#witchy holiday

[spicylove4ever]

Happy Lughnasadh, ancient festival of Middsummer!

[ivyodessa]

Blessed Lammas/Lughnasadh 🪻🥖🌻

[hearthandheathenry]

All About Imbolc

Imbolc, also known as Imbolg, celebrated on February 1st, marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox in early Ireland and Scotland, and also signified the beginning of the first signs of spring after all the harsh winter days. Originally a pagan holdiay in pre-Christian times, there is little in writing about the historic traditions and customs, although many historians believe it revolved around the Celtic Goddess Brigid, lambing season, and cleansing due to observed ancient poetry.

Brigid is a Goddess and daughter of the father-God of Ireland, Dagda. She is associated with quite a few things depending on the sources, but universally associated with wisdom and poetry. Other associations of hers are blacksmithing, protection, domesticated animals, childbirth, fire, and healing. She was also known as a protector of the home and the family.

Once Christianity arose, it is believed that the Goddess was syncretized with the Irish Saint Brigid by Christian monks due to the many overlapping associations. This caused Imbolc to quickly turn into St. Brigids Day and the next day into Candlemas with the rising Christian popularity, enmeshing the holiday associations together.

Today, many people have mixed the traditions and melded many associations from both religious and cultural history to celebrate their own unique way. Common ways to celebrate are making a Brigid's Cross, welcoming Brigid into the home, having a feast in her honor, cleaning the home and oneself, visiting a holy well, and in some parts of the world they still hold festivals and processions carrying a representation of Brigid. Many pagans nowadays are using associations of hers and their connection with nature to create their own ways to celebrate, however, and you can absolutely celebrate however you feel called to do so.

Imbolc Associations:

Colors - white, gold or yellow, green, and blue

Food - milk, butter, cheese, seeds and grains, breads, herbs, blackberries, oat porridge, wild onion and garlic, honey

Animals - sheep and lambs, swans, cows, burrowing and hibernating animals

Items - candles, corn dolls, Brigid's cross, fires, snowdrops and white flowers, crocuses and daffodils, flower crowns

Crystals - amethyst, garnet, ruby, quartz, bloodstone

Other - lactation, birth, feasting, farm preparation, cleansing and cleaning, the sun, poetry and creative endevours, smithing, water

Ways To Celebrate Imbolc:

make a Brigid's cross

light candles

have a feast

bake bread

plan your spring garden

leave an offering for Brigid

make a corn doll

craft a flower crown

clean your home

take a cleansing bath

make something out of metal

have a bonfire

look for the first signs of spring

make your own butter or cheese

do divination work and seek wisdom

write a poem

[snootyfoxfashion]

Witchy Holiday Cards & Art by DuchessofLore

x / x / x / x / x x / x / x / x / x

[breelandwalker]

Happy Turning Day!

This is the movable holiday in my personal calendar when the approach of autumn is celebrated. Turning Day marks the day when reddening maple leaves are first observed prior to the autumn solstice. In my area, this typically happens in early September.

Maple trees tend to be the first trees to display seasonal changes. They blossom in late winter/early spring, their seeds begin to drop in early summer, they often show the first signs of color change in early autumn, and their sap runs in winter the minute the weather starts to turn toward spring thaw. Thus I look to them in my practice as harbingers of change and the cycles of life, growth, and harvest.

Other personal holidays in my calendar include:

First Robin Day - the day on which the first wild robin is seen following the winter solstice, heralding the spring

First Flowers Day - the day on which early blooms are first observed in local gardens before the spring solstice

Planting Day - the day on which I plant my first round of seeds for the year

Dandelion Day - the day on which the first yellow dandelion appears in my yard in springtime, heralding the summer

Falling Flowers - the period during which blossoms from cherry or myrtle trees start to come loose and drift on the wind or collect in piles

Spirit Day - the day on which the local Spirit Halloween opens

First Frost - the day on which frost is first observed on windows ahead of the winter solstice

(Due to climate change and my local climate zone being different from the one I was raised in, seasonal changes are a bit off-kilter and solstices and equinoxes don't always directly align with the type of weather I grew up knowing. So watching for these little signs helps me to celebrate those changes and have something to look forward to.)

Note: This is my UPG (Unshared Personal Gnosis) and thus is not subject to peer review or approval, nor do I expect it to fit perfectly into or account for the beliefs of others. That being said, the creation of personal holidays and observances is a practice as old as humanity and I happily encourage others to try out the idea themselves if they feel so inclined.

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. You can also check out my show Hex Positive on the Nerd & Tie Podcast Network and wherever fine podcasts are heard. 😊)

[tears-of-amber]

Witchy Ways To Navigate This Holiday Season

(Regardless of what you celebrate, it’s highly likely that you’ll be meeting with or engaging in some sort of holiday sometime during the year, so you might find this helpful. Reconnecting with family and friends can be a joy, but can also be draining for people who are easily overwhelmed by other people’s energies). THESE IDEAS ARE CUSTOMIZABLE BUT ARE INFLUENCED BY MY PERSONAL BELIEFS.

🌲Enchant your perfume or cologne with a specific intention. (Example: Ward off uncomfortable conversation, ward off nerves, energize your social battery).

🌲When choosing what to wear, include a necklace, jewelry item, or accessories (such as a tie) that you consider protective of your energy. For me, I wear a pentacle bracelet, but for you it might be something different. You can even ask spirits or deities you work with to charge it overnight on the night before with protection.

🌲I like to draw the rune Wunjo or the rune Gebo on every present I gift with invisible ink or just trace it with my finger, so it brings joy to the person receiving it! You could draw a symbol that represents joy in a similar fashion!

