The Wheel of the Year is a calendar of eight festivals falling on the solstices, the equinoxes and four other intermediate dates is observed by many branches of neopaganism. The solstices and equinoxes are widely known as Quarter days; the four dates falling between them are the Cross-quarter days or "fire festivals.
The eight festivals are called Sabbats and are distinct from Esbats, which are festivals falling at full or new moon. Many pagans/Wiccans/witches, but not all, follow these festivals.
Yule December 21Yule is the winter solstice (and is also called midwinter). This marks the longest night and the shortest day of the year. This is the time when the Goddess gives birth to her son, the God. This is a time of celebration, not only for the new child, but since the God represents the Sun, this is a celebration of the God's (the sun's) return and the days growing longer again. During this time, welcoming candles and fires are lit to both greet the new God, and provide heat & light.
Incense: bayberry, pine, cedar, rosemary, juniper, frankincense, sandalwood, myrrh
Stones/Gems: Blue zircon, turquoise, serpentine, jacinth, peridot.
Colors: Red, Green, White, Silver, Gold
Foods: nuts, apples, oranges, caraway nuts, mulled wine, mulled cider, roast turkey, goose or ham, popcorn, roasts (especially pork)
Deities: Athena, Attis, Dionysus, Fates, Frey, Freyja, Hathor, Hecate,
Norns, Odin, Osiris, Woden, and the Horned God
Nature Spirits: snow faeries, storm faeries, winter tree faeries.
Herbs and Flowers: holly, mistletoe, rosemary, oak, spruce and pine cones, ivy, fir, pine and spruce boughs, poinsettia, "Christmas" flowering cactus
Imbolc (Candlemas) February 2
Imbolc is a fire festival, and the day in which the Goddess has been awakened by the increased light, and has fully recovered from giving birth to her son. The god is now a sprightly, strong young boy washing over the lands with light.
Colors: White, Orange, Red, Yellow
Herbs/Flowers: Angelica, Basil, Bay Laurel, Blackberry, Celandine, Coltsfoot, Heather, Iris, Myrrh, Snowdrop, Tansy, Violets, First Flower of the Year
Stones/Gems: Amethyst, Bloodstone, Garnet, Ruby, Onyx, Turquoise
Foods: All dairy products, curries, onions, chives, seeds, herbal tea, mutton or lamb, Poppyseed Cakes, muffins, scones, and breads, onions, garlic, raisins, spiced wines
Deities: Dagda (Celt), Pan (Greek), Cernunnor (Celt),Osiris (Egyptian), Herne (Saxon), Jupiter (Roman), Demeter (Greek), Ceres (Roman), Cerridwen (Celt), Aengus Og, Eros, and Februus,Frigg (Norse), Cybele Brighid (Celt), Bride, Brigette, all virgin Goddesses and Gods of love and fertility
Ostara March 21
Ostara is the Spring Equinox, and the day of the year the hours of light and dark are equal again. The God has entered maturity, and the Goddess awakens the earth on this first day of spring, and She washes the land with life and fertility.
Stones/Gems: Jasper, amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone and red jasper.
Incense: African violet, jasmine, rose, sage and strawberry
Herbs/Flowers: Honeysuckle, Iris, Peony, Violet, Woodruff, Gorse, Olive, Iris, Narcissus, Daffodils, Jonquils, Primrose, Forsythia, Crocus, all spring flowers, pine tree
Colors: Green, Yellow
Deities: The Maiden, Astarte, Aurora, Eostre, Eos, Ostara, Kore or Persephone (as the maiden), The Green Man, Ares, Mars, Attis, Adonis, Osiris, Narcissus, Hyacinth and Dionysus
Beltane May 1
Beltane is opposite Samhain on the wheel. This is the celebration of love and vitality as the God enters manhood and falls in love with the Goddess. This is also the celebration of Her becoming pregnant with the God's child.
Colors: Red, White, Brown, Pink, Green
Stones/Gems: Emerald, malachite, amber, orange carnelian, sapphire, rose quartz
Foods: Dairy, bread, cereals
Flowers, Herbs: Lily of the valley, foxglove, rose, broom, Hawthorne, Dittany of Crete, elder, mint, mugwort, thyme, yarrow, almond tree/shrub, clover, ivy, marigold, meadowsweet, rowan, sorrel, woodruff
Deities: Aphrodite, Artemis, Bast, Diana, Faunus, Flora, Maia, Pan, the Horned God, Venus, and all Gods and Goddesses who preside over fertility.
