Historically these days have been celebrated by pagans and wiccans. In addition, other days of the year are celebrated as holidays; which ones, and the names given to the festivals; vary by the wiccan tradition one belongs to. I have collected a number of these variations in the table below. Generally speaking, there are eight holidays, or sabbats in the Wiccan year. The exact interpretation of the significance of the holiday and the practices involved in celebrating it vary considerably and will not be detailed here. It will suffice to state that these days were and are celebrated in a large number of cultures and religions all over the world. They have been celebrated for milenia and the power of these days is significant. Rituals that are appropriate to the season are generally conducted to align oneself with the power associated with them but magic is not generally done at these celebrations. For further, more specific, informtion regarding the celebration of the sabbats see the links at the bottom of the page.
Most of these holidays were passed on to the mundane world in altered form. In general the February 2 celebration, which has passed into the mundane world as Groundhogs Day, is an acknowledgement of the approach of spring and winters loosening grip. The Spring Equinox, celebrated as Easter, is the celebration of the return of life and growth to the earth. May 1 is the celebration of planting crops, the fertility of the earth and the union of the Goddess and God. It has been represented as May Day, a thinly veiled fertility festival, in many countries. Summer Solstice is the celebration of the peak of the solar powers which generally represent the God. August 1 is basically a harvest festival, celebrating the earths bounty and has been transformed by various cultures into other harvest celebrations such as Thanksgiving and Octoberfest. Fall Equinox is usually understood as a festival of rest after labor and has been translated into Labor Day by the mundane world. October 31 of course is celebrated as Halloween by non-pagans and as the passing of fall into winter and the death of the God/Sun by pagans. The Winter Solstice marks the rebirth of the God/Sun, which has been transformed into Christmas.
Pagan/Wiccan Festival Days
| Date | Name(s) of Festival |
|---|---|
| Feb 2 | Lupercalia, Imbolg, St Brigits Day, Candlemas |
| March� Varies |
Ostara, Vernal Equinox |
| April 30/May 1 | Beltane, Bealtaine, May Day, Walpurgis |
| June 21 Varies |
Midsummers, Litha, Summer Solstice |
| August 1 | Lammas, Harvest Home, Lughnasad |
| Sept 21 Varies |
Mabon, Autumnal Equinox |
| Oct 31/Nov 1 | All Hallows, Samhain, Hallows |
| Dec 21 Varies |
Yule, Winter Solstice |
Festival Days of the Goddesses
| Name of Goddess | Festival Days |
|---|---|
| Aphrodite | April 23, June 24 |
| Ariadne | December 26 |
| Artemis | February 12 |
| Athena | March 19-23, December 25 |
| Bellona | March 24 |
| Bona Dea | May1, May 3, December 3 |
| Brighid | February 1 |
| Ceres | February 2, April 11-19, August 1 & 24, September 23, october 1 & 4-5, November 8, December 3 |
| Cybele | March 15 & 22-27, April 4-10, December 3 |
| Demeter | February 1-3, September 23, October 1 & 4, December 13 & 22 |
| Diana | May 26 - 31, August 13 & 15 |
| Inanna | January 1 |
| Isis | January 9, February 5, March 5 & 20, May 14, June 24, July 3 & 19, August 12 & 27, October 28, November 3 & 13-14, December 22 |
| Juno | January 1, February 2, March 1 & 7, June 1-2, July 7-8, November 13 |
| Nuit | August 24-28, December 25 |
| Vesta | February 13, March 1, April 28, May 15, June 7 & 9 & 15 & 24 |
Graves Version of
the Celtic Lunar Calendar
- 13 Months, 28 days each
| Month | Begins | Tree | Stone | Attribute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beth | December 24 | Birch | Quartz | Inception |
| Luis | January 21 | Rowan | Tourmaline | Quickening |
| Nion | February 18 | Ash | Aquamarine | Seapower |
| Fearn | March 18 | Alder | Garnet | Fire |
| Saille | April 15 | Willow | Moonstone | Enchantment |
| Vath | May 13 | Hawthorn | Lapis Lazuli | Cleansing |
| Duir | June 10 | Oak | Diamond | Endurance |
| Tinne | July 8 | Holly | Ruby | Blood |
| Coll | August 5 | Hazel | Topaz | Wisdom |
| Muin | September 2 | Vine | Amethyst | Exhilaration |
| Gert | September 30 | Ivy | Opal | Resurrection |
| Pethboc | October 28 | Dwarf Elder | Saphire | Royalty |
| Ruis | November 25 | Elder | Peridot | The Inevitable |
| December 23 is New Years Day, the 1 extra day included at midwinter | ||||
Pax Consultings Celtic Calendar
Celt.nets Celtic History site The Coligny Calendar
Further Information
Inclusion in this list of sites does not mean that I endorse the practices advocated by the authors of the site, it simply means that it is a source of additional information on the Sabbats.
Holidays of Witchcraft information is located Here
The Agnostic Pagan - Sabbats
The American Witch - Sabbats
Holiday information is Here
The section on the seasons is Here
Epona's Celtic Cauldron Wheel Page
Silver Rains and Moondust Showers - Sabbats
