The major holidays are based on the solar year, (known as the Wheel of the Year) which is divided into 8 major "Sabbats". Think of these eight divisions as being the four seasons of the year, where 4 of the sabbats are the midpoint in each season and the other four are the first/last day of each season. Mid-Summer and Mid-Winter are referred to as Solstices, Mid-Autumn and Mid-Spring are referred to as Equinoxes. The actual day of the month of Solstices and Equinoxes varies from year to year due to the fact that the earth orbits the sun once every 365 1/4 days and our calendar has 365 days. (366 on a leap year)
"Esbats" are celebrations usually on the days and nights of the Full and New Moons. For more information on Esbats, click on the section "Calendar of Moon Phases" on the main index.
Sabbats
- Click here for a cool 1998 Wiccan calendar.
- Samhain (October 31st) - Last
day of Autumn/First day of Winter.
- Yule (around December 21st) -
Mid-Winter.
- Imbolc (February 1st) - Last
day of Winter/First day of Spring.
- Ostara (around March 21st) -
Mid-Spring.
- Beltane (May 1st) - Last day
of Spring/First day of Summer.
- Litha (around June 22nd) - Mid-Summer.
- Lammas (August 1st) - Last
day of Summer/First day of Autumn.
- Mabon (around September 22nd)
- Mid-Autumn.
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| Summer Solstice |
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| Autumn Equinox |
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| Winter Solstice |
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| Spring Equinox |
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