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 Wiccan Celebrations and Holidays   Imbolc is a fire festival celebrating both the Goddess of fertility and the Horned God. At this time of the year, Witches, Wiccans and Neo-Pagans celebrate change (which equates to growth) and bid farewell to that which is no longer needed. Candlemas Sabbat rituals often include the sweeping of the circle with a besom to symbolize the "sweeping away of the old" in order to make room for the new and that which is yet to be born. Imbolc is one of the traditional times for initiations into covens, and so self-dedication rituals can be performed or renewed at this time also. This is the feast of the waxing light, as the Sun God growns and strengthens. It's called Candlemas (and corresponds with our modern Groundhog Day) because the ancients traditionally lit candles just after sunset throughout their homes, to welcome the Son of the Goddess. It is a time of inspiration to prepare for spring. Imbolc also means first milk, and was named as such to celebrate the return of milk to the homes of those who kept animals. Have a cup of warm milk or a glass of spring water during the evening, light white candles and invite the Earth Mother to wake gradually and peacefully from her slumber. The colors are white, or green and white, or blue. A dish of snow, evergreens; candles... is appropriate. April 30 - BELTANE (May Day): Beltane is derived from an ancient Druid fire festival celebrating the "Sacred Marriage". It is a Beltane tradition among many modern Witches to gather morning dew from grass and wildflowers to be used in good-luck potions and spells. Other Beltane customs are the practice of various methods of divination ... Beltane marks the return of vitality, of passion and hopes consummated. The return of full-blown fertility. Just as the passions of the Earth Mother are obvious now, so too are our own. Traditionally, this was the time of year when the ancients danced and wove ribbons around the May pole, made love in the cornfields, and leaped the bonfires. Do homage to the Earth at this time by sipping a cup of wine or spreading out a blanket and enjoying a picnic beneath a special tree with a lover. Creating a May bowl is another way to connect with the season. Fill a bowl with fruits and wine, and float white flowers and green leaves on top. Rejoice in the warmth of spring at her fullest. The color is white. Fresh flowers; cauldron filled with flowers; mirrors ... these are appropriate at this time. August 1 - LUGHNASADH (Lammas): Lammas was originally celebrated to pay homage to Lugh. In other pre-Christian cultures, it was commemorated as a festival of bread and as a day to honor the sacrificial death of the fertility god. Lugh - the "Bountiful Giver of Harvest" was a handsome, shapeshifting tribal deity who possessed a massive spear and a sling which were both endowed with the most invincible of magickal powers. Lammas is the time of the first harvest and thanksgiving. This was a time of both joy and sadness, for although the light was waning and the growing season was winding down, the cupboards were full of the products of their hard labor. ... corn breads in the shape of the god of grain were baked in honor of his sacrifice. Celebrate this time of first harvest by baking corn bread, visiting wineries, and sprouting seeds to symbolize the resurrection of the Corn King. Decorate with sheaves of wheat and grain, and spend the warmest of evenings on a porch swing. The colors are red and orange. Corn dollies; special loaves of bread; grain... October 31 - SAMHAIN (Halloween): Samhain is the most important of the eight annual Sabbats. it is the ancient Druids New Year, a time when spirits of deceased loved ones and friends are honored. It's said that the "veil" is the thinnest on this night, making it easier for the two to communicate. It is NOT a time of evil. Scrying crystal balls and rune casting are Samhain traditions. Scrying in smoke, candle flame or fire; calling the departed ones; leaving food outside after ritual for the dead are also practiced now. Samhain is a time of reflection, of looking back over the last year, of coming to terms with the one phenomenon of life over which we have no control -- death. As autumn peaks and the Earth Mother draws in her resources to prepare for the coming cold of winter, we think fondly of those living creatures, both animal and human, who have left us over the year. In many ways, the harvest is over, and it's time to accept what's gone. Samhain was a time to celebrate those passages. One of the most charming traditions involves burying an apple at the foot of your favorite tree at midnight as food for the dead on their journey to the Underworld, and leaving a candle lit in the window to guide them along their way. This is also a time of recognition, and as such, it is throught that if you look into a mirror by candlelight at midnight, you'll see the face of your true love. The veil between the worlds is at its thinnest now, so it's a wonderful time to use your predictive tools (tarot cards, pendulums, runes, crystal balls, etc.) to see the future. Celebrate the season by filling a clay pot with autumn flowers. Drink warm cider, and gather in foodstuffs for the winter. The colors are red or black. Pomegranates, pumpkins, apples ... OSTARA - Spring Equinox Ostara or Rite of Eostre, celebrates the rebirth of spring