Give us a reason and we'll throw a party. Any place, any time. Heck, forget about it, we really don't need reasons. Here's a list of the Sabbats and here are the months in which they fall.
Samhain (sou' an) is the most solemn holiday of the year. It is held on the second full moon after Harvest. (This usually corresponds to the full moon in October. Please see the Druidic Lunar Calendar section for current exact dates.) Samhain is the time of year's end. The barrier between this world and the Otherworld is thinnest on this night and communication and spirits may cross the barrier with more ease than at any other time. Samhain is a time when the ancestors are honored and those who have passed to the Otherworld are remembered. The ritual for Samhain is usually begun by casting a circle, a relatively uncommon practice in Druidism but often used on this night, since negative spirits and energies have as free access to this world as spirits of good intentions. The ritual is a time to remember those who have passed on and welcome any communication or information from the Otherworld. The ritual is followed by a feast. During the feast, a portion of the food is set aside as a gift for invited spirits. If the spirit food is not consumed by the end of the feast, the food is taken outside and left. The best time of day to hold the Samhain ritual is midnight. A common color associated with Samhain is black (often seen as a color of ending). In modern day, Samhain is even more important since so few people have have any awareness of their ancestors, and Samhain is the best time of year to get in touch with our past. By learning from our past we achieve a greater sense of who we are. For this holiday, the food should be of as many varieties as possible and in goodly amounts. The feast is the only tangible symbol of Samhain, with the portion set aside for visiting spirits and ancestors. Since it is mostly a time for spiritual comtemplation and inward focus, few external symbols are needed.
The 5 days after Samhain are a time of formlessness. It is the time between the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. Chaos magick is at its height during this time. These days are used as a time of meditation and self-contemplation. Use this time to put the old year to rest and set sights ahead to the new year. After the five days have ended, Celtic New Year begins. Celtic New Year lasts for 3-7 days. It is a large celebration and general party. The new year is welcomed with as much festivity as possible. A Druid's only duties other than joining the festivities is to give blessings for the coming year to all. Celtic New Year is often a time for naming children born in the past year, for the new year is when patterns are most strongly set. The feast must contain as much food in as many varieties as possible. Games are also a large part of the new year. Riddle games, weaving contests, wrestling, and sex games are common and continuous through the days of the new year festival. It is also a favorable time for Bardic contests, especially those involving new compositions.
The solstices and equinoxes are mainly Druid ritual/holidays. They are times when Druids celebrate and feel the changing of the seasons. Scryings and divinings are performed to see what the coming season will bring, and the spells performed depend on the power flows associated with the day and the coming season. Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, so spells performed on this day are often ones relating to shortening of time length, coldness, sleep, or other things associated with winter. It is the time when Druids become one with the sleep that is winter. Feel within yourself the changing of the season, the fullness of winter. Any spells that would best utilize the power of the Winter Solstice should be performed on this day. A potent symbol of this day is darkness, the darkness of the longest night of the year. It is often a day of fasting for the Druids. Evening or the time of the setting sun is a good time of day to hold the Winter Solstice observance.
Deep Winter is held on second full moon after Samhain (usually the full moon in December). It is a festival held mainly as a brief respite from the monotony of winter and can last for several days. Mistletoe is a common symbol of Deep Winter as this is the time of year it can best be harvested. The foods for the feast are again as many varieties and as much as can be spared. Another name for Deep Winter is the Feast of Longing. A common color associated with Deep Winter is white (for snow).
Imbolc (im' bolhk) is held on the second full moon after Deep Winter (usually the full moon in February). Imbolc is the Midwinter celebration, where people turn their thoughts toward spring and celebrate the fact that winter will soon be over and the world will wake again. Candles are the most important symbols of Imbolc. During the Imbolc ritual, a central candle is lit to represent the light and warmth of spring. All those present light a candle from this central flame and the candles stay lit until the ritual is completed. The lighted candles symbolize driving away the darkness of winter and looking forward with hope to Spring. Winter is the time of year when everything is resting. Imbolc is the celebration which says 'We are ready to wake again to the beauty of the world in Spring.' Meat is an essential item for the Imbolc feast, and a good drink to have is apple mead. Imbolc means "day of light" or "day of hope". The best time of day to celebrate Imbolc is early morning or dawn. A common color for Imbolc is light green.
The equinox is again mostly a Druid holiday as explained in the Winter Solstice section. The Spring Equinox is a balanced time for day and night are of equal length. Good spells for this day involve hope, birth, mating, renewal, or anything else associated with Spring. An excellent symbol of the Spring Equinox is the first green shoot you can find.
Beltane (bel' thane or bel' tane) is celebrated on the second full moon after Imbolc (usually the full moon in April). Beltane is the time when spring has come into full bloom, and all the animals and plants are beginning their mating cycle. It is the celebration of the fertility of all Nature. Beltane is the time to rejoice in the new growth and look to expanding one's horizons and overcome the trials of the past. This is the time of year when marriages and handfastings are common, when two lives grow into one. The ritual involves blessing all couples present and blessings are given to all for good growth in the coming season. Any crops are also blessed. The feast should include fresh fruits and vegetables, and a good drink is honey mead. Physical symbols of Beltane are flowers, young living things, and bright colors. One meaning of Beltane is "lady's day" as it is seen to be the day of strongest feminine power. Womanhood rites were often performed on or around this time. Bright green and red are good colors for Beltane, and a good time to celebrate Beltane is around noon.
The Solstice, another Druid holiday, is the height of the sun's power, the longest day of the year. The sun is the most important symbol of this day. Good spells for Summer Solstice involve heat, power, authority, things in the prime of life/power, or any other things associated with summer. Many tribes had individual holidays around the time of the Solstice. Manhood rites are performed between the Summer Solstice and Midsummer as the sun is seen to be masculine and summer is the height of the sun's power.
Midsummer is held on the second full moon after Beltane (usually the full moon in June). It can also be called Fae Day. It is a more subdued holiday as this is when respect is given to those fae one has allied with as well as honoring the Fae in general. Aid is given and received between humans and fae on this day, and Midsummer is a good day to form new alliances with fae. Gifts are left for the fae. Good gifts are sweet desserts for food, wine for drink, and stories and tales. Food for the feast should include fae favorites such as milk, honey, and sweets. A good symbol of Midsummer is the herb eyebright, as this herb assists one in being able to see the Fae. Good colors for Midsummer are blues and yellows and an optimal time to celebrate is evening or early night, as this is when the Fae like to show themselves.
Harvest (loo na' sa) is held on the second full moon after Midsummer (usually the full moon in August). It is also called Lughnasadh (loo na' sa), but we usually do not call it by this name (Lughnasadh, or "Lugh's Day" is an Irish name and not the original name of the holiday). This is the time of the harvest when the gains of the year are gathered home. It is when the spiritual achievements and goals one started in the early year (after Samhain, before Beltane) begin to manifest and reach their full potential. Lughnasadh is also a time of preparation for the end of the year and the coming winter. The ritual for this day can involve harvesting the first of the crops. For those who don't have crops to harvest, fresh bread can be baked and shared by all present to symbolize the harvest, and there can be a time of sharing with others those plans and goals that one wishes to come to fruition before the end of the year. Essential foods for the feast include grain products, cakes, and breads as well as autumn fruits and vegetables. Ale and mead are good drinks. Common colors associated with Lughnasadh are yellows, browns, and oranges and the best time of day to celebrate this holiday is evening or sunset.
The Autumn Equinox is again a time of balance. Good spells for this day are ones of contemplation, alteration, storage, aging, or anything else associated with autumn. An excellent symbol of the equinox is the first autumn leaf one can find.