Do you want to practise witchcraft but don't know where to start? Do you find it all too confusing? Maybe you've been practising for a while and want to go back to basics. Or perhaps you're a seasoned witch and want to explore more ways of practisin...
Wiccans and pagans celebrate a number of holidays, known as Sabbats, throughout the year. There are 8 in total, and most of them are based on the historical beliefs and practices of the ancient Norse and Celtic people. (Although large aspects of some Sabbats -like Mabon- are modern constructions either due to original practices being lost to time, or simply for completedness).
The 8 Wiccan Sabbats are the following: Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh/Lammas, and Mabon.
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You will find that many witches -regardless of religion- celebrate the Sabbats, not just Wiccans. This is because a lot of witches base their craft in nature, and the Sabbats are primarily an observation of the turning of the seasons, otherwise known as "The Wheel Of The Year". The Sabbats are also regarded as good opportunities for witches to celebrate their beliefs and practices together with like-minded individuals, as they can give a sense of unification among those who might otherwise be shunned by society.
That is not to say that celebrating the Sabbats is compulsory. Many witches choose only to celebrate a few Sabbats (or none at all), and some even opt to create their own Wheel Of The Year to better fit the changing seasons of their local area, or to match their own beliefs. Since the Wiccan Sabbats are based on seasonal patterns in the UK and Europe, the themes don't always match the seasonal changes of witches who live elsewhere in the world. Some southern hemisphere witches like to switch the Sabbats around to fit their own seasonal changes.
It is also not essential to celebrate the Sabbats on the exact dates on which they occur (some of the Sabbats don't have an exact date anyway). Some witches prefer to celebrate on the nearest weekend. Other witches may wait until visible signs of the turning season appear (e.g. blossoms, autumn leaves). Regardless, you should just do what works for you and celebrate (or not) whenever you want to.
Many of the Sabbats fall around Christian holidays. This is because most Christian holidays have pagan roots, and the original pagan holidays were Christianised to make it easier for pagans to convert. The holiday most famous for this is Christmas whose pagan equivalent is Yule. Pretty much every Christmas tradition you can name has direct pagan roots.
Here is a quick rundown of each Sabbat and what it represents (common pronunciations in brackets). It starts at Samhain because that is considered the witches' new year:
🎃 Samhain - October 31st/November 1st (SOW-en or Sah-WEN): a time to remember those who have passed on, celebrate summer's end and prepare for winter months ahead.
🎄 Yule - December 20th - 23rd (Yool): The winter solstice. After the longest night the dark is defeated with the return of the sun; this Sabbat celebrates the return of light, hope and promise.
🌱 Imbolc/Imbolg - February 1st/2nd (IM-bolk, IM-bolg or IM-bol-lug): signals the beginning of spring and the stirrings of new life. The original word Imbolg means 'in the belly'. It is the promise of renewal, of hidden potential, of earth awakening and life-force stirring.
