Cerridwynn's Celebration Page

The Witch's Wheel is the artwork Stardancer

We all have special days on which we feel we should celebrate for one reason or another. Witches are no exception. We celebrate on each full moon with a ritual called an esbat. Also, there are other magickal times and seasons. The Pagans of old celebrated the planting of the fields and prayed to the Goddess to make their crops grow and their marriages to be fruitful. In many cultures these events went hand in hand. The young people who had decided to unite in marriage during the year would wed on "Mayday." They believed if they consumated their union in the fields, the Goddess would look favorably on both the fertility of the couple and the crop. This holiday was generally celebrated on April 30th or Beltane. Later on this came to be celebrated as the "Mayfestival."

The virgin Goddess was the center of all springtime revelry and the mother Goddess governs the Summertime. The story of Persephone and her mother Demeter is a good example of the mythology which surrounded these ancient and universal beliefs. Persephone, the young daughter of Demeter loved to pick flowers in a meadow near the place where she lived. One day, Pluto, lord of the dead, saw her and instantly fell in love. He siezed her and carried her off to his subterranean kingdom. Her mother, Demeter, was so overcome with grief that she caused all things on Earth to stop growing. Zeus, in alarm, ordered Pluto to give back his bride to her mother for six months of every year. The grim lord obeyed and sent his queen back to the upper world. In jubilation at her daughter's return, Demeter allowed the Earth to, once again, flourish and in this wise the seasons were born. This lovely myth is repeated in one way or another in almost every tradition and still, to this day, we celebrate Mayday.

October 31~~Samhain or Halloween~~On the night of Samhain the fabric between this world and the world of the dead is at its thinnest. Pagans believe that if the soul of a departed loved one can be summoned, it will be on this night. Pagan festivals acknowledge death as part of life and revelers dressed up in death's head masks.
February 2~~Candlemas or Imbolc~~This holiday (also called Oimelc by some) is the recognition of the strengthening of the Sky Father, the Sun. The land comes back to life and the crops are planted.
April 30~~Beltane~~Spring now dawns in all its glory. Persephone comes home to her mother, Demeter. Pagans celebrate marriage and the growth of life with the May fetival and Maypole dances.
August 1~~Lammas or Lughnasadh (pronounced LoogNASsad)This Pagan holiday is like a sort of early Thanksgiving. It is the time of the corn harvest. Taking up that which has been planted and ritualistically giving thanks for the great bounty granted by the Goddess.

March 21~~Spring Equinox~~On this day, day and night are equal. The Sky Father grows powerful, once again, and the youthful God takes charge of the hunt. Dancing and celebration are common. Some dedicate this time to Eoster, the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Fertility.
June 21~~Midsummer (Summer Solstice)~~At Midsummer the Sky Father is at the height of his aspect. He (or a representative of Him) is crowned "Lord of the Light." The time of plenty is celebrated with dancing and feasting.
September 21~~Autumn Equinox~~Once again, day and night stand equal--a reminder of the longer, colder days to come. Persephone, once again, must return to Her subterranean domain. Pagans celebrate the aging God and Goddess and revere old age and its attendant wisdom.
December 21~~Yule~~The Winter Solstice, when the Sun God is reborn. The evergreen tree was brought in from the frozen forest and candles were lit to reaffirm the belief that life would remain true to its cycle and the earth would be green again shortly. ~~~~~***~~~~~
Upcoming Holidays:

Ostara / Spring Equinox
March 17th thru the 21st, 2001

Waning Moon
April 10th thru the 15th, 2001

Beltaine
April 27th thru May 2nd, 2001

Summer Soltice / Solar Eclipse
June 18th thru the 23rd, 2001

New Moon
July 17th thru the 23rd, 2001

Lammas
August 1st thru the 3rd, 2001

Mabon / Fall Equinox
September 20th thru the 23rd, 2001

*Warning - What you put out will come back to you threefold. Use your power wisely. If your intend to use this information for negative harm or evil, then this is NOT where you belong.

Though most witches worship the Goddess, she definitely has a male counterpart. He governs the yearly cycle and the Sabbats we mentioned. Usually witches worship the god, Pan. Sometimes he is called by another name such as Cerrnunos but still, it is the same goatfoot God. Pan is the God of the forest and is depicted below:

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