Rituals for Holidays and Other Events




This page has some information on the Holidays and the Wheel of the Year, plus some ideas for Rituals. I've gathered this info from all over the place, most of the "about" section comes directly from a particular site. If any one knows the name of it, please email me so I can give it credit.
  • About the Holidays
  • Some Ideas for Celebrations
  • Other Things to Celebrate

    About the Holidays


    Samhain (pronounced So-ween)
    AKA: Shadowfest, Martinmas, Deast of the Dead, All Hallows Eve
    Date: October 31st
    About: This is the New Year for most Pagan traditions. The days get shorter and darkness increases as nature prepares for winter. It is said that the veil between the worlds is thin. Many Pagans prepare a feast for the dead.


    Yule AKA:Yuletide, Alban Arthan
    Date: December 21st (on Winter Solstice)
    About: This is the Sabbat that represents the rebirth of light. It is basically the Pagan version of Christmas. (In fact, many Christmas traditions have Pagan origin)It is a good time to gather with your family and friends to banish the longest night of the year and celebrate coming of light. You may wish to do a series of rituals and celebrations throughout the whole season. Yule is a solar festival, many celebrate with a Yule log. A peice of the log is kept throughout the year to protect the home and is used to light next years log.


    Imbolc AKA:Imbolg, Imbollgc Brigantia, Candlemas, Lupercus
    Date: Feb. 1st or 2nd
    About: Imbolc is the celebration which banishes the winter and welcomes the spring. As Spring begins to stir within the Earth, we prepare fro the coming of Spring and Summer. Milk is an important symbol on this holiday, because it is the food of the very young. In is a tradition to light every lamp in the house for a few minutes.


    Ostara AKA: Eostara, Eostar, Eostre and Aban Eiler
    Date: Around March 21 (Vernal/Spring Equinox)
    About: Ostara is the point of equilibrium -- balance just before Spring bursts forth from Winter. Eggs are painted bright colors to represent the coming bounty of Spring and Summer. The Easter bunny is of Pagan origin, and symbolizes fertility, (of course!) and so are baskets of flowers. It is traditionally a time to gather flowers, walking in natures beauty, and clearing out the garden for next years plantings. It is a good time to begin new things, and free yourself from those things which are holding you back.


    Beltaine AKA:Mayday, Bealtinne, Festival of Tana, and Walburga
    Date: April 30th
    About: Possibly the best know of all Pagan Holidays, Beltaine honors the fertility of the Earth. It is a time to celebrate with your community and to ask for a fertile growth season. Some celebrations include weaving a web of life around the maypole and leaping the Beltaine fire for luck. Handfastings are common at this festival also.


    Litha AKA: Alban Hefin and Midsummer
    Date: Around June 21st (Summer Solstice)
    About: Litha or the Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year. It is a time to enjoy the warmth of the season and to gather with friends and family to celebrate your kinship. During Litha, we look forward to the coming bounty of the harvest season. Midsummer Night's Eve is supposed to be a good time to communicate with field and forest sprites and faeries.


    Lammas AKA: Lughnassadh, Lunasa, Cornucopia, Thingtide
    Date:August 2 (or the 7th)
    About: The celebration of the first fruits of the harvest. On this day we offer a sacrifice in thanks of what has been provided for us. It is a good time to teach what you have learned, to share the fruits of your achievments with the world. Celebrate with the community, dancing, singing and merry making, are a must :o). Some like to make corn-husk dolls. Bread is baked and the altar can be decorated with gruits and vegetables of the harvest.


    Mabon AKA: Winter Finding, Alban Elfed
    Date: Around Sept. 21st (Autumnal Equinox)
    About: On Mabon, the days and nights are equal. It is a time of balance, and a time to prepare for the increasing darkness. On Mabon, you may want to reflect on the harvest, when everything is being stored and prepared for winter. It is a good time to walk the forests gathering dried plants for use as altar decorations of herbal magick. Traditionally, pagans may make ritual besoms or brooms to protect the home. Cornbread and Cider are cgood additions to festivities.


