Samhain 2025

What is it?

Also known as the witches new year, Samhain (sah-win) is the sabbat that marks the start of the darkest half of the year. Days are colder, nights are longer, and the veil between spiritual plains is thinnest.

Samhain is traditionally celebrated on the 30th of April to the 1st of May, but the specific date this year falls on the 5th of May. In the northern hemisphere, it’s celebrated in October/November, and many of you I’m sure will know that the western equivalent of Samhain is Halloween! But in the southern hemisphere, with our seasons reversed, we celebrate Samhain when others traditionally are celebrating Easter.

What is the significance of this sabbat?

You would think that Samhain is a time of deep mourning and depression due to it marking the start of the darkest half of the year, however this couldn’t be more wrong. Samhain is a time for celebration, a time to remember our loved ones who’ve passed, ancestors and whatever else you believe in. It’s a time for contemplation, to get rid of unwanted things in your life (like habits, thought processes, etc).

Samhain also marks the end of the harvest season, which makes it the perfect time to have lots of soups, stews. I also love having hot chocolates this time of year too!

How am I celebrating it?

There are a couple of ways I’m personally celebrating Samhain. This is one of my favourite times of the year, the crispness of the air, the leaves changing colours (we have a tree near us that is turning colours and it’s so beautiful), I especially like that we don’t need aircon!

This year I will be having a dumb (silent) supper (I’ll explain), and doing tarot readings, and enjoying nature during the season change. I’ll also be having a fire… Somehow, although it may just end up being lots of candles.

Dumb Supper

This will be my first dumb supper so I’m sure it will feel a little weird. The point of a dumb supper is to invite your ancestors and deceased loved ones to have dinner with you. You set up places for each living member, but also you set up places for ancestors, deceased loved ones, and deities. The table should be decorated in black, and the atmosphere should be silent (I will however be playing some music so the tinnitus doesn’t deafen me). I’ll be serving a hearty meal with lots of bread, and for dessert I’ll be serving soul cakes and maybe a pumpkin pie. While serving the living, don’t forget to also serve the dead, not just food but whatever you drink too.

Tarot

Doing a Samhain specific tarot reading allows you to prepare yourself for the new year and ask your ancestors for guidance.

Food

Soups and stews, with a focus on root vegetables like pumpkin and potato.

Fire

Fire is a super important part of Samhain. Putting a candle in your window allows for loved ones’ spirits to find their way home. You can also have bonfires, to burn away unwanted energies, habits, and whatever else you don’t want to bring with you into the new year.

Other ways to celebrate?

Communicating with spirits is another way to celebrate Samhain, but be careful if you do as spirits are tricky and like to lie.

I would love to hear how you’re celebrating so let me know in the comments on my Instagram or facebook!

Thea xx