| Mabon 21st September It was another day of balance, when light and dark seemed equal, but this time the people knew it was the dark which would win the land. The people knew the god would soon leave them, and they sought out the goddess to give and receive comfort, and saw that she had left her youth and was preparing to wrap the land in her love and presence as it began its mantle of sleep. The people were glad to see the god was still with her, but he was a shadowy and silent consort, no longer the strong and wild god of the summer months. The people could see he was beginning his decline in earnest, and they gathered themselves around the goddess to comfort her in her coming loss - for the women had also lost their menfolk in hunting, and they knew what it was to grieve. They held the goddess close, and she took them to her, each comforting the other. The final fruits needed to be harvested, and the people needed to act quickly if they were going to get the most out of the land before it turned cold and hard again, so they set to work. At the end of their labours, they rested with a feast of beans and fruit and watched as the god slipped over the horizon. Already there were signs that the land was dying - leaves fell in shades of red, gold and brown from the trees and crunched beneath the feet. From now on, the land would awake more briefly with each passing day. |
| FamilyThanksgiving Feast Set the table with candles, one for each person. Each candle is held by a fruit, vegetable, or gourd serving as a candlestick. Then go around the table talking about what you are grateful for. This is not the time to ask for more, but to feel gratitude for what we have. After each person speaks, we all thank the Goddess and God together and say, “Blessed Be!” with enthusiasm. After each one’s turn, light one of the candle on the table. As the sky darkens outside, the room grows brighter with each added candle. |
| Have the children paint a gourd. Have the children make grape prints. Have them paint a bunch of grapes and roll the grapes around on a paper. Have the children dip their fingers in green or purple paint. Have them make several fingerprints to form a bunch of grapes. Make popcorn the old fashioned way on the stove. Make corn muffins. I recommend "Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix." It's easy and yummy. |
| Gather Autumn leaves. Arrange on a paper, cover with "contact" paper, and use at a family dinner. Have the children paint pinecones and tie colorful yarn at the top. Hang up as a decoration. Have a grape and apple juice tasting party. Have the children sample different color grape juices, apple juice, and apple cider in fancy glasses. Make apple prints. Cut an apple in half, have the child dip it in paint and print it on the paper. |
| Apple Head Doll To make an apple head doll, you need one apple for each child. Peel the apple. Dip the apple in lemon juice if you want a caucasian doll, don't dip it in lemon juice if you want an African American doll. Carve out large area, sculpt a nose and cut out a large mouth. These will shrink as they dry. Let dry for several weeks in a warm place. On top of the fridge is perfect. Have a grown-up hot glue fiberfil stuffing on for hair and eyebrows, a beard and a mustache if desired. Purchase or make a doll body with wire and stuffing, dress, and have a grown-up hot glue the apple head onto the Apple Muffins 1 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 egg 1 tsp baking soda 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/8 tsp salt 3/4 tsp grated lemon peel 1 cup sugar 2 cups grated apple (about 2 apples) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups or put in muffin papers. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a medium bowl. Combine sugar, oil, egg, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon peel in a large bowl, whisk to blend. Mix in dry ingredients, then stir in the apples. Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Turn muffins out onto a rack and cool slightly. Serve warm. |
| Mabon Rituals Ceremonies & Spells Altar preparations : Decorate the Altar in autumn colors gold browns rusts and orange-red place a bowl of acorns or oak leaves on the altar or dried gourds or other symbols of the harvest. Use candles that are yellow, white or black Ritual : Have a special pot for bulbs to be planted for the spring you can decorate it how you like it is the wishing pot and each bulb represents the wish you "plant" for the coming turn of the wheel After preparing the soil for the bulb each person makes their wish for the coming wheel it is to be kept to yourself until it happens or you will take away the power of the wish when placing the bulb in the dirt say the following: Little Seed Little Your the seed I need And with this Kiss Grant me my wish Little seed Little seed Please honor my deed Cover with dirt and wait for them to bloom in spring *if you are in a warm climate you can place the pot outside if you have very cold winters keep the pot inside or the bulbs will freeze |
