                               FESTIVALS
                               ---------
   Within the Pagan community there are many holidays and Sabbats celebrated for various means, and not all celebrate each holiday/Sabbat in the same exact way or for the same reasons. The following is a general list of the Holidays most common between all the Sects within Neo-Paganisim.


YULE   (Winter Solstice, December 20-23 (varies according to the particular
        date on the standard calendar according to when the Solstice will
        occur astronomically)). Longest night of the year, the turning point 
        when the days shall afterwards grow longer as winter begins its passage 
        into the coming spring. It is, in the Goddess worship, the time when
        the she gives forth again to the birth of the Divine Sun child who shall
        be both child and eventually lover and father of the next child in the
        cycle. Winter Solstice for pagans is a time of feasting and the 
        exchanging of gifts and is the original Holiday that the Christian 
        religions modified into their own Christmas, even upto the birth of the 
        child (Most theologians who have spent time studying th birth of Jesus 
        admitt he was born in either March or April, not the celebrated 
        Christmas date we all know from the standard calendar - it was moved to 
        this date to help induce Pagans to give up their old ways yet allow them 
        their holidays during the spread of Christainity thru Europe and the 
        British Isles). Traditional adornements are a Yule Log, usually of oak, 
        and a combination of mistletoe and holly (also all later plagerized into 
        Christian ways).

CANDLEMAS (Brigid's Day, February 2nd) Not common to all pagans, this is very
        popular with Wiccans and various Celtic sects. Brigid is the Celtic 
        goddess of fire and inspiration (Poetry, smithcraft and healing) as well 
        as yet another representation of the Fertility of Femminity and Love. 
        Brigid had such a strong following amoung the Celtics that the Christian 
        church decided it was easier to assimulate her into their own system, 
        and so there came about the making of Saint Brigit and all the stories 
        they created about her so that her followers would leave their old 
        beliefs enough so they would not side with the Druids, who were known at 
        that time as 'the snakes' because of their tendancy to have tamed snakes 
        that were used to help produce various healing mixtures via their venom, 
        and who were violently opposing the Catholic church. In History, of 
        course, the druids lost against the overwhelming odds presented by the 
        church, led by a man who would then be himself sainted by the church, 
        their Saint Patrick (who was no clergyman but a warrior). Thus Christian 
        rule of various sorts came into Ireland. Handcrafts are often sacrificed 
        to Brigid or dedicated to her as they are started on this day. Its 
        celebration is done with many candles and as usual much feasting.
        The Christians also took, moved slightly and used thhis date by creating
        St. Valentine and using the day for one of chaste love reflections.

Eostar Ritual (Spring Equinox, March 20-23 dependant on actual astronomical 
        event) This is the start in the pagan year of spring, at least amoung
        Wiccans and Celtics. The first flowers are praised and the Gods and
        Goddesses thanked for the true return to happier times for all. Eostar
        is one of the more colorful holidays, not one of the sombre colors found 
        in Yule and Candlemass. Feasting and socializing are the important 
        factors in this holiday as well as the celebration of the return of 
        color to the natural world. In the Christian  calendar, again to draw
        early worshipers, they marked this as the final days and rebirth of 
        Jesus (when according to history he died in June!)

Beltane (May Eve, April 30th-May 1st) Most important to pagans, save for Sam 
        Hain, I don't know of any Pagan group that doesn't celebrate this 
        holiday in some way. Beltane is the great Fertility rite of life, 
        starting at dusk on the 30th and continuing until the dawn of the 1st. 
        The union of the God and Goddess to conceive the sun-child to be takes 
        place upon this holiday, no matter which tradition of paganisim is 
        involved. Beltane is the one holiday most discouraged by the Christians, 
        who didn't even use it as a point for a holiday of their own becuase the 
        power and nature of the day involved. Still, even in Christianized
        Ireland the May day dance of the Maypole remained, as did the giving of
        flowers to those you loved or cared for as friends. The Maypole is a
        symbol of the union of the God and Goddess to create life, the pole
        itself a phalic symbol while the dancers and their streamers or vines
        of flowers represent the fertile womb of the goddess as it takes in the
        Phalis of the god and takes in his seed. Besides the Maypole often
        a bonfire is present, and members of the group are encouraged to jump
        the flames for luck and their own fertility. Food, drink and love are
        the order of the evening. In most sects the celebration of Beltane will
        become one large orgy as the participants are encouraged to enact their
        own unions of love. Beltane is the time of many marriages/handfastings
        in the pagan community (in some it is the point where one chooses to
        begin and end relationships of a physical nature). Clothing is very
        optional in most get togethers on this holiday, and mostly it is
        sensual and colorful. Even those sects that are prudish about things
        tend to accept the rules of the holiday, as it is the holiday of free
        love. It is said that a child conceived on this day will grow up to
        weild great power and knowledge and to be healthier than upon any other.

Litha (Summer Solstice, June 20-23, dependant on actual astronomical event)
        Held on the longest day of the year, the Solstice is the celebration 
        of lights triumph over darkness and that of the bountiful beauty that
        light brings into life. Flowers are common in the circle, roses and
        bright cheerful wildflowers are upon the altar and usually worn by all.
        It is the changing point of the year, and the celebration of the spiral 
        dance of the year is common amoung Wiccans. It a celebration with much
        joy, and much feasting. Many wiccans will attire themselves in bright
        colours and equally bright adornements of flowers. Litha' usual food
        fare may include honeycakes or cornbread. Litha is not celebrated by 
        all sects nor in the same way.

Lughnasad (August 1st) The great corn ritual of Wiccan belief (in Celtic realms
        this is the celebration of the wheat god, corn is an Americanization
        and it is possible there is an American Indian traditional holiday near
        this date that was borrowed by the American Neopagans). THis is the big
        celebration of the harvest (Sort of a Pagan Thanksgiving, but the time
        clock is diffrent as is that of the Celtics). Much feasting and dancing
        occur, thou it is a bit more sombre than many of the other holidays.
        Some Pagans celebrate this day as mearly the day to bake their bread
        and cakes for the comming winter and do no actual rituals save that of
        blessing the foods prepared.

Mabon (Fall Equinox, Sept. 20-23, dependant on actual astronomical event)
        A lesser holiday, this is not widely celebrated and is most come with
        Pure wiccan groups, especially those who are based in the works of 
        Starhawk and other Dianic sects. This is the weavers festival, and a
        braiding of cords are done in the process of casting a spell to
        add to ones life from what it is, each person weaving unto themselves
        what they wish and the coven as a whole weaving all the cords together
        to unite the power and efforts symbolically.

SAMHAIN (Halloween Oct 31st) THe year ends traditionally in Wiccan beliefs with
        this holiday. Samhain is said to be the period of time when the gates
        between the worlds are least guarded and the veils their thinnnest. It
        is a time for dimensional openings and workings, and also the
        celebration of the death of the year king. It is a sombre holiday, one
        of dark clothes and thoughts for the dead, it is said to be the time
        when those of necromantic talents can speak with the dead and it is
        certainly a time to remmeber ones dead. It is a time of endings of
        relationships and bad situations and it is thbe time when one can see
        the glimmer of hope in the future. THere are as many concepts attached 
        to this holiday as any other.

        
 

 
 

