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Probably a holiday that originated with the ancient Celts, Halloween is celebrated with bonfires, disguises, and trick-or-treat. Here are some ideas, recipes, and crafts for that spookiest time of the year.
Soul Cakes for Halloween
Soul Cakes for Halloween
Soul cakes were part of All Souls’ Day observances in medieval Britain. The act of “souling” was a precursor to modern trick-or-treating.
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
¼ cup milk (plus more if needed)
½ tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg
½ cup currants, raisins and dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine wet and dry: Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in milk and fold in dried fruit. Shape the cakes: Roll dough to about ½ inch thick. Cut into rounds using a biscuit cutter. Mark with a cross. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.
Fall Memories
Fall Memories
Sometimes, our happiest memories surround those special traditions that our families enjoyed when the seasons changed. Fall was a favorite time of the year at our house, especially when we were children.
When autumn was finally here, there was often a chance for a lot of fun with our friends and family. It was the time for trick-or-treat and our home-made costumes. It was also the time of the year when it was nice to sit around the fire (real or imagined), drink hot cider with cinnamon, eat pumpkin cookies, and hear scary tales.
There were also a number of stories about autumn in the past. Our families had a lot of tales about when they were abroad in the night causing mischief. All the same, things seemed a lot gentler then, but maybe that is just the memory playing at trick or treat.
So, fall is a time to remember. Many of the people who made these days special have passed like the falling leaves, but the memories are still bright and comforting. Here’s hoping that the future is also warm and brightly colored. Happy Halloween everyone. Stay safe.
Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie
Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party is a late-career mystery that gives us the cozy charm of English village life with the chilling additions of murder and memory. Though maybe not one of her most celebrated works, this story offers a good puzzle and a haunting idea that lingers long after the last page has been read.
The story is set in the village of Woodleigh Common, where a fancy Hallowe’en party for local children turns surprisingly grim. Thirteen-year-old Joyce Reynolds, known for her tendency to embellish (if not out-right lie), boasts that she once witnessed a murder. Her claim is dismissed as another one of her fabrications—until she’s found dead, drowned in the apple-bobbing tub.
For fans of Christie’s work, especially those who appreciate Poirot, Hallowe’en Party offers a satisfying if rather somber mystery. It may not have the exotic flair of Death on the Nile, but it delivers a thoughtful meditation on memory, justice, and the shadows that sometimes linger from wicked deeds. It is a spooky, introspective Poirot mystery that rewards patient readers with a layered tale of buried secrets and surprising revelations.
No Crust Pumpkin Pie
No Crust Pumpkin Pie
This it the time of the year for some pumpkin pie. Unhappily, there is that crust full of fat and calories, and the extra trouble of making it. Fortunately, there is this recipe.
1 can pumpkin puree enough for one pie
1 cup almond milk (or milk you prefer)
1 egg (or substitute for one egg)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup flour of your choice
1 T. ground flax
1 T. molasses
1 T. maple syrup
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes. Check with a knife to see that it is done in the center. Allow to cool completely, and then put it in the fridge until it is completely cool and set.
Samhain Fire Festival
Samhain Fire Festival
Many think that Halloween originated with the ancient Celts, and this celebration was called Samhain. They probably considered Samhain as the most significant of the four quarterly fire festivals. It took place halfway between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. Samhain was the Celtic New Year’s Celebration. At this time, the fire in the family hearth was left to burn out while the harvest was gathered.
After the harvest work was complete, the people joined with Druid priests to light a new community fire using a wheel that would cause friction and spark flames. There was celebration, cattle (and maybe other things) were sacrificed, and participants took a flame from the communal bonfire back to their homes to relight the hearth. Some resources also talk about six days of drinking (typically mead or beer) and enjoying huge feasts.
If you want to celebrate the season in a more Celtic style, there are a number of things you can do. Instead of (or in addition to) the usual Halloween festivities, you can get into the spirit of the season in the following ways. Since this was a time when the spirits walk, you might think about those that have gone before and tell amusing stories about them. You can walk in nature, make some resolutions, or think about starting out with a clean slate.
Halloween Houses
Halloween Houses
You can make paper houses out of card stock for Halloween decorations. You might be surprised to find that there are a lot of paper building directions and cutouts already available on the internet, or you can put the houses together yourself.
First, find pictures of houses in magazines and on the web. You can also draw the house yourself if you want to. You will need a picture of the entire front of a house. You can use a photo of your own house for this; I did. Then you might want pictures of different sidings like brick, wood, or stone. Using your computer’s photo-editor you can “apply” the new siding to the picture of the house and invent the other three sides. You can also add accessories like more windows, Christmas décor, or different doors using the cut and paste feature of your photo app.
That is your basic house. This general plan can be modified in any number of different ways. And, as I said before, there are lots of these plans already done for you on the internet. When you set up your village, you can add a few trees from the discount store and some sparkle from the craft shop. A string of lights is nice too; just be careful they don’t get too hot. I don’t put them inside the houses, just lay they around for atmosphere. Also, you can get lights with batteries if you have no electrical outlet handy. And there you are a spooky Halloween Village
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