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| Edible Autumn Leaves Materials: 1 bag each of semisweet chocolate and white chocolate morsels (chips), broad leafed herbs such as mint, basil, celery, etc. Select your sprigs of leaves in the produce section of your grocery store or from your garden. Wash leaves thoroughly and pat dry. Melt chocolate with 2 tsp. of butter, stirring until smooth. Pour chocolate into small bowls and give each child a clean small paintbrush. Paint the underside of the leaves with the chocolate and place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm. Slowly pull real leaves away from chocolate leaves. (Explain to children how art is a reflection of the true beauty of Nature.) Family Craft (http:/www.angelfire.com/mb2/moonbear421/) |
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| Harm None Paper Bouquets Materials: Autumn colored tissue paper, scissors, crayons, and pipe cleaners. For each flower cut eight 3-1/2 in.squares. With side of crayon color down 2 opposite sides on each square. Lay on flat surface with colored sides at top and bottom. Start folding from the top, like a paper fan. Each pleat should be approx 1/2in wide. For the stems, bend a pipe cleaner 1-1/2in. from one end to form a hook. Place the pleated squares in a stack, and place the stack in the hook. Twist the hook around the stem. To open flower to full bloom, twist the petals a half-turn near the stem. (Thank children for beautiful vase of flowers that can be used on your alter for the Mabon ritual, and later a table center piece.) Family Craft (http:/www.angelfire.com/mb2/moonbear421/) |
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| Backyard Chant -- Mabon Prayer Autumn colors of red and gold As I close my eyes tonight Such a wonder to behold I feel the God/dess hold me tight Watch leaves turning one by one Though it grows dark, I shall not fear Captured bits of Autumn Sun For Divine Love protects all here Soon they'll fall and blow away Through the night, until the morn The golden treasures of today When the shining Sun's reborn When the trees are bare Time to sleep, time to dream And the ground grows cold Till warm gold rays upon me stream These warm memories I'll still hold. ---Akasha --Adapted by Akasha Ap Emrys to share with all of her friends and those of like mind |
| BeanBag Dolls
Materials: That one glove in the bottom of the closet or drawer that lost its mate over the summer. A small ball, some dried grain, yarn, and a needle and thread, and 2 buttons. Tuck the ring finger up inside the palm of the glove and stitch the hole closed. Fill the glove up to the stretch cuff with rice, beans, popcorn, etc, and tie it off with a piece of yarn. For the doll's head, place a small ball (ping-pong) in the cuff and sew the glove closed. For hair, wrap the yarn around your hand several times, tie the loops together at one end with a strand of yarn, and cut the other end. Stitch the tied end to the top of the doll's head. Finish the doll by stitching on some button eyes. (Explain to children that although we all look different on the outside, we are all the same inside. Tell how the God/dess made each of us with love and care.) |
| Animal Brethren
Materials: An apple, paring knife, lemon juice, whole cloves, pencil, jar, glove, felt scraps, glue. Peel the apple and remove some of the core from the bottom. (Parents) To carve the animal's face, cut two holes for the eyes, slice two triangle flaps for the ears, cut a deep "X" for the nose and mouth, and some shallow slits for whiskers. Soak the apple in the lemon juice for about 15 minutes, then remove to a paper towel to dry. Insert cloves into the eye holes. Push the pencil into the bottom of the apple, and set it in a jar to dry. To hasten drying process, a food dehydrator works great! As the apple dries, lift the ears so they dry upright. When the head has dried, use the glove and felt scraps to make the body. Glue on markings and paws. Cut off the middle finger of the glove, and drop the pencil through it, with the head attached. Have the child grab the pencil with their 3 middle fingers, while using the thumb and pinkie for the animal's forelegs. ( Discuss the habits of different animals during the winter months. Explain why we leave bird food and other tidbits out for our winged and furry brothers.) |
| Begin Again Eggheads
Materials : A couple of eggs per child, felt-tip markers or crayons, grass seed or bird seed, some soil, a nail, and some plastic wrap. Have children draw funny faces on their eggs with the markers or crayons. Take the nail and make a hole at the top of the egg, keep working on hole until about the size of a quarter. Drain and rinse inside of egg and spoon some soil into it. Put in some grass/bird seed, moisten soil, and wrap in plastic wrap. Set in a sunny spot to sprout. Once grass starts sprouting, remove the wrap and water daily. (Explain to children that although the egg is no longer what it was originally, it has gone through a death and a rebirth as something else living and part of Nature.) |
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| Animal Guide Totems
Materials: A sheet of construction paper, plastic spoon, small water-based paint set, markers, paper towel tube, and glue. Fold the sheet of paper in half, and have the child drop spots of paint along the fold. Fold the paper, lay it flat, and gently rub it. Re-open the paper and have the child tell you all about the animals, fish, and birds that they see in the paint blots. When the paint dries, help the child outline these creatures with the markers. Cut out and around the blot characters and glue to the paper towel tube to make the totem stand upright. (Discuss the different Animal Guides, and the qualities we learn from them.) |
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