and the reawakening of Mother Nature's green magick. Apart from being a fertility ritual, it's a special time for celebrating balance, it's also the traditional time for seeds to be blessed and for brooms and staffs to be crafted (or bought), consecrated, and then given a magickal name. Ostara marks the first day of true spring. This is a time of beginnings, of action, of planting spells for future gains, and of tending ritual gardens. A fire is lit in the circle with appropriate words during the rite itself -- not before. This is one of the seasons that reminds us that we're mammals like our animal brothers and sisters. In ancient times, this day when light and darkness were equal was called Eostre or Ostara. This season of rebirth was the predecessor of the Christian holy day Easter, which children now celebrate by decorating eggs. Back then, these eggs were eaten to promote prosperity and fertility. Celebrate spring by venturing out for a walk and saying good morning to the earth as she awakens from her long winter nap. Decorate your home with fresh spring flowers, and shake off the winter blues. Daylight is overtaking darkness, and life is returning. The color is white. A potted plant; cauldron of bonfire is appropriate. MIDSUMMER/Litha/Summer Solstice Midsummer marks the longest day of the year and is the traditional time when Witches harvest magickal herbs for spells and potions, for it's believed that the innate power of herbs is strongest on this day. Midsummer, or Litha, arrives when the powers of nature reach their highest point. this is the classic time for magick of all kinds. Great, magickal power. The ancients celebrated Midsummer because the fruits (literally) of the hard work were now obvious in their gardens and fields. They also considered this the most potent time of year to work magick of any kind, and the best month to be married. Decorate your home with roses and other summer flowers. Gather herbs and look for feathers on the ground to weave into magickal charms and talismans. The Earth Mother welcomes us outdoors to share her wonders in warmth and comfort. Celebrate summer by walking barefoot whenever you can. (I love going barefoot, don't you?) The color is white. Use Mugwort, mirrors to capture the sun (or the flames of the fire.) MABON - Autumn Equinox This is a time for thanksgiving, meditation, and introspection. On this day many Witches rededicate themselves to the Craft. The name "Mabon" is used primarily by followers of the Celtic Wiccan traditions and Druidic Neo-Paganism. Mabon is the completion of the harvest begun at Lughnasadh. Nature declines, draws back its bounty, readying for winter and its time of rest. Second harvest and mysteries. The ancients thought of this month's Full Moon as the Wine Moon (now our Harvest Moon), and they celebrated accordingly. The second harvest was taken in, and it was time to take stock of how well they had prepared for the coming winter. Celebrate this time of balance and preparation by taking stock of yourself. What can you harvest now? Which of your labors has yielded fruit? What's unfinished that must still be done? Gather seeds of knowledge by taking classes. Hang Indian corn on your door, decorate with gourds, pumpkins, and cornstalks, and gather dried plants and roots for medicines. The colors are red and brown. Use pine cones, acorns, wheat, and dried leaves. YULE - Winter Solstice Yule has long been viewed as a time of divine births. This marks the point of the year when the Sun is reborn, the Sun God symbolically begins his journey back to the light. It's celebrated to hurry the end of winter and the bounty of spring, when food was once again readily available. It's a reminder that the ultimate product of death is rebirth. Fires are lit with cauldrons; candles may be carried around the circle; trees or potted evergreens may be honored as symbols of continuing fertility of the earth. It's a time of silence and rest for all of us -- another season when we realize how much like the animals we really are. We turn in earlier and seem to have less energy during the dark evenings as the Earth Mother rests, gathering her strength for the coming spring. Celebrate this season by decorating with mistletoe, holly, and evergreen boughs. If you celebrate Christmas, buy a "living tree" or Norfolk Island Pine to keep the spirit of the season alive all year in your tree, rather than destroying one needlessly (which is why I bought a fake tree. I didn't like tossing out something that should be alive and beautiful.) Burn wood from a felled oak tree in your fireplace -- the roots, if you can find them. Decorate a yule log (also of oak) with greens and a red bow or ribbon -- a symbol of the Sun God who is symbolically born at this time. Kiss someone you love under the mistletoe (an old Druidic custom). The colors are red and green. A wheel symbol (which can easily be made from a wreath); evergreens, yule log, small tree (potted) are all things you can use now. This is an appropriate time to call upon the wisdom of the elders to help you come to greater understandings. This is the night when GrandMother Moon is at the peak of Her power. No matter how technoligically advanced we become, we're still guests on this planet -- and the least we can do to thank the Earth for her hospitality is to honor her on each of her eight seasons!
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