[Berserker]

The true nature of All Hallow's Eve originally known as Samhain (pronounced Sow-en) has a focus on the dinner portion. Apparently, they would light candels in their windows to attract their dead loved ones and when cooking a grand meal, they would leave an empty seat with a full plate of food for their ghostly loved ones to join in and hang with the living.
Afterwards, they would walk deep into the forest and empty the plate as an offering.

I typically make a nice meal (cornedbeef, steak, lamb, etc) and while we all dine and drink (this is all around 4:30pm so we dont't miss scaring people ) I do not leave an empty chair however do make up a small dish for any ghostly relatives visiting.
Anyone else as crazy as I am?

 

[Skeletoncrew]

I love your tradition!

Honestly, we are so busy trying to set up last minute stuff, get the fog machines working right, tweeting signing pumpkins .. It's a fend for yourself type of affair, usually involving gorging on too much candy. Everyone's pretty healthy eaters for the rest of the year, so I guess it's ok.

 

[Madame Leota]

I don't think it's crazy at all! I would love to host a Samhain night dinner just as you described, empty chair and all. But as skeletoncrew said, there's usually too much last minute busy work going on. And it would be a pretty long walk to any available wooded area. Love the thought though!

 

[Scatterbrains]

No time to eat on the 31st....and no..not crazy.

 

[Hilda]

That is a grand tradition.
We used to have dinner at my parent's house before the festivities began. However, since they have passed, we usually just slam down a pizza before it gets crazy.
You know, I would love to do what you do. Then I could set two plates for my parents. They would love that.
Thank you for sharing your story.
Happy Halloween!

 

[moony_1]

I love the idea of a proper dinner. Usually I do something like a pasta dish to fill my boys up before they head out. I've always had the rule of waiting until it is dark for trick or treating but it is getting harder to do because kids start so early now that by the time it is dark most houses have closed up shop!
Maybe we will do a proper dinner the night before this years Halloween.

 

[Pbeck]

In the past I have done a tradition Samhain dinner, though it may not be a fancy (food wise). This has always gone hand in hand with a Samhain ritual thought is may not always be day of, as this is a larger group of people and we try to do it on a weekend so as many as possible can attend.

The last couple of years daily life has gotten in the way and I ended up doing a much smaller "event". Usually just me looking silly to any one who can see, leaving food and talking to "nothing".

I hope this year I will be able to get back into the swing of things more. I wont be attending the larger gathering of friends, but will do something with just my family. Dinner, candle on the empty chair with a picture sort of thing.

 

[Milky]

I don't think it's crazy at all! I would love to host a Samhain night dinner just as you described, empty chair and all. But as skeletoncrew said, there's usually too much last minute busy work going on. And it would be a pretty long walk to any available wooded area. Love the thought though!

I also think so. It's so respectful for your forefathers.

 

[jdubbya]

Pizza and wings (delivered) for us and our 12 helpers. We eat at 4:30, which gives us an hour to get costumes and go through things one last time. Your idea sounds grand, but we simply have no time on the 31st for any added preparations.

 

[DexterSinister]

Your tradition sounds nice. Our dinner usually consists of delivered pizza for the family and anyone helping to set up and run things. Too busy to cook and have a sit down.

 

[oaklawn Crematory]

Pizza here too.....

 

[Berserker]

Wow...pizza for everyone LOL. I sacrifice a vacation day for Halloween (and if it during the week, will sacrifice 2 ) so my typically schedule goes;
- up early to hit the gym (7-8:30)
- eat a digustingly good breakfast
- begin set up immediately after (9-2)
- Take a wee break in the middle of set up to begin cooking (around 12:30)
- Serve dinner at 4-4:30
- Done and outside by 5:30
This year, being on a friday, I might just eat earlier like 3:30 be done by 4:30 then a final walk through/set up completion.

 

[Hilda]

I had no idea...
So it is Turkey for Thanksgiving, Ham for Easter and Pizza for Halloween?!?! hahaha

 

[roach]

Wow what a nice idea for dinner ! For us it's always a big rush I finish work around 3:30 go pick up the kids and grab something on the way pizza or anything else that they might want then we get home eat fast so we are ready around 5:30 and my wife go with the kids around the neibourhood while I stay home to scare the little ones !

 

[PMTT]

Pizza's a great idea! I try to leave early from work but it always seems like we are scrambling to leave the house for TorT

 

[Tyrant]

We're overall healthy eaters in my household so we've always treated ourselves to the worst things we can possibly eat for dinner on Halloween. This usually means Long John Silvers or some kind of greasy fried chicken from somewhere. One year we were all dressed as pirates and I think the employees at Long John Silvers thought we'd done it on purpose or something as they gave one of our entrees to us for free.

I echo the other sentiments here in that I wish we had time for a nice, sit-down dinner. There just isn't enough time.

 

[oaklawn Crematory]

My friend owns a pizza joint.....I'm told Halloween is their busiest day of the year.

 

[Madame Leota]

From the time my kids were old enough to take trick or treating, we would have a dinner of Halloween foods like spaghetti with "eyeballs", mummy dogs, or whatever we saw in the Halloween magazines that year. It was a lot of fun and helped stave off the sugar crash that would soon follow. We continued the tradition up through last year. The "kids" are 27 and 23 now and for the first time EVER, neither will be at our house for Halloween. Yeah, I'm a little sad about it but the idea of my husband just picking up pizza on the way home from work is pretty appealing! Much easier to do while I finish getting everything ready.

 

[CrypticCuriosity]

Not crazy at all. I usually light a candle and leave it in my window all night. I also usually cook on that night, but I can't get very grand with it because I'm usually so busy doing other things, so I stick to things that are quick and easy like finger foods. Maybe I'll make a small plate this year?

Although to put a spin on the pizza consensus, and maybe give an idea to others, a couple years ago I made pizza ghosts. Super simple, just cut out some pre-made pizza dough with a ghost cookie cutter and used olives for eyes/mouth. It was a big hit with my nieces.

 

[just_Tim]

sounds very cool ! for me that day I have to admit every year its Pizza lol. I am busy that day and ordering pizza works good