Oct 31 · Historical · Gaelic
Samhain
Colors: Black, deep orange, purple, silver
Gather
- A black or white candle and a heat-safe holder
- Photos or written names of the people and animals you are remembering
- A small bowl of salt
- An apple, a pomegranate, or a small squash
- Dried leaves and a few acorn caps (for looks only)
- A mirror, or a dark bowl of water
- Paper and a pen
- A plate and a cup for an extra place at your table
Set the altar
- Clear the surface and wipe it down.
- Put the photos and names at the center, with the candle just behind them.
- Apple or pomegranate on the left, salt on the right, mirror or water in front.
- Set the extra plate and cup where you will eat.
Safety, for people and pets
- Use a heat-safe holder, keep flames away from curtains and tails, and never leave a candle burning unattended.
- Pets: chocolate, xylitol candy, raisins, grapes, and acorns can poison dogs. Keep wax, flame, and smoke away from curious pets, and out of any room with birds.
After
- Snuff the candle and let the holder cool.
- Compost the fruit and return the leaves outdoors.
- Write down who you remembered and what came up.
Winter solstice · Historical · Germanic
Yule
Colors: Green, red, white, gold
Gather
- Evergreen boughs: pine, fir, or spruce
- One candle for each person at your table, or one large candle
- Kindling or a log, if you have a safe fireplace or fire pit
- Oranges studded with cloves, or dried orange slices
- A bowl of nuts in their shells
- A small gift to give away
- A cloth in red or green
- Something gold or bright for the returning light
Set the altar
- Spread the cloth over a cleared surface.
- Lay the boughs around the edges.
- Put the candles in the middle, unlit until dark.
- Set the oranges and nuts in a bowl, with the gift beside it.
Safety, for people and pets
- Keep real flames well away from dry evergreen boughs.
- Pets: holly, mistletoe, and ivy are toxic to dogs and cats, tinsel and ribbon are swallowing hazards for cats, and fir or pine needles and tree water can upset stomachs.
After
- Wait until the candles are fully out before moving anything.
- Recycle or compost the boughs.
- Keep one candle stub for next year.
Feb 1 · Historical · Gaelic
Imbolc
Colors: White, pale yellow, light green
Gather
- One or more white candles
- Seeds in a small dish
- A cloth or ribbon in white or pale green
- A bell, if you have one
- A bowl of clean water
- A broom or a cloth for cleaning
- A few early twigs or bulbs, if you like
- Paper and a pen for what you plan to begin
Set the altar
- Clean the altar and one small corner of the room first.
- Lay the cloth and put the candles in the center.
- Seeds and the bowl of water in front.
- Bell to one side.
Safety, for people and pets
- Use a heat-safe holder and stay in the room while a candle burns.
- Pets: snowdrops, daffodils, and tulip bulbs are toxic to dogs and cats. Keep them out of reach, or skip them.
After
- Keep the seeds for Ostara.
- Pour the water onto a plant.
- Write down one thing you will begin.
Spring equinox · Modern pagan name
Ostara
Colors: Soft pastels, fresh green, yellow
Gather
- A bowl of seeds and a small pot of soil
- A few eggs, boiled and decorated, or blown and painted
- Violets or pansies
- A green or yellow candle
- A jar of water
- A budding twig in a vase
- One pale candle and one dark candle, for the balance of light and dark
- Paper and a pen
Set the altar
- Clear the surface and put the pot of soil in the center.
- Eggs and flowers around it.
- Pale candle on the left, dark candle on the right.
- Seeds in front.
Safety, for people and pets
- Lilies, including Easter lilies, can be deadly to cats even in small amounts, and tulip and daffodil bulbs are toxic to dogs and cats. Choose violets or pansies.
- Chocolate eggs, foil, and plastic grass are hazards for dogs and cats.
After
- Plant the seeds this week.
- Compost the flowers and eggshells.
- Write down what you want to wake up in you.
May 1 · Historical · Gaelic
Beltane
Colors: Green, red, white, yellow
Gather
- Fresh flowers: roses, sunflowers, snapdragons, or pansies
- A green or red candle
- Ribbons in red and white, or green and gold
- A small bell
- Strawberries, honey bread, or another sweet thing
- A cup of something you love to drink
- A small hoop or circle of twigs
- Paper and a pen for what you want to grow
Set the altar
- Lay a cloth and put the flowers at the back.
- Candle in the center, ribbons draped around it.
- Sweet food and your cup in front.
- Bell at your right hand.
Safety, for people and pets
- Many spring bouquets include lilies, which can be deadly to cats. Ask the florist, or stick to roses, sunflowers, snapdragons, and pansies.
- Pets: alcohol is toxic to pets, grapes and raisins to dogs, and ribbon is a swallowing hazard. Use a heat-safe holder and stay with the candle.
After
- Let the candle burn out safely or snuff it.
- Put petals outside or in the compost.
- Write down what you hope will have grown by Litha.
Summer solstice · Modern pagan name
Litha
Colors: Gold, yellow, orange, bright green
Gather
- A gold or yellow candle
- A bowl of water to leave in the sun
- Fresh herbs at their peak: lavender, chamomile, mint, or rosemary
- Sunflowers
- Something sun-shaped: a gold coin, a shell, a slice of orange
- Fruit in season, such as berries or peaches
- A jar for sun tea, or string to hang herbs
- Paper and a pen for what the sun has ripened
Set the altar
- Set the altar outdoors or by a sunny window if you can.
- Candle in the middle, herbs and fruit around it.
- Bowl of water in direct sun until noon.
- The sun symbol in front.
Safety, for people and pets
- Outdoor flames: check your local fire rules, keep water close, and never leave them.
- Pets: foxglove and oleander are toxic, and essential oils or diffused herbs can harm cats and birds. Keep fresh herbs out of reach.
After
- Use the sun water on plants.
- Hang the herbs to dry.
- Write down what the sun ripened this year.
Aug 1 · Historical · Gaelic
Lughnasadh
Colors: Gold, orange, brown, deep green
Gather
- A loaf of bread, baked or bought
- A bundle of wheat, dried grasses, or a corn husk
- A candle in gold or brown
- Early apples or berries
- A small tool or finished project you are proud of
- A board and knife for the bread
- A dish of salt
- Paper and a pen for early wins
Set the altar
- Lay a cloth and put the bread on its board in the center.
- Grain bundle behind, candle beside it.
- Fruit around the bread, with your proud object to one side.
- Salt at the front.
Safety, for people and pets
- Raw bread dough is dangerous to dogs, grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs, and corn cobs can block a dog's gut.
- Use a heat-safe holder and stay in the room while the candle burns.
After
- Share the first slice with someone, then eat or freeze the rest.
- Compost the fruit.
- Write down your early wins.
Autumn equinox · Modern pagan name
Mabon
Colors: Deep red, orange, brown, gold, purple
Gather
- Apples, pears, or figs
- A basket or bowl filled to overflowing
- Acorns, pinecones, and dried leaves (for looks only)
- A candle in an autumn color
- Two small bowls or a balance, for light and dark in equal measure
- A jar for harvest notes
- Cider or a warm drink
- Paper and a pen
Set the altar
- Lay a cloth and put the basket or bowl in the center.
- A candle or bowl on each side for the balance.
- Acorns, cones, and leaves around the base.
- Jar and pen in front.
Safety, for people and pets
- Acorns, grapes, and raisins are toxic to dogs. Keep fall decor out of reach.
- Use a heat-safe holder and stay in the room while a candle burns.
After
- Read your harvest notes out loud once.
- Compost the fruit and return acorns outdoors.
- Keep the jar for next year.
