How to use this book

I hope that this will be a book for your whole family to enjoy. While the bulk of the book is aimed directly at children, coloring pages, mazes etc are things they can do on their own; much of this book is intended for families and kids to participate in jointly. Most of the crafts and recipes are projects for several people, and the chapter introductions strive to give general background information on topics such as why we honor the earth, and what are the Sabbats. I tried to give this book a broad base, to include many different Pagan ideas and traditions, and to keep the theme generalized, so that readers from very different paths might still find something here. Since Pagan paths are so tremendously varied, this task at times was maddening. I eventually realized that I could really only do the best I can, drawing in large part on my own ideas and experiences. I encourage you take from this book whatever fits your family and your beliefs, discard the rest, or use it as a tool to explore the beliefs of others with your children. You may want to read the openings to each chapter together and discuss the information there. How do your beliefs and family traditions resemble or differ from what you have read? Use this book as a jumping off point for a dialogue within your family. I hope it serves you well. There are many crafts in this book that kids can do directly in the book, or cut out from the book and assemble. For these activities they will need limited supplies such as crayons, scissors, and glue. There are also other crafts and activities, which list supplies, and come with instructions. At the beginning of each craft I have offered a supply list. Generally substitutions can be made, I attempted to give suggestions where this is possible, but generally nothing is set in stone. If a dowel rod is listed as needed, a stick from the backyard will generally suffice, use your imagination and never let a lack of supplies keep you from trying a craft. I have also found it extremely helpful to stock a craft box to keep in a closet for a rainy day. I have provided a list of suggested supplies to try and keep on hand. This can be accumulated over time, and many of the supplies come from recycling, so get the kids involved in stocking the craft box. (This is also addressed in the Earth and Recycling Chapter) The recipes in this book are kept simple, very few of them involve any complex preparation and many of them use pre-made store bought ingredients or packaged mixes. This was intentional to allow children the opportunity to do as much as they work themselves as they can. Many health food stores have packaged mixes that are tasty alternatives to some of the more mainstream prepackaged goods. And of course if you prefer to make a cake from scratch or use your own gelatin recipe this is great, the recipes will work fine with these substitutions. Keep in mind age appropriateness and always be sure to assist the children when using the oven, stove, microwave or other potentially dangerous tool.

For Parents

Supplies

Many of the crafts in this book will benefit from being printed on heavier weight paper. Your local office supply store sells bundles of inexpensive card stock and heavy weight paper. This paper will work beautifully. Your purchase of this digital book grants you a household license for use of the materials herein. Permission is granted to your household to print out as many copies as you might need for your familys personal use. You may feel free to distribute a single printed sample (per household) to friends and family outside of your household for the purposes of allowing them to preview this material before purchasing their own household license. Please help us to keep the distribution of this e-book cost effective and legal. Encourage proper compliance with our license terms and please let us know if you find instances of infringement. Should you have a purpose that requires a broader license (such as a scout troop, or religious class etc) please contact me at [email protected] for a very reasonable group license. Thank you so much!

Printing

Terms of Use

How to use this book

This is a book full of magic and wonder, exploration and creation, crafts and activities, many questions and hopefully some answers. Many of the questions you will answer yourself, others you will answer with the help of your family and friends, and always you will have fun doing it! Being a Pagan means many things to many people. At times it can even be confusing. Part of the aim of this book is to help you and your family better determine what being Pagan, means to you. As you do the crafts and activities in this book, enjoy spending time and crafting with your loved ones. Talk about the chapters and the activities; see what things you agree on and which things you dont. Above all have fun, and learn from your family. The more you learn, the more you know, and the more you know the better able you are to determine your own beliefs and to appreciate the beliefs of others. You can read this book from front to back, or explore the chapters at your own pace. Any of the crafts and recipes can be adapted to work with other seasons. Just use your imagination. Keep a craft box in your home and fill it with all the supplies you might need on a rainy day. Some you will have to buy, others you can recycle. Look around your home and use your creativity to find new uses for ordinary things. Always keep safety in mind while doing these projects. Ask for an adults permission or assistance whenever working with tools such as scissors or a hole punch. And when a project requires use of a stove or oven, make sure you have an adult available to do this part of the project for you. While candles and fire can sometimes be a part of adult Pagan rituals it is not something for children to play with. Fire can be extremely dangerous and even deadly, always be sure you have an adult present to assist you if you wish to create a ritual with candles. There are plenty of candle-free alternatives in this book should you wish to do something creative on your own. Above all have fun and if you dont have a particular supply for a craft project see if you can substitute something else. You can of course recycle a lot of these items. Look around for other things you can recycle. One idea is instead of buying expensive decorative metallic paper. Slit open an empty potato chip bag so that it lies flat. Clean the inside with paper towels and glass cleaner. You now have metal foil paper! See what ideas you can come up with to recycle items for use in craft projects.

