Two Parcels Arrive and Samhain in Ireland

If you remember, I won two giveaways in the Fall to Fall Quilter's Giveaway. Both arrived at the same time. What a lovely surprise!
First of all I got this incredible Halloween pillow, and boy did it arrive at the right time...right before Halloween weekend. It may look like it is the size of a pincushion, but it is a small pillow size...How cute is that! It arrived all the way from the beautiful state of Montana. Thanks to Wendy from Why Knot Quilt for the cutest pillow ever!

Then Thearica from Pigtales and Quilts sent me a wonderful package. As you can see, I received two shelf sitters...so, so cute, a wonderful quilt book, a huge ball of yarn which I will use to make myself a scarf for the winter, lovely fabric, buttons, and thread. Thanks so much Thearica for such a lovely surprise! I was reading the book, and just loved so many of the patterns.

As to Halloween here in Ireland, all the festivities will occur this weekend. We call the holiday Samhain. In the ancient Celtic world of Ireland, Samhain was the end of the summer and the beginning of winter, a time of long and cold nights and for many a portent of death. As these two periods crossed over at Samhain, the dead supposedly returned to the mortal world, and so large communal fires were lit to ward off evil spirits. These festivals of fire would also include a Feile na Marbh, a festival of the dead. In parts of Ireland, it was believed that a puca, or mischievous sprite would cast spells on unsuspecting folk. Around Ireland, there are many celebrations. One of the biggest ones is held in the city of Derry, and it is called the Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival. In our capital city of Dublin, Samhain is done in a flamboyant style with a huge parade from Parnell Square along O'Connell Street and finishing in Temple Bar in a kind of carnival of all things ghostly and ghoulish. Here in Dunfanaghy, there will be a wee parade, magic shows, face painting, costumes, traditional music, scary storytelling, fireworks, and spooky Halloween games.

The Irish love to celebrate Samhain, and I know you will all enjoy yours too.