Midsummer (Litha) June 21
Midsummer is the mark of the longest day and the shortest night of the year. At this time, when there is the most daylight, it is traditional for witches all over the world to go and pick their herbs and components from the fields and gardens. This is also said to be the time when magickal powers are most potent as the God has the strongest influence over the Earth.
Colors: gold, red, orange, blue, and yellow, green, white
Herbs & Plants: Apple, Chamomile, Chicory, Chickweed, Mugwort, Mistletoe, Heather, Peony, Pine, Roses, Vervain, Heartsease, Houseleek, Lavender, Rowan and Saint John's Wort
Incense: Sage, Cedar, Frankincense, Lemon, Myrrh, Pine, Rose, and Lavender
Stones/Gems: all green stones, especially Emerald and Jade, Lapis, Diamond
Foods: all early summer fruits and vegetables, ale and mead, honey cakes, rose ice cream, melted cheese dishes, mangoes, whipped cream on fruit, red wine, strawberries
Deities: Fotuna, RA, Arinna, Bast, Grainne, Shamash, Helios, Mother Earth, Mother Nature Father Sun/Sky, Oak King
Lughnasadh (Lammas) August 1
This is the time of the first harvest as all plants drop seed to ensure new growth next spring. The sun is beginning to fade as the days grow shorter, and the God's strength begins to weaken as well.
Incense: Aloes, Rose, Sandalwood, frankincense
Stones/Gems: Carnelian, Citrine, Amber, Tourmaline
Colors: red, orange, gold, yellow, brown, bronze
Foods: All grains, Breads, cheeses, Cider , fruits, vegetables, herbs, Pies ,corn, early apples, Berries, jellies, Herbal "sun"teas
Deities: Lugh, the Sun God, Sovereignty, Rhiannon and Epona, Tailte, Tammuz, Demeter, Persephone, Cerridwen, Faunus, Baal and Crom Dubh
Herbs and Flowers: Heather ,hollyhock
Mabon September 21
Mabon is the first day of the fall or Autumnal Equinox, and this is the time when the days and nights are the same length again. This is the completion of harvest, and all prepare to draw back and prepare for winter. This is also when the God prepares to leave his physical body and travel to the Summerland. The fire of his child burns brighter inside the Goddess each day.
Incense: Autumn blend made by combining: benzoin, myrrh, and sage, also these incenses separately
Stones/Gems Sapphire, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates.
Colors Red, russet, maroon, brown, gold, scarlet, purple
Herbs, plants and flowers: Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed, myrrh, passionflower, pine cones, rose, sage, Solomon's Seal, tobacco, thistle, vegetables , wheat
Foods Breads, grains, seeds, dried fruits and beans, baked squash, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions, wine
Deities Goddesses-Modron, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Pamona, Bona Dea, Land Mother and the Muses Gods-Mabon, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, Sky Father, and The Green Man.
Samhain October 31
Also known as Halloween, all Hallow's Eve, and more, Samhain is when Wiccans and the Goddess say farewell to the God and he passes away. The Goddess is sad, but knows he will return again, and she prepares herself for birth again at Yule. This is a time of reflection, on the year past and remembrance of the loved ones that passed as well.
Incense : Copal, sandalwood, mastic resin, benzoin, sweetgrass, wormwood, mugwort, sage, myrrh or patchouli
Stones/Gems: Black obsidian, jasper, carnelian, onyx, smoky quartz, jet, bloodstone
Colors: Black, orange, red
Foods: apples, apple dishes, cider, meat (traditionally this is the meat harvest) especially pork, mulled cider with spices, nuts-representing resurrection and rebirth, nuts, pomegranates, potatoes, pumpkins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds, squash.
Deities : Anubis, Arianrhod, Astarte, Baba Yaga Beansidhe (Banshee), Belili, Bran, Cailleach Beara, Cernunnos, Cerridwen, Crone , Dark Lord & Lady, Demeter, Hathor,
