But when Pauline Reid opened up her Glasgow salon for youngsters last Hallowe’en not one came knocking.

The 37-year-old, who runs a coven to instruct her sisters in the finer points of witchcraft, as well as managing a beauty shop in the South Side, said: “We had goodie bags made up, the salon was decorated and I was dressed up, but no one came. Maybe they were too scared.”

Pauline will try again this year, putting on a pointy hat, picking up a broomstick and transforming herself into a glamorous witch.

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At least for me anyway. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I don’t have to buy any presents for anybody, I don’t have to cook, and I get to dress up like Jessica Rabbit. What more could one ask?

However, I know there are a lot of you out there that get very nervous when the Witches New Year rolls around. Now I can’t claim to be a witch, especially not here in the big shiny buckle of the Bible belt; and I can’t claim to know everything there is to know about it. But I do know, just judging by the way some people react to this holiday, that it scares some of you right out of your little minds.

Luckily I’m here to clear up some common misconceptions on all things witchy.

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Symbols: Third Harvest, wisdom of the Crone, death of the God, reflection on our place in the Wheel of the Year, New Year, reincarnation, the dark mysteries, Rebirth after Death.

Colors: Black, Brown, Orange, Red.

Foods: Beef, Pork, Poultry, Candy Corn, Irish Báirín Breac (Fruit Cake), Colcannon, Bonfire Toffee, Toffee Apple, Candy Apple, Caramel Apple, Apple Cider, Apple Tarts, anything with Apples, Doughnuts, Roasted Ear Corn, Popcorn, Caramel Corn, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Bread, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, King Cake, Pomegranates, Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Beets, Turnips, Nuts, Gingerbread, Cider, Mulled Wines, Mead, Late Autumn Fruits.

Plants & herbs: Angelica, Burdock, Catnip, Pennyroyal, Rosemary, Rue, Sunflower, Sage, Thyme, Wild Ginseng, Tarragon, Mugwort. Calendula, Chrysanthemum, Cosmos, Marigold.

Trees: Acacia, Apple, Cypress, Hazel, Hemlock, Yew.

Incense & Oils: Bay, Cedar, Clove, Copal, Coriander, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Heather, Mugwort, Myrrh, Patchouli, Peppermint, Sage, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Wormwood.

Stones: Amber, Beryl, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Clear Quartz, Diamond, Garnet, Gold, Granite, Hematite, Jasper, Jet, Marble, Obsidian, Opal, Pyrite, Rose Sapphire, Ruby, Sandstone, Smoky Quartz, Steel, Tourmaline, Turquoise.

Animals & Mythical Creatures: Stag, Jackal, Cat, Bat, Ram, Scorpion, Heron, Crow, Robin, Goblin, Harpy, Raven.

Appropriate Goddesses: All Crone Goddess Aspects

Appropriate Gods: All Underworld, Sacrificial, or Trickster God Aspects.

Decorations: Acorns, Indian Corn, Carved turnips, and pumpkins.

Activities: Trick or Treating, Leave an empty seat at the dinner table, Offerings for the Spirits and Fairies.

Spell/Ritual Themes: Time of Reflection, Looking back over the last year, Coming to terms with Death, Honoring Ancestors, Divining for the Future, finish old projects, Honor Deity, Give Thanks for the Harvest.

Organisers of the town’s Pumpkin Night asked permission for the bells of St Mary’s church in Bungay to ring out as part of their Halloween celebration on October 31.

But Churches Together in Bungay, a group which represents the Church of England, Roman Catholic and United Reformed Churches in the town, has voiced its opposition to the plans on religious grounds.

And the Churches Conservation Trust, which owns the redundant church, has not yet decided whether to allow its bells to be rung between 9pm and midnight on Halloween.

Martin Evans, chairman of the Friends of St Mary’s Church, said: “It would be very nice thing for a medieval town like Bungay to follow some of the medieval traditions.

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Culture Ministry officials said Thursday that medieval pottery shards in the city of the dead, or necropolis, show the area may have been inhabited by the living during the Dark Ages after being used for centuries for burials during the Roman period.

It is not yet clear who was buried in the ancient cemetery, but archaeologists at the still partially excavated site believe at least some of the dead were freed slaves of Greek origin.

“It’s a matter of a few weeks to discover what is down there,” said archaeologist Marina Piranomonte. “But it’s something big; it looks like a neighborhood.”

A separate dig in the north of the city has turned up the tomb of a nobleman who led Rome’s legions in the second century A.D.

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The origins and purposes of Stonehenge have eluded academics and historians for centuries and been the subject of much debate.

The circle of standing stones was originally through to have been erected in 2,600 BC, to replace an earlier wood and earth structure where cremation was carried out.

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This festival celebrates Nature’s cycle of death and renewal, a time when the Celts acknowledged the beginning and ending of all things in life and nature. Samhain marked the end of harvest and the beginning of the New Celtic Year. The first month of the Celtic year was Samonios - ‘Seed Fall’.

Two Roman festivals became incorporated with Samhain - ‘Feralia’, when the Romans commemorated the passing of the dead, and ‘Pomona’, when the Roman goddess of fruit and trees was honoured. The Halloween tradition of bobbing for apples is thought to derive from the ancient links with the Roman fruit goddess, Pomona, and a Druidical rite associated with water.

Samhain heralds the beginning of Winter when the world starts to darken and the days are getting shorter - the ‘dark half’ of the year and the demise of the power of the sun.

Feast of the Dead
It is believed that the borders between the world of the living and the dead is thinner on this night - also known as ‘Ancestor night’ - so souls of the dead can enter the land of the living. Spirits roam free to revisit their earthly homes. The Celts looked to their ancestors to bring them guidance for the coming year and hoped to commune with the spirits at Samhain.
Samhain is considered a celebration of life over death, and a time to remember those who have left the world of the living. Candles would be lit at the graves of loved ones. In Mexico family members light many candles around the graves of their loved ones and lay out special feast foods for the spirits, and remain there all night.

Halloween originates from the ancient Celts’ celebrations and is based on their ‘Feast of Samhain’. The Catholic church attempted to replace the Pagan festival with All Saints’ or All Hallows’ day, followed by All Souls’ Day, on November 2nd.
The eve became known as: All Saints’ Eve, All Hallows’ Eve, or Hallowe’en. All Saints’ Day is said to be the day when souls walked the Earth. In early Christian tradition souls were released from purgatory on All Hallow’s Eve for 48 hours.

In order to protect themselves from any roaming evil spirits the Celts would appease them by offering them treats. The custom of wearing costumes on Halloween is thought to derive from the Celts disguising themselves at Samhain, so the spirits would think that they belonged to their own company. They could then communicate with the spirit world, known as ’souling’.

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