Sabbats & Esbats

-- beltane -- 30 of april

mayeve, mayday, walburga, walpurisnacht

a cross quarter festival

celebration of the beginning of the summer. in early times cattle was led through two fires as an cleansing ritual and village people danced around the, with red and white ribbons decorated, maytree (some still do), a fertillity festival

-- litha -- 21 of june

midsummer, summer solstice                    

a quarter festival

the longest day and the shortest night of the year, the sun is on its peak and celebrated

-- lughnassadh -- 1 of august

lammas

a cross quarter festival

first of the three harvest-celebrations, beginning of the havest

-- mabon -- 21 of september

autumn equinox, winter finding

a quarter festival

second harvest feast. leafs fall, crops are gathered and winter shows it`s face

-- hallo`een -- 31 of october

samhain, halloween, shadowfest

a cross quarter festival

with hallo`een a new year begins, the doors between the shadow world and the common world are now opened the most, a perfect day/night for magick, ritual, divination, etc. also a time where death and rebirth is celebrated

-- yule -- 21 of december

yuletide, winter solstice, joel,midwinter

a quarter festival

the shortest day and the longest night of the year

-- imbolc -- 1 of february

candlemas, brigid

a cross quarter festival

winter begins to fade away, and the sun`s strenght will increase

-- ostara -- 21 of march

spring equinox, easter

a quarter festival

night and day time are even long, nature will be full of birds whistling and new life awakens

Esbats

 are nights when there is a full moon, on such nights the power of the goddess is greater then on a regular night. esbats are, along with sabbats, perfect days for magickal workings, rituals, divination, etc.