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Thank to some lovely billing muck-ups with my insurance company, on Halloween I was playing catch-up to chemo (I wore a knitted fish hat as a costume. Funfun 
). So, holy week started a day early, on the 30th.
A note- I start celebrations the night beforehand. Yet another reason to start on the 30th.
The Offerings-
The set of plates, bowls, and cup I made for ritual use. Once I get the specialized sets for specific spirts, this set will become solely for ancestor-use. The cutlery set came from Cost Plus World Market.
The candle is a longstanding offering. The black blob to the left is Baron's skull candle. The cup holds Crystal Skull vodka layered with cherry Torani syrup (for the dead). The plates and bowls are set up to prevent ninja ants from discovering the offering (chocolate-hazelnut hedgehog truffles), with a bowl to protect from flies. And my little hedgehog guards the offerings
The offering stood all throughout the week, to specific spirits, deities, and one extra for benevolent I-know-not-their-names. Baron got his own shot glass of Cross Keys rum and unspecified other (basically those not dead and not Baron) got honey whiskey in a brandy snifter.
Day 0 and 1-
The altar stayed the same for the 30th and the 31st- the day before the gates opened and the day the gates opened.
Everyone- all spirits, ancestors, deities, and incorporeal beasties- were invited for the Opening, even if they didn't get their own "day" later on. Basically a great big party with booze for all.
Pure atmosphereical shot.
Crossed bones and black candles open the way. White candles to honor the Dead. Plus a bunch of assorted Very Important doodads for Very Important people.
Day 2-
First of November. No pictures. This was a day for my close ancestors, the ones I knew and the ones that I’ve heard about ever since I can remember. It mostly involved a really old photo album and a weepy hedgehog girl.
Day 3-
Bon Samedi! The second of November!
Baron's doll with Baron's candle, new tapers, and some extra Baron tapers just for kicks.
Couldn't resist.
I bought this cute little skull and bone ice cube tray at a discount Halloween store. So, Baron got a skull cube in his rum. Pardon the fuzziness of the camera.
I went to work dressed in Baron colors, wearing skulls and bones around my neck and a death head grin on my face.
Day 4-
Third of November, a day for the land and the turning of the seasons. No pictures, minor altar changes.
Day 5-
Fourth of November. All my Dead and my Honored Ancestors got libations (and boy did we libate).
Day 6-
PAAAAARRRRTTTTTTAAAAAYYYYYYYY!
Finishing off the candle stubs. Everything dead gets invited back for one last shebang before I pass out for a while.
Day ?-
In a word? Cleanup. Finding suitable repositories for holy booze (sacred earth and graves of the beloved dead) and offertory candy (secreted in particular places around the agricultural fields around here suitable to who they were for).
****
And then? Then I slept for a LOOOOONG time.
So yeah, that was Hallow Week. With an unexpected loss; due to misguided care, I killed my Bird. I never even too a picture of her. I learned a very very sad lesson. Love can kill as easily as anything else. May I never have to learn it again. May I always remember so I do not cost another beloved their life.
Goodbye Bird. I love you. And I’m sorry. So, so sorry.
I like your specific-to-offerings china set. It’s a neat idea.
I also like all the fore thought you put into this. You have the candles, a week’s worth of events, a huge shrine to the dead… you’re giving me ideas for next years.
Also, I’m sorry about the loss of Bird.
Less forethought, more “Hmmm…. I have this and that and this and oh! well that works out pretty damn good over there, now doesn’t it?”. Plus a heaping helping of “I want this on my altar, kthnx. And two of the pretty colored candles. See? I even got them on sale for you. Now buy them.” On the 30th I was walking back and forth to the bedroom, picking up stuff and putting it down. Just plain fidgeting XD I like spacing out the whole thing so I have time to properly look after what (and who) needs looking after.
So am I. She’s buried out with the rest of the beloved, right next to Tomcat. I still feel like a goddamn murderer.
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