The Wheel of the Year
Winter Solstice
END OF DECEMBER
This is the shortest day of the year. From now on, the days will get longer as we approach spring and then summer. Also known as Yule or Yuletide.
Imbolc
1ST/2ND FEB
This day is in honor of Brigid, the goddess of fertility. It is also a time of worship to the sun god. Also known as Candlemas or Groundhog Day.
Spring Equinox
END OF MARCH
This is definitely a holiday to celebrate fertility, as the days get lighter and flowers start to bloom. Also known as Ostara, who is the Germanic goddess of spring and dawn. The hare is associated with this holiday (this is where the Easter bunny has derived from) and this hare is intrinsically linked to the moon and all lundar goddesses, such as Hecatem Freya, Diana, and of course Ostara/Eostre.
Beltane
1ST MAY
This is the celebration of fertility. The symbol of the day is eggs, and the vibe is very much one of rebirth. Also known as Beltane. This is a fire festival, named after the Celtic God Bel, meaning ‘the bright one’ and the Gaelic word ‘teine,’ meaning fire.
Summer Solstice
END OF JUNE
This day is the celebration of the longest day of the year. From this point onwards in the year, the days get shorter as we approach winter time. Also known as Litha and Midsummer’s Eve.
Autumn Equinox
END OF SEPTEMBER
This is also known as the Feast of Mabon. In Celtic folklore, Mabon is the son of Mordon, Goddess of the Earth. This is the second of three harvest festivals in the Wheel of the Year (Lammas, Mabon and Samhain).
All Hallow’s Eve
31ST OCTOBER
This is thought to be the start of the new year, when the veil between this world and the next is thin. Also known as Samhain, Halloween, Day of the Dead, All Souls Day. Samhain, AKA The Lord of Darkness, rises on this night to look for lost souls.
