Celtic festivals and the traditions of our ancestors are deeply rooted in reverence for nature. The changing of the seasons were once magical turning points discover Celtic wisdom for yourself and reconnect with the natural world!
Our ancestors lived in close connection with nature, following its rhythm and eternal cycle with deep reverence. Observing the changing of the seasons, they divided the year into four parts: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The four major pillars of the year were the two equinoxes and the two solstices. According to their beliefs, these turning points and cosmic thresholds held magical powers, and were treated with special respect and attention. They primarily offered sacrificial rituals to the gods, celebrated with ritual dances, and sought connection with magical forces and their deities.
Samhain – The Celtic New Year, a celebration of death, ancestors, the spirit world, and the Witches’ New Year (November 1)
Yule / Midwinter – The rebirth of the Sun God, a festival of light and darkness (Winter Solstice)
Imbolc – Celebration of the growing light, purification, and awakening (February 1)
Ostara – Celebration of awakening nature, fertility, and spring (Spring Equinox)
Beltane – A festival of blooming, love, and the sacred union (May 1)
Litha / Midsummer – The sacred union of the Sun God and Mother Earth; a time of warmth, abundance, kindness, and fire (Summer Solstice)
Lammas / Lughnasadh – The first harvest, celebration of grain, reaping, new bread, and gratitude (August 1)
Mabon – A time of harvest, gathering, contentment after summer’s work, and a period of harmony and balance (Autumn Equinox)
Meaning: “End of Summer”
In the old Celtic agrarian calendar, Samhain marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter. The Celts divided the year into two seasons: winter, which began on the evening of Samhain (October 31), and summer, which started on the evening of Beltane (May 1). Samhain was considered the most important festival of the Celtic calendar. Other names include Halloween, All Saints’ Day, and the Festival of the Dead.
Samhain signifies the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. According to Celtic belief, on this night the boundary between the physical world and the spirit world becomes thin, allowing for easy passage between the two. It was believed that the spirits of the dead could return to visit the living, so they were honored with special attention—guests at the table, with a place set just for them, especially those who had passed away in the last year. This custom is known as the “Dumb Supper.”
According to Irish tradition, both kind and mischievous spirits would emerge from the underworld on this night. To ward off harmful entities, people placed carved jack-o’-lanterns with lit candles in windows and doorways. Wearing costumes also served as protection—particularly in Anglo-Saxon countries where Halloween is celebrated with both children and adults dressing up to scare away evil spirits.
Samhain is associated with numerous rituals and divinations, as it is considered the most magical night of the year in Pagan Celtic tradition. Families would gather around hearth fires or bonfires, telling ghost stories and sharing memories. Seances, Tarot readings, and rune casting were also common practices. Most Samhain divinations centered around future blessings and marriage prospects. According to tradition, on the night of October 31, one should whisper their wishes while looking into a mirror.
One of Samhain’s key symbols is the apple, a sacred fruit associated with fertility and life, and linked to deities like Venus, Aphrodite, and Iduna. The pomegranate, on the other hand, symbolizes the underworld, as the myth of Persephone tells—she became queen of the underworld after eating its seeds offered by Hades.
A few apple divinations for Samhain night include: the first person to bite into an apple will be the first to marry in the coming year. Another tradition says that if you peel a flawless red apple in one long continuous strip, then toss the peel over your left shoulder using your right hand, the shape it forms on the ground will resemble the initial of your true love.
In Scotland, people traditionally placed stones in the fire during Samhain. If a stone turned dark or cracked by morning, it foretold death in the coming year. Finding a footprint in the hearth’s ashes the next morning meant someone from the household would pass away—specifically the one whose foot matched the imprint.
Ultimately, the true meaning of Samhain lies in reconnecting with the dead, honoring their memory and love, and gently releasing them in peace, while also welcoming the future. It is a sacred time to reflect on those who have passed in the previous year—offering them hospitality in spirit, showing reverence, and letting go so they may rest while we focus on what is to come.
The jack-o’-lantern remains Samhain’s most iconic symbol. Traditionally, it was forbidden to travel far on this night, but those who had to venture out carried a lantern to protect themselves from malevolent spirits.
Meaning: “Wheel,” “Infant,” or “Young Child”
Yule, also known as Midwinter, is a Lesser Sabbat that celebrates the Winter Solstice—the return of the Sun. It marks the longest night of the year, after which the days gradually begin to lengthen. Light is reborn and gains strength with each passing day. In the eternal battle between light and darkness, Yule symbolizes the triumph of light. The Wheel of the Year turns from decline toward fullness, bringing the promise of brighter days. Yule honors the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
Midwinter is the counterpoint to Midsummer. While Midsummer is the peak of light, clarity, and full solar power—when the Sun God (Sunna) reveals all—Midwinter is a time of darkness, stillness, and gratitude. During the long, cold winter nights, snow and ice cloak all things in mystery. On this sacred “Mother’s Night,” the northern traditions begin the Yuletide, a twelve-night celebration from December 20 to December 31, each night representing the end of the old year and nurturing the birth of the new one.
