Today is Halloween, the origins of which date back to the Celtic tradition of Samhain. It is a potent time of year – celebrating both death, with a celebration of our ancestors, and life. Many cultures honour their dead at Samhain, a tradition that gave way to Halloween, or All Hallows Eve.
The other side of death is birth. Dead leaves fall from the trees, but they nourish the earth, supporting new life. Recognising that Samhain is a time not just of death, but of rebirth, Celtic peoples celebrated Samhain as the Celtic New Year.
Following this guide from The Children’s Forest by Dawn Casey, Anna Richardson and Helen D’Ascoli, why not create an edible mandala this Halloween, using the autumn’s harvest.
This activity is taken from The Children’s Forest: Stories & songs, wild food, crafts and celebrations by Dawn Casey, Anna Richardson and Helen D’Ascoli. Find out more about the book on the Hawthorn Press website.
