact is for many pagans who follow the Wiccan / Celtic wheel of the year then Halloween / Samhain is a very special time.

For me though Halloween is just a festival of fun and laughter, I love the colours and all the history associated with it, and yes the meaning behind it. There are many festivals held through out the world at this time of year, Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, Samhain and Winters Night to name but a few. In essence all these festivals have the same origin, that of celebrating both the end of the harvest season / Autumn and our Ancestors. Spiritually, as a Heathen I respectfully celebrate Winters Night, that is my quite time for giving thanks and remembering. Halloween is the a secular festival that holds no particular religious significance personally but gives me much joy in celebrating the end of the Autumn season and the colours and icons associated with it, like the spirits of the night, pumpkins, birds and lanterns etc. I love taking part in all the blog parties at this time of year and meeting like minded people on line. 

I would say I also love the drawing in of the dark nights as Autumn draws to a close and winter draws near, but as I write this I'm quietly melting in very unusual temperatures for England at this time of year, today has been the hottest October day since records began at 29.9 degrees, I've got the doors wide open and the fans whirling round, it seems more like the high of summer. I'm afraid I'm not a hot weather person any more, I like the real English Autumn with it's "Season's of mists and mellow fruitfulness" as Keats' put it and gentle warmth. Still I'm sure I will be wishing for some of this warmth when the cold really does come so I will not complain and as I love Halloween all year round, hot or cold I'll still enjoy the season, I hope you may return to read some more of my ramblings over the month.

I'm also talking part in the Smeared and Smudged 31 Days of Halloween blog hop where the players display projects each day of this month with the theme of Halloween or Day of the Dead, the only rule is that there must be at least one stamped image on it. I'm playing this on my paper crafting blog 'Paper Witchery' and my first Day 1 post is here if you'd like to visit for a look.