The sabbats are holidays celebrated throughout the year on solstices, equinoxes, and the midpoints between them. These sabbats form the Wheel of the year.
There is a controversy surrounding the dates of these holidays, as people celebrate them all over the earth, not only in the northen hemisphere but in the southern too.
One viewpoint is that the Sabbats should be celebrated as they were originally created to be… in other words, Samhain is October 31st, regardless of where you live. In the Southern Hemisphere, even though you are just gearing up to summer on October 31st, this perspective says that you celebrate the cleansing and releasing, the honouring of the dead just as you would if you lived in the Northern Hemisphere. The other viewpoint (the one I personally agree with) is that you should celebrate when you feel like the season corresponds with the holiday, in other words, your craft, your rules. So if you live in the southern hemisphere, you have the choice.
I’ll be writing the dates for each holiday starting with the northen hemisphere and then the dates that many people celebrate them in the southern hemisphere
{December 21st//June 21st}
Yule focuses on rebirth and renewal as the sun makes its way back to the earth. It’s all about new beginnings, reflection and embracing warmth. Much like Christmas, many celebrate with a feast, gift giving, being cosy and appreciating the good.
↟Nature: cedar, frankincense, myrrh, mistletoe, pine, birch, ivy.
↟Foods//flavours: ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, wintergreen, apple, dried fruit.
↟Stones: citrine, ruby, garnet, alexandrite, green tourmaline.
↟Activities: decorate your altar with incense associated with Yule, burn ash wood for prosperity, bake using Yule flavours like ginger or cinnamon, make wreathes to hang around the house, spend time with loved ones.
{February 1st//August 1st}
Imbolc focuses on celebrating the nature that is preparing to grow and renewal, also known as “candlemas” and the “Feast of Pan”.
↟Nature: basil, blackberry, heather, celandine, iris, wisteria, vanilla, bay, yellow and white flowers.
↟Foods//flavours: pumpkin and sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, peppers, onions, spices, and herbal teas.
↟Stones: amethyst, bloodstone, garnet, ruby, onyx.
↟Activities: decorate with candles and sun decorations, go hiking, have a bonfire, bake foods with poppy seeds, and burn any leftover winter herbs.
{March 21st//September 21st}
Ostara focuses on manifesting creativity and love. As the days become longer, energy becomes stronger.
↟Nature: ash, alder, daffodil, honeysuckle, narcissus, primrose, violet, jasmine.
↟Foods//flavours: olives, maple syrup, honey, edible flowers, chocolate, pine nuts, nettle or lavender tea, local fruits and vegetables.
↟Stones: amethyst, rose quartz, moonstone.
↟Activities: gardening and planting seeds, bake breads with olives or honey for example, start new projects, talk to plants, do some painting, decorate with wildflowers.
Beltane focuses on fertility, love and abundance. Also known as “may day”, on this sabbat many celebrate with dancing, bonfires and many high energy activities, including enjoying themselves sexually with a partner or even conceiving children.
↟Nature: frankincense, lilac, ivy, marigold, woods, rose, thyme, mint, yarrow.
↟Foods//flavours: oats, leafy greens, fruits, breads, honey.
↟Stones: malachite, amber, fire opal, red jasper.
↟Activities: dance, decorate with florals and symbols of the sea, go to the beach, go hiking, have a bonfire, feast on fruits, vegetables and grains, laugh and let your hair down. And if you’re trying to conceive or simply would like to have sex, Beltane is a wonderful time to do so.
{June 21st//December 21st}
Litha focuses on growth and celebrating the longest day of the year and the sun, before the shorter days begin.
↟Nature: fern, yarrow, sage, rose, oak, mugwort, lavender, chamomile, myrrh, pine.
↟Foods//flavours: herbed bread, honey, sunflower seeds, iced herbal tea, lemon, vanilla.
↟Stones: lapis lazuli, amethyst, malachite, tiger’s eye.
↟Activities: make or buy a sun catcher, surround yourself with warm tones, watch the sunrise and sunset, make sun water, spend time outdoors, make use of herbs.
{August 2nd//February 2nd}
Lammas, or lughnasadh focuses on celebrating the first of the three harvesting sabbats and taking time to really feel the positivity in different aspects of life.
↟Nature: cornstalks, heather, acacia flowers, hollyhock, oak leaves, wheat, myrtle, spices.
↟Food//flavours: grainy bread, corn, potatoes, nuts, blackberries, wine.
↟Stones: amber, agate, citrine, clear quartz, obsidian, tiger’s eye.
↟Activities: bake bread, make corn dolls, visit a sunflower field, spend time in nature, acknowledged what you are grateful for, journal.
{September 21st//March 21st}
Mabon focuses on honouring the change of the seasons, balance and peace.
↟Nature: sage, pine, marigold, thistle, acorns, milkweed, oak leaves, myrrh.
↟Food//flavours: cinnamon, nuts, beans, dark fruits, pies, soup, butterscotch.
↟Stones: citrine, carnelian, clear quartz, sapphire, yellow agate.
↟Activities: collect pine cones, donate food and old clothes, meditate, dry herbs, spend time with loved ones, speak to the nature around you.
{October 31st-November 1st//April 30th-May 1st}
Samhain focuses on celebrating life, and honouring those who are no longer with us.
↟Nature: heather, sage, pumpkins, straw, flax, patchouli, myrrh.
↟Foods//flavours: apples, cider, pumpkin, pies, soups, stews, potatoes, ginger.
↟Stones: amber, black obsidian, fossils, onyx, sandstone, bloodstones.
↟Activities: honour the deceased, spend time with family, make a hearty comforting meal, make or buy a scarecrow, spend time practicing divination.
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐚𝐭
↟Do a tarot reading relevant to that sabbat.
↟Spend time in the moonlight, charging your crystals and tarot cards, as well as meditating.
↟Bake something using at least one traditional food of that sabbat to share with others.
↟Cleanse your living space and any of your magickal items.
↟Write down how you’re feeling and how you’d like to feel in the weeks to come.
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