Samhain is a sacred time when naturalists remember their ancestors with the Feast of the Dead. Animal visitors are welcomed to a Samhain celebration and are believed to be the conduit for spiritual visitors to interact with relatives in the physical realm. It is a time to show care and respect to the animal kingdom for providing this great service.

Prepare a controlled fire either in a fire pit or in the fireplace and make meals for human and animal visitors. It is important to remember that animal meals and human meals are different and should be prepared accordingly. Some human seasonings, vegetables, and sauces can make animals sick, so it is wisest to prepare two different meals.

Animal Stew

Items Needed

• Big Pot
• Masher or processor
• Water
• Peeled Potato
• Peeled Sweet Potato
• Quartered Apples with core, seeds, and stem removed
• Carrots
• Low-fat protein source, bird meat is best (Viable protein source is necessary for carnivores, like cats)

Directions:

• Cut up all ingredients and place in a pot filled with water.
• Bring ingredients to a high boil and then reduce heat to medium-low to simmer.
• Place a lid over pot to preserve nutrients.
• Check and stir stew every 15 minutes.
• When a fork easily pierces vegetables, turn off stove and remove pot from heat source.
• Let stew set until cooled to room temperature.
• Use a manual masher or a food processor to make either a smooth stew or chunky stew with smaller bite sized pieces.

To show greater appreciation, it is also a good time to ensure bird feeders are full and offer special treats to farm animals.

Samhain on the Northern Hemisphere is celebrated 31 October and 1 November and is celebrated in the Southern Hemisphere 30 April and 1 May. Animal visitors are invited into the home on either 31 October or 30 April and are given thanks for their services on either 1 November or 1 May.

Blessings should be tailored to meet the gratitude of each individual family. It is not something where a "one size fits all" mentality works because it varies by region, culture, ancestral connectivity and background. Here is a generic blessing, which can be expanded upon.

General Blessing of Invitation

The sun is not bright, yet the sky is not dark
Let the chasm dividing worlds fill
Warm welcome animal friends, with news from our ancestors
May you find comfort at our hearth and in our home

General Blessing of Thanks

With gratitude, we thank you for your service and release you from your duty
May you continue to find safe harbor along your journey

Whether you celebrate Hallowe'en, All Hallows Eve, Samhain, Winternacht, or All Saints Day, remember to display gratitude to the animals for their countless contributions to the living journey. Have a safe and happy holiday.

For homemade treat ideas be sure to check out Animal Life's How to Make Safe Animal Treats.