🎃 The History (and Heart) of Halloween

Long before plastic pumpkins lined grocery aisles and children wrapped themselves in store-bought capes, there was fire on the hills and mystery in the air.
It was called Samhain — the Celtic turning of the seasons, when harvest was gathered, and winter’s breath crept close.

They believed that on the last night of October, the veil between worlds grew thin.
The living could feel the nearness of their ancestors. The dead could drift among the living once more. Bonfires blazed not in fear, but in reverence — to honor those who came before and to guide them home through the darkness.

Masks were worn, not to entertain, but to confuse wandering spirits — the first “costumes.” Every flicker of flame carried both awe and gratitude, a quiet acknowledgment that life and death were simply two notes in the same eternal rhythm.

When Christianity spread across Europe, it folded Samhain into its own holy calendar.
November 1st became All Saints’ Day — or All Hallows’ Day — and the night before was All Hallows’ Eve. The name softened with time, like candle wax melting into memory, until it became simply Halloween.

The tradition shifted — prayers for the dead replaced fire offerings, and small acts of kindness were exchanged for food or sweets. Children began to go “souling,” offering songs or prayers in return for “soul cakes.” Eventually, costumes and laughter returned, and Halloween became a celebration of both remembrance and mischief.

When Irish and Scottish immigrants carried these customs to America, the spirit of the day transformed again.
By the mid-1900s, Halloween had become a community of light-hearted fright — pumpkins glowing instead of bonfires, laughter replacing superstition.
But beneath it all, the ancient rhythm still beats — a whisper that we are not as far from our ancestors as we think.

Halloween, at its heart, is a bridge between worlds — a night to remember what’s been lost, to celebrate what remains, and to honor the mystery that connects us all.

It reminds us that shadows and light aren’t enemies — they’re dance partners.

And that sometimes, to understand life, we must walk — just for a moment — with the ghosts of our past.

💫 A Final Reflection

And in the spirit of masks and make-believe… sometimes the best costumes aren’t planned at all.
Like this one.

Proof that joy doesn’t need permission — just a good sense of humor, a few ribbons, and a whole lot of heart.

Here’s to the creatures (and humans) who remind us that laughter might just be the brightest kind of magic.

The Gift/Treat

Some gifts don’t come wrapped in paper.
They come wrapped in fur, in joy, in ridiculous red ribbons that somehow end up on their heads instead of the box they were meant for.

This face — equal parts patience and pride — reminds me that love doesn’t need presentation. It just shows up, sits quietly at your feet, and says, “Here I am.”

We chase meaning in so many places — but maybe the truest kind of holiday spirit (or Halloween magic, depending on the week) is found in a pair of eyes that see you as enough. No costume, no filters, no pretending.

Just presence. Just love.

💙🪷
Jen