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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. |
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