“15 Memorable Ways To Host a Samhain Dumb Supper

As Samhain approaches, the veil between the living and the dead is thin. Hosting a dumb supper is a great way to honor the spirit of your ancestors as they travel across the veil for this once a year visit. As a pagan family, Samhain dumb supper traditions can be something you honor every October. 

To incorporate Samhain dumb supper traditions into your family life, these are 15 kid and adult friendly ideas you can use. From activities to foods and decorations, you can make this Samhain something meaningful that your family will look forward to all year. 

What Is A Dumb Supper?

A dumb supper is a sacred, silent gathering that is dedicated to the dead. Lost loved ones, especially those who passed in recent years, and even ancestors from centuries past. It’s a time to come together as a family and reflect, connect, and remember.

Although this is a solemn celebration, a way to honor the dead and keep Samhain dumb supper traditions alive, you can absolutely liven things up. You can add Halloween and the day of the dead elements into your Samhain dumb supper traditions and include engaging activities, symbolic decor, and seasonal foods. 

 As long as the dead remain the focus of your celebration, you can still capture the meaning of this spiritual time. And don’t forget to keep the season of fall in your mind when choosing decorations. You can check out my article on Autumn Livingr here.

Preparing The Space For Your Samhain Dumb Supper Traditions. 

In the days and weeks leading up to the event, you can prepare ahead of time by crafting DIY decorations that center on the symbolism of your Samhain dumb supper traditions. Before guests arrive, set out everything you’ve gathered to decorate the table for the occasion.  

Create an Altar For Samhain Dumb Supper Traditions

Near the table, create an altar. Decorate it with fall leaves, skulls, photos of ancestors, and black candles. Set out items and mementos that represent your lost loved ones. Encourage kids to collect acorns, leaves, and stones to decorate the altar. 

If you are inviting guests to your Samhain dumb supper traditional gathering, encourage them to bring photos and mementos of their own ancestors to add to the altar. 

Check out my blog about Samhain Symbolism for ideas for decorating this altar. 

Make sure to include music that honors your loved ones. Something that sets the solemn tone of the gathering.

Decorate the table

Pomegranates, pumpkins, and apples are all appropriate table pieces for a traditional Samhain dumb supper. Skulls, fall leaves, crows, and black candles are also appropriate. Set them out on a black tablecloth or table runner. 

Have kids decorate and carve jack-o’-lanterns and then use them as centerpieces for the table. Check out this article for DIY Halloween decor that you can incorporate. 

If you have black plates and dishes, you can add them to the table settings, but there’s no need to run out to the store and spend money if you have nothing like that. Paper plates will be fine. 

Create a silent reflection area

In addition to the altar and the table, set aside a place where guest can solemnly reflect on their ancestors and lost loved ones. Decorate the area with soft pillows, candles, and meditation music. Instruct guests and participants to gather here together before and after the celebration for a silent moment of reflection.

Selecting Food For Your Samhain Dumb Supper Traditional Meal

Besides the altar and the table, set aside a place where guest can solemnly reflect on their ancestors and lost loved ones. Decorate the area with soft pillows, candles, and meditation music. Instruct guests and participants to gather here together before and after the celebration for a silent moment of reflection.

Traditional Samhain Dumb Supper Foods

Some foods that are appropriate include roasted root vegetables like turnips, carrots, and parsnips. Soups, stews, and roasts are also prominent. Include squash, pumpkins, and plenty of apple based desserts. 

One pastry that should be considered a Samhain dumb supper tradition are soul cakes. The ancient people used soul cakes as offerings for the dead. Check out this recipe for them and don’t forget to include the kids in baking them. 

Sugar skulls and other skull shaped treats are also appropriate to honor the Day of the Dead. 

Keep a table setting for the dead

When setting the table, make a place setting for the dead. Either at the head of the table, as a place of honor, or on your altar. This is a way of making the dead the center of this Samhain dumb supper tradition. 

When serving your guests, make sure you don’t forget the dead.  

Make some Fall drinks

Involve the kids in making some warm apple cider, hot cocoa, or other drink. Check out some non-alcoholic ideas here. 

I would discourage alcohol other than beer and wine. This tradition is solemn and getting drunk would be disrespectful to the dead. It’s also not appropriate for children. 

Activities for Adults and Kids Before the Supper begins

You’ve decorated for the event. You’ve set the table and set the mood. Your guests have arrived. These activities are what you and your guests can do together before you sit down at the table. 

Memory Jars for Lost Loved Ones

Have each guest write a few memories or things they know about a particular loved one that they’ve lost. Encourage them to share what they wrote, taking turns around the table. Allow them to pass if they aren’t comfortable. When you’re done, put the jar on the altar as an offering. 

Silent Nature Walk to Gather Offerings

Take a nature walk nearby to gather leaves, acorns, and other natural offerings. You could turn it into a scavenger hunt for kids. Then bring your offerings inside and put them on the altar. 

Create Ancestor dolls or masks

Guests can put their creativity to use by making ancestor dolls. Set out paper, felt, fabric, sewing supplies, and other tools to allow guests to make ancestor dolls to honor the dead. Make a contest out of it and have guests vote for their favorite doll.  

At Dinner

After the pre-dinner activities, it’s time to sit down to dinner. Here’s what you and your guests can do at the dinner table to celebrate Samhain dumb supper traditions. 

Light a Candle

Instruct each guest to light a candle to honor their ancestors and place these candles around the table. You can use LED candles if there are small children around. 

Eat silently

Once dinner is served, maintain a moment of silence. An idea would be to put the food dishes in a separate area and allow guests to self-serve, then wait till they are all seated and ready to eat. 

Make it a contest for kids, who can go the longest without speaking. Allow everyone to reflect in silence. 

After some time has passed, go around the table and ask everyone to share a story about their ancestors. Let kids share art work they’ve made that honors their ancestors. If you have done some genealogy work, share what you’ve learned about your distant ancestors. 

Sing and Play Music

Call the dead to your table with drums and percussion instruments made of natural materials that kids have crafted. Find some sing along songs that everyone can share at the table.

After the Dinner

After supper, it’s time for more festivities. This can be the more lively part of the ritual. 

Halloween Costume Party

Before the Samhain dumb supper tradition starts, encourage everyone to dress up for Halloween. Then, after supper, have a costume contest for everyone who dresses up. 

Trick Or Treating

After the dinner, take the kids out around the neighborhood for trick or treating. One piece of advice is to have the supper and the more solemn activities earlier in the day so that you aren’t disturbed by trick or treaters. Then, after dinner, when it’s gotten dark, you can hand out candy yourself or go out trick or treating. 

Visit a Graveyard

After dinner, have a silent procession to your local graveyard. Bring offerings such as food, candy, treats, and natural materials, as well as candles and torches. Celebrate this Samhain Dumb Supper Tradition with the dead. 

Conclusion

As a spiritual pagan family, Samhain dumb supper traditions are important. They are a beautiful way to remember those who came before us will instill a sense of respect in your children. Recognizing your ancestors and the lives they led keeps their memory alive. 

How will you celebrate Samhain dumb supper traditions? Do you have any other activity ideas that you’d include in the supper? What are some foods you’d include? Let me know!

And check out my blogs on Samhain Symbolism, and Autumn Home.