Each religion has its own days of power, reverence, and celebration. Wicca is no different in this regard. The holidays that Wiccans celebrate are known as Sabbats, or the eight holy days. They occur approximately every six weeks and denote the change of the seasons. The sun, as a representation of the God, is revered during the Sabbath, and the ceremony for a particular holiday is often held at noon. The other type of holy day that is more familiar to most people is the Esbat. The Esbat is a monthly event that usually coincides with the full moon. It is the night that the witches gather to perform ritual and magical work for the coming month.

This article will detail all of these holy days and hopefully shed some light on what witches do throughout the year to honor their Deities.

The Esbat

As previously stated, the Esbat is a ceremony that coincides with the cycles of the moon. Generally, the day it is performed is with a full moon, although it is not necessary. The full moon is significant because witches strongly believe that the power of magical workings waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon. When the moon is waxing or full, it is good to perform rites that draw things to you or increase positive influences in general. When the moon is waning, or diminishing, it is good for banishing influences that are no longer wanted, or getting rid of negativity. However, when the moon is full, magical workings are at their peak, and it is good for almost any rite a witch wishes to perform. The new moon, or dark moon, occurs when the moon is not visible at all. During this time, the rites that are performed are rites of extreme protection or negative magic.

Whichever day the esbat is performed, it is performed in the afternoon or at night. The reason behind this is that these rites are meant to work with the Goddess, represented by the moon.

The actual process of performing the esbat can be summarized very concisely. The witch or coven will meet in a designated ritual space. There, they will cast a circle and perform rites that will raise their magical and psychic power, and then direct that power towards their desired goal. Since there are so many variables as to what a witch or group of witches may wish to direct their energy with, it is difficult to offer an example of what these rites may entail.

However, one of the things that is a common theme among esbats is that it is a time to connect and commune with the Deity. This is often done by reciting The Wiccan Rede and The Charge of the Goddess while standing in a circle. Later, time can be devoted to meditation or divination with tarot cards, runes, or other means. This is followed by a communion of cakes and wine, where the assembled witches will celebrate their reunion and catch up on the previous month and make plans for the next. Then the ritual circle is opened, the leftover cakes and wine are offered to Nature, and the witches will go their separate ways.

The Eight Major Holy Days

There are eight main holidays that Wiccans celebrate:

– Samhain (pronounced saw-wine gold sow)

– Christmas

– Candlemas

– Ostara

– Beltane

– midsummer

-Calls

– and mabon

Each of the Holy Days represents a different change of the seasons and a different phase of life. The common representation of these phases is the God, although many practitioners also incorporate an aspect of the Goddess in some way. They are primarily sun festivals, and unlike esbats, the rituals are often performed when the sun is at its highest point in the sky.

Sabbats are usually large gatherings where entire families come together and celebrate with food and drink in addition to religious rites.

samhain

Samhain is probably the most recognizable of all the Wiccan Sabbats. It falls on October 31 and signifies the end of a cycle of the year. While many see it as the beginning of the next annual cycle, that doesn’t happen until Yule in December.

The main symbolism behind this holiday is death and honoring loved ones who have passed away. It is commonly thought that on this night, the veil between the worlds is thinner and witches use this opportunity to communicate with their family and friends who have passed away.

Samhain is also the last harvest festival of the year, and the last chance for the coven and their families to come together to share their resources before hunkering down for the winter. The period of time between Samhain and Yule is spent contemplating plans for the coming year and remembering the year that has passed.

Christmas

Yule is generally thought to coincide with the Christian holiday of Christmas. This is not exactly so. Yule actually falls on the day of the winter solstice, which usually falls around December 21.

The meaning of this party is that of rebirth. This is the day when the days start to get longer and the sun is coming back. The general depiction of this is of Holly King, a Dark God, passing on and being replaced by Oak King, or Sun God. Although the Saturday that signifies the beginning of the year can vary from tradition to tradition, this is the most popular to signify the beginning of the year.

All sabbats represent a phase of life, and Yule falls under the category of fertility. This is a time of conception, where the beginnings of life begin to move. When covens and families gather for this holiday, plans for the coming year begin to be made, as well as preparations for next spring.

candlemas

La Candelaria is also known by the name of Imbolc. It is well and truly the first fertility festival of spring. The specific date on which this day falls varies from tradition to tradition, but can be between January 31 and February 2. Right now, we are beginning to see the first signs of spring and the renewal of life.

The Candelaria festivities focus on clearing out the old and making way for the new. The Maiden aspect of the Goddess is honored at this time, as are any God and Goddess associated with love and fertility. This holiday is considered an especially auspicious time for a new marriage or relationship.

One of the traditional symbols of Candelaria is the plow. They are often decorated and incorporated into festivities. Another tradition for the holiday is to create a broom, a simple broom made of twigs or straw, and use it to ritually clean the house. It is then placed near the front, symbolizing sweeping away the old and welcoming in the new.

Ostara

Also called Eostar, this Great Holy Day falls on the vernal equinox, on or about March 21. This is the second of the three fertility festivals. Spring is coming in full force at this time, and planting of the year’s crops is well advanced. The new spring shoots can be seen everywhere, and the gods are asked for luck with the crops and the home.

Two of the traditional symbols of this festivity are the egg and the rabbit. The egg is an emblem of new life and new growth, and is incorporated into many rituals and festivities at this time. The rabbit, known for its prolific mating habits, is also a symbol of growth and abundance. Both also symbolize change. The Christian faith has fully adopted these two symbols in its celebrations that occur almost at the same time.

beltane

Also known as the First of May, this Holy Day falls on the first of May. It’s the last of the year’s fertility festivals, and with it comes unabashed sexuality for many traditions. The Polo de Mayo is a symbol of this festivity that is found in many traditions. It is a tall post placed in the ground, which symbolizes the union of the Sun God with the Earth. It is decorated with long ribbons and fresh flowers and of course the maidens traditionally dance around the pole.

One of the traditional May Day activities for this holiday is to secretly leave baskets of flowers and sweets at the neighbors’ doors.

In general, this is a holiday that celebrates and revels in the return of the sun.

Midsummer

This Holy Day celebrates God, represented by the sun in all its splendor. It is celebrated on the summer solstice, when the longest day of the year takes place. The summer solstice is neither a fertility festival nor a harvest festival. In this way, it is similar to Yule. On this day, rites often center around protecting the home and family for the coming year, divination rites, and celebrating the King Oak’s abundance in his prime.

For those who work with the energy of the fairies in their rites, the summer solstice is an ideal time to commune with them. It is a common tradition for witches to go out at twilight and look for fairy people in stands of oak, ash, and hawthorn.

Calls

Another name for this holiday is Lughnassadh. It occurs on August 1 and is the first of the three harvest sabbats celebrated by the witches. Attention now turns to harvesting crops and gardens, and preparations for the coming winter begin. The days begin to grow shorter, and the Sun God begins to lose his strength as the days grow shorter.

Since this is the time of year when we begin to reap the bounties of the harvest, it is often a holiday accompanied by festivities and celebrations. Decorations and dolls are often made from dried corncobs and used in rituals and to decorate the home.

mabon

Mabon is the main harvest festival, a counterpoint to Ostara, and occurs on the autumnal equinox. On this day, witches pay homage to the receding daylight and prepare for the coming winter. This holiday symbolizes God in old age and preparing for his imminent death and rebirth.

While this holiday is a bit more somber than the rest, it’s also one where Wiccans are sure to give thanks for what they’ve received over the past year. It’s a popular time of year for witches and pagans to give back to their communities and generally share in their bountiful harvests.