For Kids

Your craft box should contain:

scissors hole punch brass butterfly paper fasteners white craft glue glue stick fabric glue glitter glue double stick tape masking tape craft paints (acrylic or tempera) paint pens puffy paints glitter paints fabric paints

crayons colored pencils markers glitter stickers embellishments (charms, sequins, bells) ribbon string yarn shrink plastic felt fabric flour cornstarch

food coloring dried herbs stones sticks construction paper newspaper drawing paper tracing paper brown craft paper paper towel rolls toilet paper rolls wrapping paper rolls paper bags plastic and glass containers other recycled items

Fall/Winter - Samhain
Other Names: Third Harvest, Day of the Dead, Old Hallowmas, Shadowfest, All Hallows Eve, Martinmas, Witchs New Year, Halloween. Northern Hemisphere: October 31st November 1 Southern Hemisphere: April30 -May 1 Herbs: Mugwort, Allspice, Broom, Catnip, Oak leaves, Sage, Straw, Rosemary, sunflower, pumpkin seeds, pine needles, garlic Incense: cinnamon, sage, mint, nutmeg, rosemary Colors: black, orange, white, silver, gold, brown, rust Decorations: gourds, apples, cats, Jack-O-Lanterns, brooms, pumpkins. Foods: apples, nuts, cider, squash, corn, soup, pumpkin Gods: Herne, The Hunter, Anubis, The Sage Goddesses: The Crone, Hecate Spirit: Family, remembrance of the dead, introspection Samhain is sometimes celebrated as the Pagan New Year. It is considered a night when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is thinnest. This doesnt have to be a scary thing. In fact there are many Samhain traditions that are a lovely way of remembering those we love that have passed on. Some families set a dinner plate at the table for every loved one that has passed over. They set out pictures and photos albums of them and tell stories remembering the ones they miss. This holiday, much like Yule, is a great time for resolutions. Write down what you hope to accomplish in the new year and put it in a bowl on your Samhain altar. Afterwards keep the slip of paper in a safe place, check it often to remind yourself of your goals. Samhain is a wonderful Sabbat in its own right, but perhaps is even more popular because of its close association with Halloween. Many Pagans celebrate both holidays. Some have separate celebrations for each, dividing the serious topics from the lighthearted; others incorporate the two together for a fun and inspiring celebration. Whatever you choose I hope you have a fun and safe time. Enjoy yourself by decorating and making costumes but dont neglect to consider the more serious side of Samhain, and take a moment to remember those who have gone before. Even if you have not lost anyone close to you, we can all find brave and worthy people throughout history and in our local communities who deserve a moment of quiet remembrance in honor of their good works.

Samhain Altar
Wow! The Samhain altar is an altar bursting with texture and color. For this holiday you may want to drag out the full altar set up. If you have a cauldron display it proudly. Fill it with candy, or floating candles. Drape rich fabrics in gold and black across your table. Prints with stars and moons echo the dark decoration of the Samhain night sky. Witches on brooms are no stranger to Halloween decorations, but maybe you can draw a portrait of one you know personally and display them at your table. Set up framed pictures of loved ones, living and deceased. Pumpkins, and gourds make great decorations. Carve a pumpkin in a fabulous design and set them up indoors as well as out. Sprinkle flour around to give your table a dusty spooky look, and set your broom up in the corner.

Samhain Ritual Remembrance Dinner

If you have lost a loved one in your life, whether it be a friend, relative or pet, you may appreciate the quiet enjoyment of a remembrance dinner. There are a few ways to go about this, and your family should choose the tone that suits your personalities best. A common theme at a remembrance dinner or feast of the dead, is to set a place setting at the table for those people (or pets) you wish to honor. Some people prefer a solemn supper, with no speaking, just quiet reflection on those who have passed while they eat their meal. Other people prefer a boisterous occasion with festive spooky food and lots of conversation. There is not right or wrong, just do whatever suits your family.

