| Pagans celebrate 8 major holidays a year, which | | | | Easter is. On this day we celebrate renewed life |
| we call "sabbats". You will probably find by looking | | | | and fertility by boiling and decorating eggs, going |
| at the list of holidays below that some look | | | | on egg hunts, and blessing seeds for growth. |
| familiar. That is because these holidays existed | | | | Anything which celebrates fertility and growth! |
| long before the Christian faith came along. When | | | | Beltane (April 30) - This day is symbolic to us of |
| the Roman's were trying to outlaw paganism | | | | the God and Goddess uniting in a handfasting |
| thousands of years ago, many pagan holidays | | | | (marriage). In this act, they help the Earth to |
| were changed into what we now celebrate as | | | | burst forth with life and growth. We celebrate |
| "Christian" holidays. But many of the actual | | | | Beltane by dancing around the maypole, or |
| reasons they were celebrated stayed the same. | | | | wearing flowers or foliage in their hair, or by |
| Here is a list of our Major Sabbats, and when | | | | bringing flowers into the house. |
| they occur. | | | | Litha (June 21) - Litha (pronouced Lee-tha) is the |
| Samhain (October 31st) - This is the Pagan "new | | | | summer solstice, and is generally not celebrated |
| year", and it marks the end of one year and the | | | | as much as the other sabbats are. This day |
| beginning of another. During this time we honor | | | | marks where the God and Goddess are at their |
| those who have passed away from us, and also | | | | peak, but soon the days will grow shorter and |
| recognize the changing of the seasons. We try to | | | | shorter. In the past pagans would celebrate this |
| let go of bad habits at Samhain (pronounced | | | | night with a large bonfire, but recently it is only |
| SOW-en), and try to focus on things that need to | | | | marked with love spells and rituals, and rituals |
| be changed in our lives. This is also the time of | | | | involving nature. |
| the "death" of the Sun God, who will be reborn at | | | | Lammas (August 2) - Lammas is the first harvest |
| Yule. | | | | festival for pagans. It is the day when tradionally |
| Yule (December 21) - This holiday is essentially | | | | the first grain was cut. It is traditional to celebrate |
| our "Christmas" celebration. We celebrate by | | | | this day by baking bread or other "grain" foods. |
| lighting the Yule log, and watching the sun rise | | | | We also celebrate by holding great feasts to |
| (which symbolizes the Sun God's rebirth on this | | | | celebrate the bountiful harvest, and decorating our |
| day). Since this sabbat celebrates the winter | | | | houses with autumn decorations. |
| solstice, we celebrate the beginning of light | | | | Mabon (September 21) - The second harvest |
| returning to the earth. We celebrate this holiday | | | | festival for pagans. It is held on the Autumn |
| by exchanging gifts, decorating a tree, hanging | | | | equinox to celebrate the last fruits and harvest of |
| wreaths and mistletoe, singing, feasting, and | | | | the year. Feasts are also held in celebration, but |
| making merry! | | | | to a more solemn extent. Cornucopias are a |
| Imbolc (February 2) - Imbolc (pronounced IM-bolk) | | | | popular decoration, as are ears of corn, gourds, |
| is the time when pagans celebrate the renewing | | | | pumpkins, and other late season vegetables. |
| fertility of the earth. As winter slowly turns to | | | | In addition to the above 8 major sabbats, most |
| spring, we are reminded that life is about to burst | | | | Pagans also celebrate "Esbats" which are held |
| forth. We celebrate Imbolc by planting seeds, or | | | | once a month to celebrate the moon. While the |
| begining new projects...anything that focuses on | | | | sabbats celebrate the "God" aspect, the Esbats |
| the "beginning" of things. | | | | celebrate the "Goddess" aspect. Esbats are |
| Ostara (March 21) - Ostara (pronounced | | | | generally held on the full moon. |
| oh-STAR-ah) is almost celebrated the same as | | | | |