October new year..

October has just begun but we are already looking toward Halloween, as my son anxiously gets his costume bits together. Its not such a big deal here, but one of the things I do like is the connection to pagan Britain, with things like lantern festivals around this time of year.

Autumn has always been my favourite time of year, the one I have found most exciting. Spring is certainly exciting with everything being new, but autumn, or fall (as I've known it all my life), has always felt new and full of change to me. I realise now that this is probably harking back to Celtic/pagan times when this was in fact the end of the year, beginning of the new year. October 31st Samhain (pronounced sow-in) was the old 'new years eve', and with that brings excitement of a new year beginning. My husband recently said he didn't look forward to autumn as such because he knows winter is around the corner. I like winter though as well. I like the snow (provided I don't have to drive in it) and the general peaceful slower feeling about winter.

When we lived more in time with the seasons, winter would have been a time for rest, which is probably why, somewhere in my genes it still feels that way to me. So until the end of the month we will be planning costumes, and preparing, and hopefully attending a night-time lantern walk this year instead of trick or treating, which doesn't happen en masse here and feels a bit deflating.. and we can't have all that candy sitting around for weeks begging to be eaten...