A Ritual For Celebrating Halloween or Samhain Alone, Plus Sumac Sweet Potato Snacks
I’m writing this during the Coronavirus Pandemic in (what I am sure will become) historic 2020, when the thought of gathering in crowds, exchanging candy, going to wild parties, and generally doing most Halloween-y things is more frightening than the ghouls and goblins could ever be. That said, even when it is safe to socialize, it can feel more relaxing or meaningful to celebrate Halloween or Samhain at home. That’s what this ritual is for!
This year it has been tempting to forego most holiday celebrations at all. Without the traditions, rituals, and people we usually celebrate with, a holiday often just feels like any other day of the year. Finding a way to still celebrate is a deep kind of magic; we need those memorable experiences to feed our souls and sense of community! This seems especially important for families with young kids who may feel like they are missing out on normal festivities. Holidays can still be special in isolation, and you may find that some of the unusual ways of making those days better will stick and become future traditions too.
This hybrid ritual can be used for either Halloween OR Samhain. It is a secular ritual with room for you to infuse your own religious or spiritual beliefs into, and it can be done as a solo ritual or with a small group of family or friends. This ritual will allow you to infuse more meaning into the day and evening and offers space for both reflection and fun. As always, feel free to adapt it to fit your own desires or needs!
Traditional Samhain rituals often involve preparing a dinner to celebrate the harvest, then sharing it ceremoniously with those who have passed on. Often a place is set at the table for each spirit to sit at. This is referred to as a “dumb supper” and is often eaten in silence. Samhain rituals tend to be more austere and spiritual; a stark contrast to the family-focused fun of Halloween. (Or the adult version of crazy Halloween parties…)
A ritualistic dumb supper is certainly one way to connect with the energy of the day, but I’d like to propose something a little more playful and casual. Perhaps you’d rather share a relaxed evening of snacks and movies with the memories of those you hold dear, and/or your living loved ones too!
You’ll need:
Comfortable walking shoes
A bundle of aromatic herbs, like mugwort, rosemary, or sagebrush
A bathtub
Comfy costumes or autumnal pajamas
Some candles
Photos or mementos of passed relatives and loved ones
An easy comfort-food recipe, like the one below
A favorite seasonal book or movie
Directions:
Start your ritual with a nature walk. This can be at dusk for adults, or while the day is still bright if kids are involved. Carry with you the reminder that you are part of the cycles of the seasons and that death and rebirth are both important parts of these cycles. Celebrate the signs that winter is just around the corner. If you’d like, you can gather pretty little bits of nature on the way, including aromatic herbs if you happen upon any in an area where it’s respectful to gather them.
When you return home, set up a little altar to the season and any loved ones you’d like to honor. Just pick a surface somewhere in your home and place photographs, mementos, and reminders of the season on it in a pleasing arrangement. Place some candles there too, but don’t light them yet. Take your time with this, talking or writing about memories of those loved ones. If you are doing this ritual as a family, give everyone the chance to share fond memories of each person you are honoring.
Put on some seasonal or relaxing music and start preparing your snack. Cut and carve the sweet potatoes as directed in the recipe below. (This is a job for adults, but kids can help by suggesting good jack-o-lantern faces!) Mix together the ingredients fry Fry Sauce and put it in the fridge. Preheat the oven.
Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove and add the aromatic herbs. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the sweet potatoes and put them in the oven to bake.
While the sweet potato pieces are baking, strain the herbal water into the bathtub and fill it up. Take a short bath, picturing that you are washing off the baggage or heaviness of the past year to begin anew. This is a time to reflect on the concept of death and endings and wash away whatever you no longer want to carry with you. If the whole family is involved, this step can be substituted for an aromatic face wash with the infused water (with enough cold water added to make the temperature comfortable.) Participants can speak aloud what they want to wash away, or just keep that thought in their mind.
Once out of the bath, put on something comfortable and cozy. Check the roasted sweet potatoes and pull them from the oven now, or wait a little longer if they aren’t done cooking yet.
Light the candles on the altar and in other areas of your home. As you light each candle, picture someone you want to honor with that action. Once all the candles are lit, turn off the lights. (Make sure you don’t leave any burning candles unattended; they should all be in the room you are watching the movie in.)
Put on a seasonal movie, grab your tasty snack, and settle in to relax. If you’d like, you can offer up a thought, prayer, or spoken invitation for the memories of your loved ones to join you for a more relaxed, casual evening!
Sumac Sweet Potato Jack O’ Lanterns with Fry Sauce
This fun and easy snack is a perfect way to infuse a little Halloween fun into your evening, no matter what your plans are! The sumac gives the sweet potato fries a delicious zesty flavor. (If you want to learn more about sumac, this website is a great resource!) I like serving this up with “Fry Sauce,” which is a phenomenon that isn’t recognized much outside of Idaho and Utah. It is a delicious light pink sauce usually served with French fries. At its core, it’s a creamy-zesty blend of mayonnaise and ketchup, often with extra flavorings or spices added to make it extra delicious. You can find my version below!
Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
3 Tbs. canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ Tbs. cornstarch
1 Tbs. sumac powder
¼ tsp. Chili powder
½ tsp. Freshly ground pepper
Salt, to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425F.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into even ½” rounds. Carve a face into each one. Pat dry with paper towels.
Mix together the canola oil and minced garlic. Toss with the sweet potato chunks.
Whisk together the cornstarch, sumac powder, chili powder, and pepper. Sprinkle over the rounds and toss until fully coated.
Spread the fries out on a non-stick or parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Flip the fries halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Fries should be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Season with salt right after baking and serve with Fry Sauce.
Idaho Fry Sauce
Ingredients:
½ c. mayo
⅓ c. ketchup
½ tsp. Garlic powder
¼ tsp. Smoked paprika
¼ tsp. Salt
1 Tbs. pickle juice
Directions:
Mix everything together into a smooth mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Keep chilled until you are ready to enjoy it!
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Join me for a little winter night magic as we bake this cake full of rich seasonal flavors and black cocoa!