Ilvermorny School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry

Holidays at Ilvermorny (willowwhisps)

Samhain/Halloween - October 31st

During the day, students are allowed to wear costumes if they so wish. Some head to Steward Square or Adams to go trick-or-treating after school. On Halloween night, students (most of them dress up in costumes) have a massive feast in the Great Hall, very similar to one in Hogwarts. It is festooned with candy-filled pumpkins, Halloween cookies, a black cauldron of big lollipops, carrot cake, bats, orange streamers, goblets of colored candy, possibly pumpkin juice, and all sorts of Halloween-related decorations. The Student Council and other students volunteer their time to decorate the school for Halloween. At the beginning of the feast, the choir sings. Ilvermorny ghosts do some formation flying and a troupe of dancing skeletons put on a show for everyone. Teachers tell scary stories. At the end of the feast, there is a costume contest and whoever wins will get a prize; usually special privileges or earning something. Halloween is one of the biggest and most popular holidays at Ilvermorny as it represents magic and is the day when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. Lessons are centered around Halloween and the professors usually do something to incorporate Halloween into their classes and wear costumes. Sometimes, students head out to the forest, light bonfires, and tell ghost stories. They also watch classic No-Maj horror movies. Thunderbirds have a traditional game of hide-and-seek out in the middle of the forest, in the dark. Halloween is also the time when Ilvermorny's infamous paranormal activity is at its peak. It's also a day when students like to pull pranks, never anything destructive, just tricks.

Samhain [ˈsouən] is, of course, the precursor to Halloween and it is the rituals of Halloween - Samhain that have been folded into our Halloween celebrations. Some students know the ancient Celtic roots of the candy-filled fun night, but many won't. On Halloween night, students gather in the middle of the forest for Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival celebrating the end of the harvest and preparations for winter. This is about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. There is also a giant bonfire and dancing. The ritual begins at midnight. Samhain is a time to honor the family's ancestors and those who have passed. These spirits were honored and invited into the family home while the harmful spirits were kept away. Students wear costumes and mask themselves as harmful spirits to avoid any harm. The Samhain celebration completely defines the role of Death in the cycle of life, and the importance of its lessons in our realities. We gather to honor our loved ones who have left this world. In the safety of the circle, let us feel their warmth and love once more. They may have left this world, but they have never left our hearts.