Celebrations

A significant part of my journey into paganism has been researching celebrations and thinking about which ones I would like to incorporate into my life. There are eight main celebrations every year called Sabbats (based around the changing seasons), and then several smaller celebrations each month called Esbats (based around the moon cycle). The sheer number of celebrations seem a bit daunting to me! And the specifics on how to celebrate them vary widely, something I find both freeing and frustrating.

The celebration of Yule - the winter solstice - was an easy celebration for me to incorporate because it is so similar to the things I already do during the christmas season. Decorating a tree, burning a log in the fireplace, exchanging presents, and sharing a meal with family all are aspects to both Yule and christmas. The difference is that now these actions have a different significance, and this has made the holiday season more meaningful to me.

The next sabbat of Imbolc (pronounced IM-bulk) is quickly approaching. Imbolc occurs each year on February 2nd and marks the half-way point between winter and spring. Groundhog Day decends from imbolc, in which a groundhog is used to predict how much longer the winter cold will last. Traditionally imbolc was celebrated by lighting lanterns in every home and carrying torches to encourage the sun to come back out. The theme seems to be people desperate for good weather in either case! So, how will I celebrate imbolc this year?

Some of my favourite ideas:

• Turn on every light in the house and leave them on all day to encourage the sun's return.
• Watch Groundhog Day huddled under a blanket with a hot drink.
• Scatter seeds in the shape of the sun to nourish the birds and represnt the nourishment that the sun brings.
• Create an Imbolc altar with white candles, spring bulbs, and beautiful flowers.

And if it's still snowing...

• Throw snowballs at Old Man Winter yelling "Old Man Winter it's time to go! Take with you these piles of snow!". Old Man Winter can be figurative (throwing snowballs to the wind!) or literal (prehaps someone you know would be willing to dress up and be the target!).