    Back to top

    Ideas for Celebrating


    Now all that may sound a bit complicated, I know it did to me the first time I got through all of it. Here are a few ideas about what you can do/incorporate in your rituals and celebrations. (Esp. if you aren't able to celebrate with others)

    *For each holiday, write a very short, non complicated ritual. You don't have to do much more than concentrate and talk. You might want to light candels or do some other action at some point. Pick a big topic for the focus of your ritual. For example, if you were doing Mabon, you might focus on the idea of balance. Try to see how that idea incorporates into your own life. Ask for balance in your work, or balance at school, or even balance within yourself.

    *Find a good time, (it doesn't have to be exactly the-day-of) to do your ritual. If the weather is nice, you might go outside, or you can stay in your own room. Prepare by clearing a space. You might want to meditate, or just sit and focus on what you want to do. You could decorate your room, or put on some seasonal music or anything that fits your theme. (I used "Winters on the Wing" from "The Secret Garden" for my Imbolc Ritual last year :o) Get a snack that goes along with your ritual (i.e. cider for mabon, milk for Imbolc etc)so that you can have a mini-celebration afterwards.

    *When you are ready, perform your ritual. When it is done, turn on your music (or turn it up) And celebrate! Write down your ritual so that you can use it (and perhaps improve on it next year.

    Some things you may want to focus on for each ritual:

    Samhain: The beginning of a new year, and/or the remembrance of those who have past.

    Yule: Rebirth of light. This may seem kind of abstract, maybe you want to think of it as a new beginning of yourself, where the "darkness" in your life can be banished.

    Imbolc: Welcoming the Spring. A good time to begin new things, look for inspiration, etc.(Make a milkshake and light some candels! :O)

    Ostara: A time of balance, spring is just about to start. This is a good time to let go of the past. Maybe you want to accomplish a goal.

    Beltaine: This is a time of fertility. You may want to focus on your mind becoming fertile with new ideas or something along that line of thought :o).

    Litha: Looking forward to the harvest season, this is a good time to focus on what you have, esp. family and friends.

    Lammas: This is a time to focus on being thankful, and on sacrificing things for others. This is also a good time to share knowledge.

    Mabon: This is a time of balance. You might want to focus on balance within yourself, within your family, at work or at school. It is a time to pull away from details and get yourself together. Prepare for the winter.

    I hope some of these tips and general ideas will help you to celebrate the holidays. Remember, even if you are the only Pagan in your house (as I am)and even if you are in the broom closet, (that's me too) you can still celebrate. And so many of these holidays coincide with ones that you probably already celebrate, so you can add those family traditions as a part of your celebration.

    Back to top

    Other Things to Celebrate


    Besides the Holidays, there are plenty of other things you can celebrate during the year. Here are a few that you can do:

    *Moon Phases -- the full moon is a great time to     Draw Down the Moon and the New Moon is a chance to start over or begin a drawing spell.

    *Birthing Day Ritual - Celebrate the day of your birth with a ritual for renewing your magick and forming new goals. (I will post some of these for your use soon!)

    *Blessing for a New Beginning -- Prepare yourself for taking on something new in life. (I did this before the first day of school)

    *Self Blessing -- To cleanse your mind and soul during any time of the year.

    *Ritual Bath -- To cleanse yourself of unwanted emotions, or to prepare yourself for a ritual, etc

    *An Anniversary, or a Friendship -- you may wish to perform a ritual to tighten your bonds with another person, or to strengthen and celebrate your relationship

    *Every day! You could write yourself a morning and night ritual to begin and close each day. (I've done this!)Or perhaps just a little chant before you go to bed, like this Bedtime Prayer I found:
    Now I lay me down to bed
    Great Spirit, bless my sleepy head
    As I journey in my sleep
    I know my soul the Dragons keep
    Mother Earth and Father Sky
    Watch over me here where I lie
    Bring my dreams of peace tonight
    And wake me with the morning light


    Back to top



    That's all for now, but there are lots more ideas out there, and tons of other things to celebrate! Send in any ideas or rituals you'd like to share to Thyme@iamawitch.com!

    Special thanks to ShyStorm of Pentacle Moons for the beautiful Wheel of the Year Graphic! Visit ShyStorm's site on the links page!

    Back to the Grove * The Beginner's Path * The Clearing * Thyme's Tree