Reading on Halloween

Vanny

A friend of mine is throwing a party on Halloween. She asked if I could bring my Tarot cards and do readings.

I still haven't decided if I want to do this. I have never read at a party before, much less on Halloween. And I have been reading for about 4 years! I cant believe I never thought of taking my tarot cards out and reading on Halloween before. Anyway, I'm not sure if I can do readings in front of too many people. I'm sure it would be possible to sit in a separate quieter room with the querent.

I'm sure some of you have done tarot readings on Halloween before and I was wondering if you could share some of your experiences. Does the quality of your readings change? Either positively or negatively? Has anything strange happened? Have people been afraid of actually getting a reading done on Halloween?

I would really appreciate anything anyone wants to share. Thanks.
 

Glitterbird

This could be a great oppourtunity for you to give public reading a try. Remember party atmospheres are a good time. Fun quick readings, people get a kick out of. But if your not used to reading in noise - practice, practice, practice before hand.
And if you give off the attitutude that you know what you are doing, people will not doubt it. (Fake it till you make it):D

Good luck!
 

53rdspirit

What a great opportunity, Vanny!

If I had a choice, and this is just my opinion...I would choose a quiet place in the house that could be a little darkened down and more quiet, especially for Halloween readings given what Halloween, spiritually, is all about. I would like dim lighting and/or candle(s) and one-on-one with the client. The "quiet" atmosphere, in my opinion, would add to the mystery, peace and calm associated with the spiritual side of Halloween. When you need to take a break, you can always shut the door/pull the curtain, or whatever. I think that being in the midst of festivities, would be distracting and oftentimes people don't care to have their "business" known by everyone else at the party --at least this is what I have learned from my experiences.
 

VGimlet

I have done this every Halloween for the last three years. I trade off between our neice (DH's neice) and my sister, who both have parties.

It is a BLAST. Just be prepared, because everyone wants to be read. Make sure to take breaks, and bring icewater.

added: I actually read outside at my nieces (covered porch, very warm house) and in a back room at my sisters, so if people wanted privacy they could have it, but if they wanted friends with them that was an option too.
 

nisaba

<grin> It's the Spring fertility-festival of Beltaine here, not Halloween (or Samhain), so it won't be an issue for another six months or so for us. However, I read (or don't read) on all of the Festivals regardless, treating them as just another day unless the querent specifically asks for a mystical reading based on the festival (which few are informed-enough to ask). The readings work.

Then I go off separately, and do my festival-stuff. It works, too. <grin>
 

Morwenna

Rats. I don't know who might be holding a party this year; the family from church whose Halloween party I always wanted to read at but never got the nerve moved away. Time to find a venue...
 

Grizabella

Actually, it's probably the easiest time to read because there are so many people who just think it's a kick in the pants if they've never had a reading before. They just think it's part of the Halloween fun, you know? They'll get a reading that night when they might not be so likely to on a normal night.

And then there are those who know what reading is all about, but they probably want to book you for a longer reading for later on when it's not quite so busy, so you get the chance to give out your business cards to either group. Either way, it's a good way to get experience, get over stage fright, and drum up some business if you're wanting to do it for a side job. Or even as a try at building up a clientele for a bigger business. It's a good way to get your start. You know it's all in good fun and there's not so much pressure right then to get it "right". Like Glitterbird said----fake it till you make it. And later on, you might even hear back from somebody "Wow, remember that reading you gave me on Halloween? Boy, was it ever right on!" (If you're like a lot of us, though, you won't remember the reading, but you might remember the face.)
 

Chiriku

Grizabella said:
Actually, it's probably the easiest time to read because there are so many people who just think it's a kick in the pants if they've never had a reading before. They just think it's part of the Halloween fun, you know? They'll get a reading that night when they might not be so likely to on a normal night.

This has been exactly my experience.

Because of this, my favorite public reading experiences were on Halloween.

People who otherwise would laugh or roll their eyes at tarotists were suddenly game to try a reading and sit quietly, without sauce or sass.

I always requested and was given a small room or alcove adjacent to the main party room, and I always left it a bit dim and lit only by candles.

In everyday life, when I would read for acquaintances or strangers referred to me, I would do it in full light because my readings were more in-depth and required the querent to really get a look at each cards.

But on Halloween, with the spooky parties going on in the next room, ambience is everything.

P.S. I did not receive money for my readings, so I don't know if my experience is applicable to people who charge.
 

Grizabella

One of the reasons some people get a reading on Halloween and not another time is because, for some reason, they're not so afraid of it. It's more like going to a "haunted house" than something evil to them, I think. Kind of one of the happy scaries than evil no-no scaries you might go to hell for, you know?
 

Vanny

Thank you guys so much for your thoughts and input.

I think I might give it a shot and definitely ask my friend to set aside a section of the house or separate room to do the readings. I think it would be a good opportunity to network and develop a clientele.