Yule reminds us that the new always follows the old, that life is an unending, self-renewing cycle.
Yule may be the easiest Sabbat to celebrate, as many of its ancient customs are still observed today—often without people realizing their Pagan roots. If you’ve ever decorated a tree, sung carols, baked gingerbread, or sipped mulled wine or punch during the winter season, you’ve already practiced old Yule traditions.
One of the most powerful rituals is the creation of the Yule Log—a large wooden log decorated with evergreen branches, candles, and seasonal fruits or nuts, typically prepared a few weeks before the Solstice. On the night of Yule, a portion of the log is burned in the hearth, and each subsequent night, another piece is burned, until the twelfth night—this completes the Twelve Days of Christmas. It was believed that burning the Yule log drove away the spirits of winter and even warded off death.
Other well-known Yule customs include kissing under the mistletoe and the exchange of gifts, symbols of love, light, and rebirth during the darkest time of year.
Meaning: “Ewe’s Milk”
Imbolc, known as Oimealg in Druid tradition, is the festival of lactating sheep. It marks the birth of the first lambs of the year and the flowing of life-giving milk into the ewes’ udders. Imbolc signals the end of winter and the beginning of a new agricultural cycle. As the first fire festival of the year, it celebrates early spring, a time when daylight begins to noticeably lengthen. While Yule is about rest and regeneration, Imbolc stirs with the first signs of awakening from winter’s slumber.
Often associated with the Virgin archetype, Imbolc is a time to prepare for renewal and growth. Traditional practices include cleaning the hearth and lighting a new fire to symbolize a fresh start. A broom placed by the front door represents sweeping away the old and welcoming the new. Candles are lit in every room to honor the rebirth of the Sun.
The plow is a key Imbolc symbol. In some regions, this day marks the first plowing of the season. Decorated plows are pulled from house to house by costumed children asking for food, drink, or money. If turned away, they symbolically plow the front yard. Pieces of bread and cheese are buried in the freshly turned soil as offerings to nature spirits.
It is strictly forbidden to cut or break plants during Imbolc, reminding us to observe nature with childlike wonder and reverence. This Sabbat invites us to reconnect deeply with the cycles of nature and signals the time for new beginnings and fresh opportunities.
As the first of the three spring Sabbats, Imbolc is linked to purity and cleansing. Perform a ritual deep-clean of your home to clear out stagnant energy, release anything that no longer serves you, and burn sacred herbs such as myrrh, lavender, frankincense, jasmine, or camphor for energetic purification.
Imbolc is also the first of the four fire festivals. If you can, light a bonfire to greet the returning sun. If a large fire isn’t possible, lighting a single red candle can symbolically welcome the growing light and shorter nights. Use salt lamps and red-toned lighting to bring the spirit of Imbolc into your home.
If you have a garden, plant seeds or start seedlings—both literally and symbolically, as a gesture of trust in the new season’s potential.
Meaning: To shine, to illuminate
Ostara is the festival of trees and the Spring Equinox, marking the first true day of spring, usually falling between March 19 and 21. On this day, day and night are of equal length, a celestial balance that was recognized and honored by many ancient cultures. It celebrates the Earth’s awakening from winter slumber and her renewed fertility—the time for planting seeds, both literal and symbolic. What begins to stir now will bear fruit later.
This Sabbat is associated with the Saxon fertility goddess Eostre and the Germanic Ostara, both of whom embody the themes of rebirth, growth, and light.
Ostara is a celebration of balance—not just between light and dark, but between feminine and masculine energies, seen and unseen forces, and the natural harmony of all elements. Neither force dominates; they coexist in perfect equilibrium.
In some Wiccan traditions, Ostara honors the Green Goddess and the Lord of the Greenwood, both symbols of spring’s fresh vitality. The Christian equivalent is Easter, which falls on the first Sunday after the full moon following the Spring Equinox. Easter commemorates Christ’s resurrection and includes 40 days of Lent and the Holy Week. Decorating and gifting painted eggs, a widely observed Easter tradition, beautifully echoes Ostara’s fertility symbolism.
Ways to celebrate Ostara:
Meditate with your hands or body touching the earth
Decorate your home with spring flowers
Take a walk in nature, listening deeply to the sounds of rebirth
Outdoor meditation is especially grounding and renewing during this time
Ostara Crystals: Kyanite, Jade, Bloodstone (Heliotrope), Carnelian, Onyx, Lapis Lazuli, Amethyst
Meaning: Month of May
Beltane, widely celebrated around the world today as May Day, marks the peak of spring and the beginning of summer. It is a festival of fire, fertility, sensuality, and creation, symbolized by the Maypole—a representation of union, growth, and joyful energy. In the Middle Ages, the Church attempted to Christianize this symbol by replacing the Maypole with a crucifix, leading to the name Feast of the Cross in some traditions.
