Revision

Original Piece

The biggest tradition surrounding food in my family is around the time of Samhain, otherwise known as Halloween. Samhain is a time to remember the people who have gone before, it is also the last of the harvest ceremonies, food plays a big part in the ceremony. It is also the pagan new year, so drinks like mead and wine are also big parts of the ceremonies. The traditional meal is called a dum supper.

A dum supper is a meal that is done in honor of the ancestors. A home cooked meal is prepared and the table is set with an extra place. The extra place is for the ancestors, when serving the meal the ancestors are served first and the meal is eaten in silence till everyone is done. The reason for the silence is to remember those who have passed away and think on the good or bad things that you remember about them. Maybe come to terms with something they have done that you were unhappy with. The ancestors plate is not eaten if there is anything left over, it is placed outside for the fairies. Wine or mead is the traditional drink and the left overs of that are placed outside as well for the fairies or other spirits passing by.

Revision


The biggest family tradition that deals with food is around the time of Samhain, otherwise known as Halloween. Halloween is typically the time to dress up in fun costumes, eat lots of candy and scare people out of their wits. Samhain is also the pagan new year, and the last of the harvest holidays. It is also the day when the world of the living and that of the dead is closest and a time when you can reconnect with lost loved ones. All of this leads to many different pagan traditions surrounding food; mead and wine are also used a lot for any family or pagan tradition for this day.

In my family, and sometimes if I can’t celebrate with family my coven, we do a meal called a Dum supper. A dum supper is a meal that is shared with those that have passed before. It’s done by cooking a meal at home, fast food should not even be attempted for this meal. Wine and or mead can be added for drinks but water or soda will work as well. The meal is placed on the table and an extra place setting is set for the ancestors. When everyone sits down the meal is conducted in silence. The ancestors are served first as an honorary duty to them, then the food moves clockwise, to each person. The meal being conducted in silence is so that you the person sharing the meal, have a chance to come to terms with anything you were worried about or didn’t get to finish with them when they were alive. You also have the chance to say to the ancestors whatever you didn’t get a chance to say when they were alive. Maybe there was something that was upsetting to you now would be the time to say something and get closer.

When the meal is over the left overs are taken outside to leave for either the other passing spirits or the animals. Wine or mead is thrown in the garden, if you have one, as the fairies will use that. It is an offering for them to prosper you in the coming months as well as simply a nice thing to do. After all this is done a small ritual is done to welcome the new year glasses are refilled with whatever you chose to drink and the new year is celebrated.