Witching It Up: Feeding the Dead

The practice of Feeding the Dead dates back many millennia. It’s well-known that the Egyptians placed the favorite food and drink of the deceased into their tombs for consumption in the afterlife. The Chinese observe this tradition every April during their Tomb-Sweeping Festival. According to Burt Wolf, “Often a complete meal will be placed on a tray and presented to the ancestor…One of the many nice things about spirit ancestors and gods is that they don’t actually eat the food. They only take in the aroma…they like you to take the food home & eat the rest yourself. The spirits consider your eating of their leftovers an additional tribute to their memory.” The ancient Celts would leave feasts in the tombs of their chieftains—even providing for guests! Some theorize that the traditional funeral repast is a remnant of distributing foods which had been offered to the dead after the deceased were finished with it. 

The Feast of the Dead, or Dumb Supper (sometimes called a Silent Supper) is one of the more obscure traditions of Samhain/Halloween. This differs from other festivals in that it can be done in the privacy of your home. Imagine your family (mom, dad, sisters, brothers, etc.) all sitting down at the same table. You’re setting an extra spot for those departed whom you wish to remember, and serving them a meal as if they still were showing up for supper. 

My cousin, who was in a coven, cautions that one must be careful about what to put out and how to invite spirits in order to ensure that only the right ones arrive for supper. He notes that the veil between us is very thin at this time and anything could cross. In Salem, MA, the Dumb Supper is held every year as part of the Festival of the Dead. According to their website, “In keeping with tradition, the courses of The Dumb Supper are served backwards and the placement of everything down to the silverware is reversed as a means of weaving participants into the shadowy world of spirit.” 

Which foods should be used? That depends on several factors: your tradition, the tastes (and ages) of the departed, and how elaborate you wish to be. An offering can be as simple as setting out cakes & wine beside the fireplace. (In Mexico, an altar is constructed just for this purpose.) Burt Wolf says, “Traditionally, the [offering] tray contains foods that were favorites of the dear departed.” According to Z Budapest, “All kinds of food with red coloring are used, because that’s the food that belongs to the dead.” Pet foods are also appropriate to honor our departed familiars. Food might not be the only offering—tobacco was included in Ireland. Other objects such as favorite flowers would probably be appreciated by the spirits.

The Dumb Supper has one significant difference from the Chinese tradition of Feeding the Dead: we pagans don’t eat the leftovers. Remains which aren’t eaten should be left outside the back door for the Puca, a creature from Celtic folklore which is prevalent in some form throughout most of Europe. Any food left in the field after harvest is considered “fairy-blasted” and suitable only for the Puca. 

I used to put out beer and chocolate chip cookies for the departed humans at my annual Dumb Supper, but that’s been taken over by others now. These days I serve up dog food in the original bowls of the deceased dogs and toss the remains into the woods afterward. It makes for a nice walk through the forest under the moon at midnight, while remembering. 

Have a blessed Samhain everyone!

References for further reading:

“Feeding the Dead,” Anne Lafferty on Earthspirit: http://www.earthspirit.com/feeding-the-dead

Festival of the Dead website: https://www.festivalofthedead.com/dumbsupper.html

Burt Wolf, Gatherings & Celebrations

Stuart Piggott, The Druids