🌲Knot magic is an easy way to incorporate love into the gift exchanging. Tie your presents you’re giving with decorative ribbons and charge each one with love or chant over it this short chant “With love I tie thee, may all be merry!”

🌲If you’re making a special drink (hot-chocolate, mulled wine, etc) be mindful of the energy you put into it while stirring it. You can invite or banish (you’ve probably heard that stirring clockwise is inviting energy and stirring counterclockwise is banishing). But you can also stir simple sigils of calm and peace into it!

🌲If you’re into using crystals, I recommend these crystals for navigating the holiday season:

-Strawberry quartz (for enjoyment and extra enthusiasm)

-Smoky Quartz (for gentle protection and comfort)

-Howlite (for calming during chaos and being present)

-Opal (both non precious and precious, for inspiring generosity and equal exchange of energy)

[the-fae-can-have-me]

Yule

[sunnys-aesthetic]

doodles i forgot to post whoopsie

[notdelusionalatall]

Have a blessed Autumnal Equinox 🌰🍁🍂🍎

[the-paganwitch]

(Edit added below)

Is there anyone interested in a witchcraft newsletter or something of the like? I'm thinking about maybe starting a once a month newsletter that goes over the moon cycles of said month, correspondences, witchy holidays/days of observation, etc. Maybe even adding a section on crystals or herbs, interviews with other witchy creators. I've got a good amount of spare time on my hands, so it might be pretty fun. I do also want to add beginner friendly sections with tips and tricks for newbies. Let me know if anyone is interested

[blxkstar]

𝔉𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔥𝔞𝔰 𝔞𝔯𝔯𝔦𝔳𝔢𝔡

I have made a playlist for all your witchy, spooky, cozy, or crafty fall activities. Hope you like it, please check it out! 🍁🍂🎃

ℑ𝔫 𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔶 𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔣, 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢'𝔰 𝔞 𝔴𝔥𝔦𝔰𝔭𝔢𝔯 𝔬𝔣 𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔲𝔪𝔫'𝔰 𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔠

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

[ivyodessa]

Blessed Beltane 🏵️🌱🌼

[hearthandheathenry]

All About Litha

Litha is the modern name given to the Wiccan and pagan holiday for the summer solstice, a.k.a. the longest day of the year. In 2024, the holiday falls on June 20th for the northern hemisphere. Generally, the intense power and energy of the sun is celebrated by those wishing to participate, and many celebrations revolve around fire and light and other symbolic things representing the sun.

Historically, the actual word "Litha" was associated with the June and July months in the Anglo-Saxon communities in Europe, as written by Venerable Bede from the 8th century. However, different cultures and regions have their own names for midsummer or solstice festivals, and Litha is a modern name and version adopted by new-age Wicca and modern Druidry. Some Wiccans and pagans will use the name "Midsummer" for the holiday, though, as that name signifies the many solstice traditions held in Europe as a whole and has a more ancient history in texts. Since their new-age holiday enmeshes many traditions together, Midsummer makes sense as an alternative name.

Because Litha was created by Wiccans, which is a new-age practice, they have adopted different solstice traditions from more ancient pagan religions that aligns with their religious beliefs. Just like other solstice celebrations, their summer Sabbat named Litha is all about the sun and the abundance and life is brings to us all, especially in agricultural communities. The sun's energy is thought to be the most powerful at this time, so many Wiccans use this opportunity for spellwork, cleansing, and energy-intensive work and projects. Since it's a combination of many traditions, there is no one way to celebrate the holiday. Some ways to celebrate include having a bonfire, focusing on love and romance, gathering herbs and other plants, creating flower crowns, singing and dancing, enjoying time outside, and feasting by having a picnic under the sun. Since Wicca is also a very divided religion with many sects, certain branches may celebrate different ways. The overlaps seem to be focusing on the sun, height of summer, and nature, like other religions on the same day. In terms of associations, it is generally believed that anything you associate with summer can be used for Litha, such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, sun, fair weather, bright colors, etc.

Litha Associations

Colors - yellow, orange, red, green, blue, pink, purple, other bright colors

Food - fruits and vegetables, citrus, melons, berries, honey, mead, wine, herbal teas, salads

Animals - bees, snakes, butterflies, birds

Items - sun wheels, sunflowers, chamomile, dandelions, torches, wreaths, flower crowns

Crystals - sunstone, citrine, carnelian, tigers eye, diamond, amber

Other - sun, fire, bonfires, picnics, faeries, love and romance, power, bountiful harvest, high energy

Ways To Celebrate

have a picnic under the sun

make a sun wheel

enjoy a sun themed feast filled with summer foods

have a bonfire

light candles and give thanks to the sun and the light

make a flower crown or bouquet of summer flowers

do spellwork that needs large amounts of energy

use the sun to charge your crystals

make sun tea

make an offering to the faeries

focus on relationship and self love magick

go to a farmers market

go for a nature walk

create a vision board

plan out your goals and projects

sing and dance to joyful songs

gather and dry herbs to use

[snootyfoxfashion]

Wheel of the Year Art Prints by ofcraftsandcurios

Mabon // Lughnasadh // Litha // Beltane // Ostara // Imbolc

[fairy-magick]

❄️☃️🌨🌌

[lynxindisguise]

ok but why is boy smell such a specific phenomenon in living spaces like you know what I mean I know you know what I mean

anyway the gryffindor boy's dorm... boy smell OFF THE CHARTS, literally the wet dog smell would be a relief