Halloween is a party. Samhain is artificial. All Soul's Day is Christian. Day of the Dead ?

Oct. 31 is the middle of Autumn. Just like May Day is the middle of Spring.

A day to celebrate the fullness of the season.

Darkness. Rest from the Summer of activity and harvest. Release from the stranglehold of heat and work.

What part of October is Oktoberfest? No, still no good.

This year the Summer Solstice was mirrored in my own self-discovery. A new focus on my own individuality and my own personal desires.

Summer Solstice should be an indoor celebration just like Winter Solstice. Except that, instead of huddling together against the cold, we celebrate our separateness and our individuality. More playful, even competitive?

Summer is for the individual. People murder in the Summer if they get too close. They commit suicide in the Winter if they don't get close. Halloween is the beginning of the cuddling time of year. Of softer light, gentler weather. Of the sensual thrill of a cool, fresh breeze.