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The Wheel of the Year

I would Like to Thank Silver RavenWolf for the information below it was taken from,
To Ride a Silver Broomstick

Yule: Yuletide, Winter Solstise

The shortest day of the year and, of course, the longest night. This is usually the 20th or 21st of December. Yuletide (the Teutonic version) lasts from December 20th through December 31st. It begins on "Mother Night" and ends twele days later on "Yule Night;" hence the "Twelve Days of Christmas" tradition. Pecti-Wita Yule falls on December 22nd and is called FeiIl Fionnain. In the Caledonii Tradition it is called Alban Arthan and is not considered a fire festi- val. A time when the waxing sun overcomes the waning sun. In some traditions, it is a time when the Holly King (representing the death aspect of the God) is overcome by the Oak King (who embodies the rebirth of the God, and is sometimes referred to as the Divine Child).

Since this is a solar festival, it is celebrated by fire and the use of the Yule log. The colors of the season, red and green, are of original Pagan descent. The act of cutting and decorating the Yule Tree and exchanging gifts are also Pagan derivatives. Wreaths of holly and fancy coolies and breads are a part of our tradition, as well. Food is prepared specially for the after-dinner Yule celebration when the tree is lighted and tho Yule log is burned. A portion of the Yule log is saved to be used in lighting next year's log. This piece is kept throughout tho year to protect the home.

Bayberry candles are also burned to ensure wealth and happiness throughout the following year. They can be placed on the dining table at sunset and burned until they go out by themselves. Another pair can be set upon the mantle and lit at the beginning of the Yule ceremony.

The reindeer stag is also a reminder of the honed God, so if you find yourself trying to choose a card for both Christian and Pagan friends, choose a nature scene that includes the stag -- an easy way not to offend anyone! You will find that many traditional Christmas decorations have some type of Pagan ancestry or significance that can be added to your Yule holiday.

Candlemas

Also referred to as Imbolic (Celtic) Imbolgc Brigantia (February 1st; Caledonii), Lupercus (Strega), Candelaria (Mexican Craft), and Disting (February 14th in the Teutonic Tradition). All involve celebrations of banishing the winter season.

In October our family goes to a country market where we choose pumpkins for Samhain. We also purchase, three ears of dried corn in different colors, each color representing a stage of the Goddess -- Maiden, Matron and Crone. The corn is stored in our magickal cabinet until Candlemas when the three ears are tied together with spring-colored ribbons and used in the Candlemas ceremony. Hang the corn outside the house for wealth and protection until the day after the Fall Equinox, then bury it in the garden.

An easy way to remember Craft holidays is to associate them with seasons. For instance, Candlemas, Ostara and Beltane are the three spring festivals. Candlemas welcomes the change from old to new. Ostara invites the fertility energy of the earth to awaken, and Beltane represents the fertility and love energy awakening in humans. Count me stupid, butit took me awhile to figure out that six of the holidays were related in groups of three.

Lavender and white candles can be burned in honor of the holiday. This is a good time to work in the house, changing tablecloths and curtains, room paintins and wallpaperings and fixins furnitures.

Candlemas is one of those holidays that creeps up on you as you are finally breathing a sigh of relief from the steady roll of celebration from Octotber through December.

The Candlemas Sabbat marks the time to welcome the spring. This festival is for ferility and to celebrate the things that are yet to be born, just barely waking under winter's cold shroud. This is also a good time to look over your magickal cabinet to determine what you am low on and what you may need for the coming months.

OSTARA

In the Caledonii Tradition this holiday is known as Alban Eiler and represents the warrior aspect of the sod. This gablint occurs in mid-March when night and day are of equal length. It is a celebration of balance -- not really Winter but not yet Spring, This froriVal is considered one of fertility, and is the second in the-trinity of Spring. Celebragons: Seeds are blessed for future plantings. Eggs are colored and placed on the altar as magickal-talismans. The familar Easter Bunny is a Pagan derivative, as are baskets of flowers. The colors light green, lemon yellow and pale pink am traditionalt for this holiday.

This is also the time to treat yourself to a new broom if you are a woman, and a staff if you are a man. Both must be ritually consecrated. The broom is used to sweep a rnagick circle clean, and is given a name as you would name a familiar, A naming ceremony can also be included in your Ostara festivities.

Twisted bread and sweet cakes are prepared to be served at dusk -- or better yet, prepare a family breakfast that coincides with sunrise on this day.

BELTANE

Also known as Mayday.. Watburga (Teutonic), Rudemas (Mexican Craft), Festival of Tana (Strega), and Bealtinne (Caledonii). Mayday is celebrated on the first day of May, while Beltane is reconized on the 5th of May. Most eelebrations mean the same thing. Beltane is the last of the, sprjng fertility festivals, and is when people, plants, and animals prepare for the warm months ahead. This is a time for: love, union, and of course, the Maypole. I always tie in this particular Sabbat to children and faeries. It is a time of, joining two halves to make a whole-- the third entity.

Ribbons of bright blue, lavender, warm pink, lemon yellow and white are nice representatives of the season; but the traditional colors for Mayday are red and white, repersenting the blood that flows from the woman when her purity is taken. Pick a particular tree in your Yard and adorn it with ribbons and bows. This particular holiday represents the Divine Union of the Lord and Lady.

