The Wiccan festival calendar, also known as the Wheel of the Year, is a series of events and celebrations that mark the changing seasons and cycles of nature. Wicca is a modern pagan religion that is rooted in ancient pre-Christian traditions and beliefs. The calendar is divided into eight major festivals, known as Sabbats, which are celebrated throughout the year. These Sabbats are based on the solstices, equinoxes, and the midpoint between them. The first festival in the calendar is Imbolc, which is celebrated on February 1st and marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is a time when Wiccans honor the returning light and the early signs of spring.
1st August – Lammas
Lammas means Loaf Mass and is the start of the harvet period, and traditionally the time when the first loaf was baked.
The year follows a cycle starting with birth symbolised by the Egg following through to death symbolised by the burning of effigies at the autumn cross quarter. The year follows a cycle starting with birth symbolised by the Egg following through to death symbolised by the burning of effigies at the autumn cross quarter.
It is a time when Wiccans honor the returning light and the early signs of spring. The next festival is Ostara, celebrated on the spring equinox, usually around March 21st. It is a time of balance between light and dark, and Wiccans celebrate the beginning of spring and the fertility of the land.
Wiccan festival calendar
October 31 SAMHAIN – Samhain is considered by most Wiccans to be the most important of the four ‘greater Sabbats’. It is generally observed on October 31st in the Northern Hemisphere, starting at sundown. Samhain is considered by most Wiccans as a celebration of death and of the dead, and it often involves paying respect to ancestors, family members, elders of the faith, friends, pets and other loved ones who have died. In some rituals the spirits of the departed are invited to attend the festivities. It is seen as a festival of darkness and death, which is balanced at the opposite point of the wheel by the spring festival of Beltane, which Wiccans celebrate as a festival of life and fertility.
On a personal side, my path as a hereditary witch holds that Samhain marks the beginning of turning of the wheel. I’ve always thought of Samhain as the Pagan New Year, and celebrate it as such.
December 22 WINTER SOLSTICE / YULE – Many Wiccan based sects favor a plethora of sources on winter solstice holidays to recreate a type of Yule holiday. While the name “Yule” is used, it is not a reconstruction of the historical holiday. Wreaths, Yule logs, decoration of trees, decorating with mistletoe, holly, and ivy, exchanges of presents, and even wassailing are incorporated and regarded as sacred. The return of the Sun as Frey is commemorated in some groups. In most Wiccan traditions, this holiday is also celebrated as the rebirth of the Great God, who is viewed as the newborn solstice sun. The method of gathering for this sabbat varies by practitioner. Some have private ceremonies at home, while others do so with their covens.
February 2 IMBOLC – Wiccans celebrate a variation of Imbolc as one of four “fire festivals”, which make up half of the eight holidays of the Wheel of the Year. Imbolc is defined as a cross-quarter day, midway between the winter solstice (Yule) and the spring equinox (Ostara). The precise astrological midpoint in the Northern hemisphere is when the sun reaches fifteen degrees of Aquarius. In the Southern hemisphere, if celebrated as the beginning of Spring, the date is the midpoint of Leo.
Among Dianic Wiccans, Imbolc (also known as “Candlemas”) is the traditional time for initiations. Among Reclaiming-style Wiccans, Imbolc is considered a traditional time for rededication and pledges for the coming year.
March 21 SPRING EQUINOX / OSTARA – Ostara is one of the four lesser Wiccan holidays or sabbats of the Wheel of the Year. Ostara is celebrated on the spring equinox, in the Northern hemisphere around March 21 and in the Southern hemisphere around September 23, depending upon the specific timing of the equinox. Among the Wiccan sabbats, it is preceded by Imbolc and followed by Beltane.
In the book Eight Sabbats for Witches by Janet and Stewart Farrar, the festival Ostara is characterized by the rejoining of the Mother Goddess and her lover-consort-son, who spent the winter months in death. Other variations include the young God regaining strength in his youth after being born at Yule, and the Goddess returning to her Maiden aspect.
May 1 BELTANE – Wiccans and Wiccan-inspired Neopagans celebrate a variation of Beltane as a sabbat, one of the eight solar holidays. Although the holiday may use features of the Gaelic Bealtaine, such as the bonfire, it bears more relation to the Germanic May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as maypole dancing). Some Wiccans celebrate ‘High Beltaine’ by enacting a ritual union of the May Lord and Lady.
Among the Wiccan sabbats, Beltane is a cross-quarter day; it is celebrated in the northern hemisphere on May 1 and in the southern hemisphere on November 1. Beltane follows Ostara and precedes Midsummer (see the Wheel of the Year).
