The celebration of Vitrablot is an interesting celebration as it observes both life and death. It comes at the end of our harvest season and at the end of our calender year. The “ljot dagr” (light days) are over as we enter the “dokk dagr” (dark days) of the new year. We prepare to face the cold nights of winter and have (hopefully) stored up reserves to last through the frozen months where the hunting will be more and more difficult.
Thus Vitrablot (also called Winternights), in observing all of these things, is the last real celebration for a long time in the Erulian traditions. With life leaving the land, and the dark days ahead, we see the stark dichotomy personified in the world around us of life and death. This is why this celebration is commonly a respectful observance (or worship in the case of the Erulian) of the goddess Halja.
In common day, Vitrablot is celebrated as All Hollows, or Halloween. The simple practices of handing out candy and dressing in costumes all come from much more ancient traditions: placing food out in respect of the dead should they come to visit, placing other treats to ward away the bad spirits as well, dressing like the dead to blend into the other wights so they do not notice you and take you away, etc.
Tonight is a night to observe the dead and the living together, the inexorable wheel that turns our life like a plough turning the soil that our bodies inevitably must fall into. This is not a matter for worry and sadness, this is a matter for celebration and a true reminder that life is a matter worth living for and that our joys must come even in the face of death.

TRADITION: Balder’s Arvel
All things begin in darkness, and so too does the new year. This is also the day in which the Erulians attribute to being the time in which Balder was slain by Loki (once again an example of the light leaving, and dark being present). One tradition we have created is Balder’s Arvel (Arvel meaning many things such as: remembrance, celebration, funeral, wake, etc.)
There are a few chief participants beyond the celebrants. Before the actual celebration the High Priestess and Priest for the event will take on the rolls of Lady Halja (goddess of the underworld) and Lord Hermod (the herald and messenger of the gods).
All those who come to the celebration are painted or in outfits that depict the land of the dead (thus we dress as heroes, ancestors, or even the darker spirits such as goblins, ghasts, or any Wight). The celebrants will act as the host of the dead in Erudinor (the halls of the dead).
To pick “Balder” we have an archery contest (sometimes its darts) and the one who wins ithe competition gets to wear a wooden arm band that has been blessed as the embodiment of “Draupnir” (Odin’s ring given to his son at death) and an arrow scepter. The winner of the archery contest will then be washed clean of any makeup or simply change out of costume and should have extra clothing to change into, clean and beautiful aka Feast Gear.
This is when the real Feast begins as those who are not of the land of the dead should not eat of the food laid out for the dead least they stay there in Erudinors Halls. As we must remember, Hel keeps what she has. This feast is our way of both morning Balders death in the lands of the living and welcoming him in celebration to the lands of the dead.
After the feast we light candles all around or light one large bonfire as a representation of Balders funeral pyre as we hold forth our own lights and warmth as Balders must now depart.
This is where the true ceremony begins. As Balder and Halja sit at the head of the table anointed as the Lord and Lady of the Dead, the Herald then announces the completion and Balders true ascension amongst the dead. Hermod steps forth as he has traveled nine nights to the land of the dead to retrieve Balder at the behest of Odin. Hermod carries with him a small necklace of a horse with eight legs representing Sliepnir.
He then beseeches Halja to give back Balder to the Gods and to the world of the living. Balder interjects and replies only with:

“Let Halja keep what she has.”

Heimdall is then given Draupnir to carry away from the table and thrown into the funeral pyre to give back to the Gods.
The celebration ends soon after with Balder reciting a poem to Hermod that promises his return and the renewal of the world:

“I know friend that the flowers in the middle Garth, that bloomed where ere I walked; Balder bright in the living lands hang lifeless on the stalk.
The folk I loved and who loved me, woeful weep in the lands of light; from the Aethling Aesir of Asgards hall, I am sundered by the night.
But I shall rise to walk again, and where I stand the flowers bloom, when baring wisdom whence I have been, and the world-wyrd finds its doom.”