Solemn Feast Fix favorite dishes of the deceased loved ones. Set a formal dinner table and put pictures

of those passed at their place settings. Dress in formal attire and arrive at the table at a set time. Eat in silence and quietly consider those you have lost. Afterwards share your thoughts with your family. Flip through photo albums and tell anecdotes.

Boisterous Feast Fix festive Halloween gag food, such as spaghetti with eyeballs (cut an olive in half and

insert it in a meatball). Spider shaped dinner rolls (fashion a body from refrigerated crescent dough, roll long legs and press to the body) and Ice Scream (ice cream with strawberry sauce and gummy bugs). Draw pictures of your loved ones who have passed, and make lists of funny things they did to share with everyone at the table. Watch funny videos, drink punch and cause a ruckus. No one leaves the table till someone falls off their chair from laughing too hard!

Samhain Recipe Pumpkin Bread

Make a delicious bread to share from one of the best treats of the season! 3 cups canned pumpkin 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 4 cups sugar 6 eggs 4 3/4 cups flour (all-purpose) 1 1/2 tsps baking powder 1 1/2 tsps baking soda 1 1/2 tsps salt 1 1/2 tsps cinnamon 2 regular size bread loaf pans or muffin tins with muffin cup liners. Have an adult preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease your bread loaf pans or spray them with oil spray. In a large bowl mix the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, and oil together. In another bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir this mixture into the pumpkin mixture bowl and stir everything well. Pour the batter into the two loaf pans being sure to divide it up evenly. Bake the loaves for about 45 minutes to an hour and have an adult check them to see when they are done. If you are making muffins you will bake them for only 30 minutes. You can add raisins, nuts, chocolate chips or white chocolate chips to your loaves if you like. Wrap your loaves in plastic wrap to store them.

Halloween Slime
Yucky slime to gross out your friends Tools and Supplies: 1 cup white craft glue cup water 1 tbsp craft paint, any color Borax Mix the glue, water and paint together with a plastic spoon. In a separate bowl mix together about 1/3 cup of water and tsp of borax. Pour the dissolved borax into the bowl with the glue mixture. Let the mixture set for a few minutes, then knead it with your hands. Pour out the water and store the slime in plastic baggies or containers.

Magic Potion
You can make this magic potion in your cauldron or a plastic container. Materials: Baking soda Vinegar Food coloring Rectangular cake pan Set your cauldron or container into the cake pan. In your cauldron dissolve 2 tbsp of water, 1 tbsp baking soda, and a few drops of food coloring. Be sure the baking soda is dissolved. In a small cup pour 2 tbsps of vinegar. Wave your hand over the cauldron and shout, Bubbleus Majorus! and in one swift flourish dump the entire contents of the cup into the cauldron. Your magic potion will bubble and froth and flow over the sides of the cauldron.

Magickal Besom
A besom is another word for a broom. Make your very own magickal broom. Use it for exploring your backyard, winning that big game of Quidditch, or tidying up the kitchen! Materials: 1 store bought household broom craft paints metallic paint pens craft glue Tools: sandpaper Embellishments: charms silk flowers beads glitter spray glitter ribbons stickers stamps

Sand the handle of your broom a bit to get the shine off of it. This will allow the paint to adhere better to the handle. Decorate the handle of your broom with paints, stickers, glitter and magickal symbols. Tie ribbon around the base of the broom. Add herbs or silk flowers if you wish. String beads and charms onto the ends of the ribbons. Use glitter spray to give the broom bristles a sparkle. Hop on and give it a twirl. Who knows, maybe you will be the player on your Quidditch team! :)

Polymer Clay Cauldron

Build a polymer clay cauldron to use for decoration during Samhain. When using polymer clay it is best to purchase an inexpensive toaster oven for baking the clay and use this little oven exclusively for craft projects. Polymer clay is non-toxic but the clay residue can build up in your kitchen oven and could be potentially unhealthy. Better to be safe then sorry. Materials: Toaster oven Black polymer clay pencil Pipe cleaners Roll a long snake of clay and coil it up onto itself to make a stacked spiral shape. Smooth the sides of the clay together to form a cauldron belly. Form legs and poke two holes with a pencil near the top edge of the cauldron to later attach a handle. Bake in the toaster oven according to the manufacturers directions. You can have an adult carefully drop the cauldron into a large bowl of ice water to cool it off quicker. Fashion a handle from pipe cleaners. Alternatively you can smooth a sheet of polymer clay about inch thick onto a small oven safe bowl. Poke the handle holes in the sides, and attach legs to the bottom of the cauldron. Bake it upside down supported by the bowl.