giving thanks

We give thanks to our Mother, the Earth, who sustains us. We give
thanks to the Rivers and Streams, who provides our waters. We give
thanks to the Herbs, who supply's the medicines to cure our
deceases. We give thanks to the Three Sisters, the Corn, the Bean
and the Squash, who feed us. We give thanks to the Winds, who moves
the seasons in a circle. We give thanks to the Moon, who gives us
night light. We give thanks to the Stars, who give us light when the
moon sleeps at night. We give thanks to the Sun, who looks on the
earth with a beneficial eye. We give thanks to the Great Spirit who
sees our needs and shows us the way to Him.

Halloween is one of the oldest holidays with origins going back
thousands of years. The holy day we call halloween has had many
influences from many cultures over the centuries. From the Romans
Pomona Day to the Celtic Festival of Samhain, to the Christian All
Saints and All Souls days. Hundreds of years ago in what is now
Great Britian and Northern France, lived the Celts. They worshiped
Nature and had the many gods of their Way and they held the Sun as
the head god. He was commander of their work and their rest times.
He made the earth Beautiful and grew the crops. The Celts New Year
was November 1st and marked the end of the season of the sun and
warmth and the begining of the season of darkness and cold. On
October 31st after all the crops were harvested and stored for
winter, the cooking fires were extinguished. The Druids, the Celtic
Priests, would meet on a hilltop in the dark of the oak forest (the
oak was considered sacred). The Druids would light new fires and
offer a sacrificed of crops and animals. As they danced around the
fires, the season of the sun would pass and the season of darkness
would begin. When the morning arrived the Druids would give ambers
from their fires to the village and each family would take and start
their cook fires. These fires would keep the homes warm and free of
demons, and evil spirits. On November the 1st., the festival of
Samhain (pronounced sow-en) would be celebrated, lasting three days.
Many people would parade around in costumes made from the skins and
heads of their animals. This festival was to become the first
Halloween. During the First Century the Romans invaded Britain. They
brought with them their festivals and customs. One of these was
known as Pomona Days, named for their goddess of fruits and gardens.
It was also celebrated around the first of November and became mixed
with the Celtics holiday and became one great Fall HoliDay. The next
influence came with the spread of the New Christian religion
throughout Europe and Britain. In the year 835 ce the Roman Catholic
Church would make November 1st. a holiday for all saints, thus All
Saints Day or Hallowmas or All Hallows. Years later the Church would
make November 2nd a holy day. It was called All Souls Day and was to
honor the Dead. It was celebrated with big bonfires and people
dressed up as saints, angels and devils. But the spread of
Christianity did not make the people forget their earlier customs.
On October the 31st. the people continued to celebrate the feasts of
Samhain and Pomona Day. Over the years October 31st. became known as
All Hallows Even, changing to All Hallows eve, then on to Hallowe'en
and finally to Halloween. The Halloween we celebrate today includes
all these influences, Pomona Day's apples, nuts and the Harvest,
while the contribution of The Festival of Samhain's black cats,
majic, and evil spirits and death, plus the ghosts, goblins and
skulls from All Saints and All souls day's filled out the making of
Halloween.