The Wheel of the Year is an annual cycle of seasonal festivals, observed by a range of modern pagans, marking the year's chief solar events (solstices and equinoxes) and the midpoints between them.
Imbolc
- Date: February 1-2
- Significance: Imbolc marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It celebrates the first signs of spring and is associated with the Celtic goddess Brigid, who represents fire, fertility, and healing.
- Traditions: Lighting candles and fires, making Brigid's crosses, and celebrating with feasts and purification rituals.
Ostara
- Date: Around March 20-23 (Spring Equinox)
- Significance: Ostara celebrates the spring equinox, a time of balance between day and night. It signifies the rebirth of nature and the return of fertility to the earth.
- Traditions: Decorating eggs, planting seeds, and celebrating new life and growth.
Beltane
- Date: April 30 - May 1
- Significance: Beltane marks the beginning of summer and is a fire festival that celebrates fertility, passion, and the blooming of life.
- Traditions: Dancing around the Maypole, lighting bonfires, and celebrating with feasts and rituals focused on fertility and abundance.
Litha
- Date: Around June 20-23 (Summer Solstice)
- Significance: Litha, or Midsummer, celebrates the longest day of the year. It is a time of great energy, growth, and the peak of light.
- Traditions: Bonfires, celebrating the sun, and performing rituals to harness the power of the sun for protection and prosperity.
Lughnasadh / Lammas
- Date: August 1
- Significance: Lughnasadh, also known as Lammas, is the first of the three harvest festivals. It honors the Celtic god Lugh and celebrates the grain harvest.
- Traditions: Baking bread, holding feasts, and giving thanks for the first fruits of the harvest.
Mabon
- Date: Around September 20-23 (Autumn Equinox)
- Significance: Mabon is the second harvest festival and the autumn equinox, a time of balance and thanksgiving for the bounty of the earth.
- Traditions: Harvesting crops, feasting, and giving thanks for the abundance of the season.
Samhain
- Date: October 31 - November 1
- Significance: Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It is a time to honor the dead and celebrate the cycle of life and death.
- Traditions: Lighting bonfires, holding feasts, and performing rituals to honor ancestors and communicate with spirits.
Yule
- Date: Around December 20-23 (Winter Solstice)
- Significance: Yule celebrates the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. It marks the rebirth of the sun and the return of light.
- Traditions: Lighting Yule logs, decorating with evergreens, feasting, and celebrating the return of the sun.
