What are the Eight Wiccan Sabbats?
Witches Holidays Explained
The Wiccan Wheel of the Year consists of eight Wiccan sabbats known as Solstices, Equinoxes, and Earth Holidays (also known as Fire Festivals). Equinoxes and Solstices represent the four changes of the seasons, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Earth Holidays / Fire Festivals fall directly between each solstice and equinox, allowing balance during the seasonal transitions.
Keep in mind that the dates will change yearly, so a quick internet search of "Wheel of the year 20- - " will bring up the correct dates. You will also need to know what part of the world (hemisphere) you are in.
Samhain - Earth Holiday / Fire Festival October 31st Northern Hemisphere
April 31st Southern Hemisphere
Samhain (Sow-win) celebrates the end of Autumn, prompting you to prepare for Winter, and is a great time to take a moment to respect ancestors. Samhain is the Witch's New Year.
Common items used during this holiday are Autumn leaves, pumpkin seeds, apple seeds, and fruits to represent the fruit harvest. Offerings to deities and ancestors are often sweets.
Yule - Winter Solstice
December 22nd Northern Hemisphere
June 21st Southern Hemisphere
Yule marks the arrival of Winter, the shortest day of the year. Days get longer after this day, slowly awakening the Sun. For centuries Winter Solstice celebrated Yule by surrounding one's selves with light and life.
Common items used during this holiday are evergreens, ribbons, wood/bark shavings, seeds and herbs to plant, a Yule log, or ashes from last year's log.
Imbolc - Earth Holiday / Fire Festival
February 1st Northern Hemisphere
August 1st Southern Hemisphere
Imbolc is celebrating the midpoint between Winter and Spring, rebirth, and darkness leaving. This is a fantastic time for a mental spring cleaning, blessing your home, and preparing for springtime.
Common items used during this holiday are a Bridgett's Cross, corn dollies, milk, dairy of any kind, fire, bay leaves, sunflower seeds, and white feathers.
Ostara - Spring Equinox
March 21st Northern Hemisphere
September 21st Southern Hemisphere
Ostara hosts a day of the perfect balance between day and night. Spring has awoken, time to celebrate revival, fertility, and new life. This is a great holiday to focus on family and the love you wish to share with them.
Common items used during this holiday are eggs, rabbits, spring flowers, robin egg shells, clover, mint, willow, and pastel colors.
Beltane - Earth Holiday / Fire Festival
May 1st Northern Hemisphere
October 31st Southern Hemisphere
Beltane is the time to mark the vitality of the earth and the Sun. The days are longer and this is a celebration of love. This is a fantastic day to collect dew first thing in the morning for future spells. Handfasting, conception, and protection spells are practiced during this celebration.
Common items used during this holiday are antlers, ribbons, maypole, fresh flowers, fire, and the colors red, yellow, green, white, and silver.
Litha - Summer Solstice
June 21st Northern Hemisphere
December 21st Southern Hemisphere
Litha is the celebration of the arrival of Summer, the longest day of the year. This is a perfect day to celebrate abundance and plan for the future.
Common items used during this holiday are fresh flowers, the Sun, stones, yellow and orange fruits to represent the Sun, and morning dew.
Lammas - Earth Holiday / Fire Festival
August 1st Northern Hemisphere
February 2nd Southern Hemisphere
Lammas is a time of gratitude and reflection. This celebration marks the middle of summer and the years first harvest. Celebrations are focused on harvest and abundance.
Common items used during this holiday are fresh flowers, harvest veggies, creek stones, seeds to sew, corn husks, and bread.
Mabon - Fall Equinox
September 21st Northern Hemisphere
March 21st Southern Hemisphere
Mabon is a celebration of the arrival of Autumn when day and night are equal. Reflections on an abundant final harvest and good fortune are honored during this time. Offerings of gratitude using fruit wines and rosemary are welcomed. This is also a good time to tie up all loose ends for the year.
Common items used during this holiday are harvested fruits, corn dollies, rosemary, and baking or cooking a special meal.
Having eight celebrations a year is exciting and fun. However, it can also be overwhelming to try to keep up. It is not required to celebrate any or all of the sabbats. Magick is intentional, not a strict belief system.
If you don't want to celebrate any holidays, that's okay! Do you only feel the need to celebrate a few sabbats per year, fine! If you want to be traditional and honor every sabbat, more power to you! This is your craft, claim it.
-Have a blessed journey!
This information was gathered by LittleTree of the Blue Witch Coven. -2022
About the Creator
LittleTree Oppy
Strong Educated Independent Woman. Mom, Wife, Sister, Aunt, Neice, Tree Hugging Hippy, Animal Lover, Environmental Activist, Gardener, Artist, Writer, Spreader of Joy.
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