Beltane is when nature’s fertility is at its height: blossoms burst, buds bloom, and life flourishes all around. It’s a time of music, dance, celebration, laughter, and sensual delight—everyone feels lighter and more free as the easier half of the year begins.
The origins of Beltane are linked to the Middle Eastern god Baal, and the festival itself comes from the Celtic or Druidic fire festivals, held to honor the union of the Goddess and the Horned God, symbolizing creation and the fertility of the land. In ancient times, sheep were sacrificed in the sacred fires to ensure prosperity.
Today, Beltane is a celebration of creativity and manifestation. This potent energy can be channeled into any area of your life by attuning to nature’s abundant force.
Here are some modern ways to honor Beltane:
Decorate your home with flowers, wreaths, and garlands
Make a floral crown from primrose, dandelion, tulip, or rowan
Wash your face in the morning dew for youth and beauty
Hold a fertility ritual to honor divine femininity and new life
Beltane Crystals: Malachite, Tiger’s Eye, Carnelian, Bloodstone (Heliotrope), Rose Quartz
Meaning: The months of June–July
Litha, also known as Midsummer or the Summer Solstice, is celebrated on the longest day of the year—between June 20–23 in the Northern Hemisphere and December 20–23 in the Southern Hemisphere. On this day, nature is at the peak of her power, light, and abundance. After the solstice, the days gradually shorten until the cycle shifts again at Yule. Litha marks a cosmic turning point—a mystical moment perfect for setting intentions, casting wishes, and embracing transformation.
At Beltane, the Goddess and God united; now, on Litha, the Goddess transitions into the Mother aspect, pregnant with new life, while the God begins his symbolic journey toward death. It’s a time of blossoming, nurturing, and deep connection with the Earth’s full creative force.
To honor Litha:
Perform a fire ritual to connect with the elemental power of the sun
Light a yellow candle at sunrise to greet the Solstice
Harvest wild herbs, believed to hold potent energy on this day
Watch the sunrise and sunset, sipping Sun Tea as a sacred offering to the light
This sabbat invites joy, gratitude, and alignment with the rhythm of nature’s expansion and contraction.
Litha Crystals: Carnelian, Citrine, Sunstone, Tiger’s Eye, Amber, Peridot, Rose Quartz
Meaning: Festival of Lugh
Lammas marks the beginning of the final quarter in the Celtic Wheel of the Year and is the first of the three harvest festivals, followed by Mabon and Samhain. Celebrated on August 1 in the Northern Hemisphere and February 1 in the Southern, this sabbat signals the gradual shortening of days as we move toward the autumn equinox.
The word Lammas comes from the Old English “loaf-mass,” highlighting the festival’s deep ties to bread, grain, and the harvest. In ancient cultures, grain symbolized the life-death-rebirth cycle, making Lammas both a celebration and a spiritual turning point.
In Greek mythology, this season begins Demeter’s sorrowful search for Persephone, abducted by Hades. In Celtic tradition, the god Lugh is honored on this day—but also mourned, as he symbolically dies at Lammas. The Goddess, in her Mother and Harvest aspect, prepares for the final phase of her pregnancy. Her golden glow fills the land, reminding us that every moment is just one part of life’s eternal cycle.
Ways to celebrate Lammas:
Bake homemade bread or apple pie, carving in harvest symbols
Decorate your altar with seeds, nuts, sunflowers, yellow candles, and symbols of gratitude
Keep a gratitude journal, or do a meditation focused on thankfulness
Honor the Goddess as Harvest Mother and the God as the Sacrificed King
Lammas Crystals: Clear Quartz, Citrine, Topaz, Carnelian, Onyx, Moss Agate, Obsidian, Aventurine
Meaning: Connection with Nature and Community
Mabon is the Autumn Equinox festival, a time to pause, reflect on the recent past, and share joy with family and friends. The equinox opens a window to both the past and the future.
On Mabon, day and night are equal in length, marking the second harvest of the year. The signs of autumn become clear: leaves change color, air turns cooler, and mornings are crisp. Nature begins to quiet down. Mabon reminds us to seek balance between work and rest, striving for harmony even during the busiest times.
The goddess of Mabon is Mokosh, from Slavic tradition, embodying fertility, abundance, and maternal love. She symbolizes not only the earth’s fertility but also the fertility of mind and spirit, encouraging us to balance the outer and inner worlds.
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Ancestors celebrated Mabon by giving thanks for the harvest, lighting fires, releasing unwanted feelings, and sharing communal meals to honor abundance. On Mabon, enjoy rosehip tea and take a walk in nature, ideally in a forest or near a spring. Make incense from cinnamon, cedar, pine, and sandalwood to cleanse your home. Use herbs like bay leaf, yarrow, rosemary, chamomile, and juniper—you can create herbal bath salts from them.
Mabon is perfect for gathering with loved ones—organize a shared meal where everyone brings a dish to share. Discuss experiences from recent months and reflect together.
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