House decorations on that day can include a large bowl of floating flowers and white floating candles. Baskets of fresh flowers picked moments before dawn can be hung on the front door, and the mantle can be laden with greens and flowers. Flower petals can be strewn about the circle and later swept into a pile and distributed around the perimeter of the house for protection.

Summer Solstice

Also known as Midsmnmer Night's Celebration, though the two do not always coincide on the astrological calendar. Pecti-Wita celebrates Feill-Sheathain on July 5th; the Caledonii Tradition hails in Alban Herin, celebrating the kingly aspect of the god,

This is the lensest day of the year. To me, this holiday represents the Sun King inall his glory. A celebration of passion and success. Some of the most powerful magick I have ever accomplished has been on this holiday. It is great for business needs or a situation where the power of male energy is needed. Sunflowers (provided you have planted therein the house in very early spring and put them out after the first frost) and any flowers ofred and maize yellow or gold are excellent altar decorations. A wreath can be made for your door with red feathers (for sexuality) and yellow feathers (for Prosperity) intertwined or braided with ivy. Altar candles should be of gold and red.

Money tree plants can be harvested and strung above the mantle for monetary wealth, or tied in a bunch with green ribbon, provided there has been an early planting season. If not, wait until mid-July for harvest.

Midsummer Night's Eve is also a time to commune with field and forest sprites and faeries.

Lammas

Also called Lughnassadh (Celtic), Cornucopia (Strega), and Thingtide (Teu-tonic). This is the first of the three harvest celebrations in the Craft. Lammas is celebrated on August 2nd, where Lughnassadh, a Celtic festival in honor of the Sun God, is held on the 7th. Both holidays represent the same idea. This Sabbat represents the beginning of the harvest cycle and rests on the early grain harvest as well as those fruits and Vegetables that are ready to be taken.

Bread is traditionally baked for this holiday, and the altar is decorated with the first fruits of garden labor. Cannin8 goes into full swing, and magickal cabinets are stocked with herbs before the onset of fall. Herbs for magickal use should be harvested this day. You may wish to empower some of them in your ritual.

Most of the flowers are gone; however, there are still some varieties available. An altar decorated with pots of yellow and red cockscomb is truly arresting as the tassel of the plant resembles a flame.

This is also the time to prepare your house for the fall season by replacing curtains, tablecloths, rugs, etc.

Autumn Equinox ....

Also referred to as Mabon (Celtic), Alban Elfed (Caledonii), and Winter Finding (Teutonic). Winter Finding spans from the Equinox itself until Winter Night (October 15), which is the Norse New Year. The Caledonii festival celebrates the Lord of Mysteries. This, the second harvest festival, is associated with the taking of the corn and other foods that are to be harvested at this time. Cornbread cakes and cider are an excellent addition to the festivities. The frost will hit soon, so the last of the herbs and other plants you wish to dry for winter use should be harvested now.

Depending on when the leaves turn in your area, you may wish to paraffin them and add them to your house decorations. Dip the leaves quickly in melted paraffin, and put them on wax paper. When the leaves are dry you can put them in a huge, decorative jar with a sigil of protection carved lightly on some or all of the leaves.

Colors used for candles should be brown, orange, gold or red. Altar cloths can be made of material with fall designs. River and stream stones gathered over the summer can be empowered for various purposes.

Samhain

Also known as Samhain (Celtic), Shadowfeat (Strega), Martinmas or Old Hallowmas (Scottish/Celtic), this holiday is considered the Witches' New Year, representing one full turn of the Seasonal year. This is the last of the three harvest Sabbats. Halloween is celebrated on October 31st, SAmhain is recognized as November 7th (All Hallows Eve), and Martinmas on November llth. All festivals stand for the same purpose.

I'll not kid you, Halloween is my favorite Sabbat. Celebrations to honor the dead are done at this ritual, along with speaking with those who have passed over; divination is heightened on this night.

It is said that on this night the veil between the worlds is weakest. Jack-o-lanterns, gourds, cider and other fares of the season can,be used in ritual and family celebration. Black. candles are used to ward off negativity.

I start preparing for Samhain in September. I hand-sew all the Children's costumes and decorations to be hung about the house. I begin putting these decorations out faithfully on the first of October. There are Witches plastered all over the front and sides of my house, and windsocks I have made for protection depicting Halloween scenes. I hang a pentacle wreath above my wall altar decorated with ravens, little brooms and orange feathers and ribbons.

Pots of large golden-yellow mums are placed about the house, and some of the rooms are repainted for the celebration, if it is necessary. I buy my new house broom now; it is always black. Close to Samhain, I tape a balloon on the top and stick the proverbial Witch's hat atop, and set it on my front stoop. I give this Witch a name and ask her to protect the house during our community mischief night. I started this little ritual because one year I had a skeleton on my one and only favorite rocking chair on our stoop. He.was covered in fake cobwebs and spiders, and lighted for the occasion. He really did look fine! Well -- too fine, I suppose, because after mischief night not only was my skeleton missing, but so was my rocking chair!

At dinner on Samhain our family sets an empty place for those who have departed who were dear to us. Since the passing of another family member last year, we have begun to set a separate table for them as they were crowding out the hungry living tummies at the main table.



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