June 22 SUMMER SOLSTICE / MID-SUMMER / LITHA – Litha is one of the eight solar holidays or sabbats observed by Wiccans, though the New Forest traditions (those referred to as British Traditional Wicca) tend to use the name Midsummer. It is celebrated on the Summer Solstice, or close to it. The holiday is considered the turning point at which summer reaches its height and the sun shines longest. Among the Wiccan sabbats, Midsummer is preceded by Beltane, and followed by Lughnasadh or Lammas.
August 1 LUGHNASADH / LAMMAS – Lughnasadh is one of the eight “sabbats” or solar festivals in the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. It is the first of the three autumn harvest festivals, the other two being the Autumn equinox (or Mabon) and Samhain. Some Wiccans mark the holiday by baking a figure of the god in bread, and then symbolically sacrificing and eating it. The Celtic name seems to have been a late adoption among Wiccans, since in early versions of Wiccan literature the festival is merely referred to as “August Eve”.
Many Wiccans also use the name Lammas for the sabbat, taken from the Anglo-Saxon and Christian holiday which occurs at about the same time. As the name (from the Anglo-Saxon hlafmæsse “loaf-mass”, “loaves festival”) implies, it is an agrarian-based festival and feast of thanksgiving for grain and bread, which symbolizes the first fruits of the harvest. Wiccan and other eclectic Neopagan rituals may incorporate elements from either festival.
September 21 AUGUST EQUINOX / MABON – Mabon is the name used by some Wiccan traditions as well as some other forms of Neo-Paganism for one of the eight annual holidays central to their Beliefs. It is celebrated on the Autumnal Equinox, which in the northern hemisphere occurs on or around September 23rd (occasionally the 22nd). Many celebrate on the 21st since most early Wiccan and Neopagan sources reference this date as Mabon. Although due to Global Warming it no longer falls that early. In the southern hemisphere, the Autumnal Equinox occurs usually around March 21.
Also called Harvest Home, the Feast of the Ingathering, Meán Fómhair, or as Alban Elfed by Neo-Druidic traditions, this holiday is a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth and a recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess and God during the winter months. The name may derive from Mabon or Modron, a character from Welsh mythology, although the connection is unclear.
Beltane, celebrated on May 1st, marks the beginning of summer. It is a time of heightened energy and celebration of life. Wiccans often practice fertility rites and light bonfires during this festival. Midsummer, or Litha, is celebrated on the summer solstice, usually around June 21st. It is the longest day of the year and Wiccans honor the power of the sun and the abundance of summer. Lammas, also known as Lughnasadh, is celebrated on August 1st, and it marks the beginning of the harvest season. Wiccans give thanks for the first fruits of the harvest and reflect on the cycle of life and death. The next festival is Mabon, which is celebrated on the autumn equinox, usually around September 21st. It is a time of balance once again, as day and night are equal. Wiccans express gratitude for the blessings of the harvest and prepare for the colder months ahead. Samhain, celebrated on October 31st, is perhaps the most well-known Wiccan festival. It is the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the dark half of the year. Wiccans honor their ancestors and the spirits of the dead during this time. The final festival in the calendar is Yule, celebrated on the winter solstice, usually around December 21st. It is the shortest day of the year and Wiccans celebrate the return of the light and the rebirth of the Sun. **Overall, the Wiccan festival calendar is a way for Wiccans to connect with and honor the cycles of nature. Each festival holds its own significance and rituals, but they all share a common theme of celebrating the changing seasons and the interconnectedness of all life.**.
Reviews for "Exploring Wiccan Festivals around the World: Cultural Variations in Pagan Celebrations"
1. Michael - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Wiccan festival calendar. The information provided was very basic and could easily be found online for free. I was expecting more in-depth explanations and insights into the different festivals and their significance. Additionally, the layout and design of the calendar was quite generic and unappealing. Overall, I found the content to be lacking and not worth the price.
2. Emily - 1 star - I regret purchasing the Wiccan festival calendar. It contained so many errors and inaccuracies that it was difficult to trust any of the information provided. From the dates of the festivals to the descriptions of the rituals, everything seemed poorly researched and hastily put together. The lack of attention to detail was extremely disappointing and made it impossible for me to fully engage with the calendar. I would not recommend it to anyone serious about practicing Wiccan.
3. John - 3 stars - The Wiccan festival calendar was decent, but it didn't really offer anything unique or special. It was pretty much just a standard list of the different festivals and their dates, without much additional information or insights. I was hoping for more guidance on how to celebrate each festival and incorporate them into my own practice, but that aspect was lacking. It's an okay resource for beginners, but for someone with more experience, it falls short. I would recommend looking for more comprehensive and detailed Wiccan calendars.