C is for Calendar: The Pagan Blog Project

Among followers of the various Germanic/Norse-flavored paths (sometimes collectively known as the “northern tradition”), which festivals ought to be included in one’s yearly religious calendar is often a subject for debate. For those on a strictly Scandinavian path (whose adherents usually, though not always, refer to themselves as Asatruar), the most historically correct way to deal with the question is to celebrate only the three great festivals documented by Snorri Sturluson in his epic chronicle Heimskringla (The History of the Kings of Norway): a sacrifice at the beginning of winter (October or November) that is thought to be connected with Odin, the dead, and the alfar (elves); Yule, arguably THE great festival of the Germanic year, at which time the Wild Hunt rides and all the gods and ancestors are honored and given food, drink and other gifts; and a sacrifice at the beginning of summer, for Victory, also frequently connected with Odin in His guise as patron of warriors and Viking raiders.

In practice, I have never really seen ANY Heathen or Asatru group limit themselves to these three festivals (although I’m sure some have tried). If nothing else, various days commemorating heroes and pagan martyrs (the Norse equivalent of saints’ days) usually get added in. In addition, many people (though I profess myself clueless as to why) want at least a few festivals that are less Odin-centric than the above-mentioned Big Three. And there is also the matter of relatives (whether, Christian, Wiccan, or other) and their own holidays to be considered, so that in practice the festival calendar of even the most lore-minded group usually ends up being a hybrid of one type or another.

My own festival calendar is a work in progress. I started out attempting to limit myself to only the historically authentic days, except that I was never all that interested in the heroes’ and martyr’s days (which are modern additions, anyway, as far as I know), so that left me with only a few festivals to celebrate, and damn it, I wanted more holidays! I was also, I admit, influenced enough by my pre-Heathen years as a quasi-Wiccan that I missed including days like Samhain and Imbolc, so I added those back in. Then I developed a passion for English history and lore and discovered that the pagan Anglo-Saxons very likely (from what slim historical evidence we have available to us, from after England had already been Christianized) celebrated many of the festivals that now form part of the standard pagan “Wheel of the Year,” including May Day and Hallows (Samhain). And THEN my partner and I joined households, and she brought with her additional gods and additional festivals that had never been part of my own calendar before, but are now. As even more time went on, I decided I didn’t care whether or not the imaginary Heathen Lore Police arrested me for being inauthentic, and began to add new festivals of my own which were either adopted wholesale or grafted onto existing holidays. (And in one or two cases, I even managed to find historical justification for my inventions.)

All of that said, this week I have decided to share with you my religious festival calendar as it now stands. Since my own personal tradition will continue to grow and change as long as I am alive, I have no doubt my calendar will too, possibly even within the coming year if I am inspired (by either reading or direct communication from the gods or spirits) to add to or subtract from it. (I am not including Jo’s festivals in the list that follows, even though I will be participating in some of them, simply because I have not really studied that tradition and don’t feel I can explain the significance of the days adequately.) Over the past few years, I have developed the habit of using the Anglo Saxon month names because of my fondness for the culture and its traditions, although I would not consider myself to be strictly an Anglo Saxon pagan. (I am more or less pan-Germanic.)

One more note: this year, we are observing the cross-quarter days on their actual astronomical dates, rather than the traditional calendar dates. This explains some of the unfamiliar dates for familiar festivals.

January (Se Aefterra Giuli)

1 – Threttandi (Thirteenth Night/Twelfth Night ) – The end of the Yule season, a time to take oaths and perform divinations for the coming year.
5 – Perchta’s Night/Holda’s Night – In honor of the goddess of women’s work – in my case, primarily spinning and the fiber arts. A time to resume work after Yule.
17 – 25 Thorrablot – An Icelandic festival for an ice thurs (giant) named Thorri, often celebrated by modern Heathens as a festival for Thor. A celebration of having made it through the worst of the winter (the timing of which actually makes a lot more sense in Oregon than it did when we lived on the east coast).

February (Solmonath)

4 – Ewemeolc – I was delighted when I discovered that the Anglo Saxon name for Imbolc literally means “ewe’s milk..” This holiday marks the beginning of the lambing season as the first harbinger of spring, so of course for me the festival is also another excuse to celebrate sheep and fiber.
8 – 9th anniversary of Jo’s marriage to Poseidon
14 – Valentine’s Day (god-spouse appreciation day)

March (Hredmonath)

17 – Bolverk’s Day – My replacement for St. Patrick’s Day, in honor of Odin’s snake persona and associations.
19 – Ostara

April (Eosturmonath)

1 – Lokabrenna Day – In honor of Loki, after the Scandinavian name for the star Sirius, Lokabrenna or “Loki’s Torch.” This festival was not my idea, but I’ve adopted it as it makes sense for me to have a day for Him.
6 – Sigrblot – Described in Heimskringla as a sacrifice at the beginning of summer (in other words, the first day when signs of summer could be seen) for victory. I keep it as a celebration of Odin’s maritime aspects, since the “victory” in question had to do with summer voyages to go “a-viking,” i.e. raiding and trading.
22 – Jord’s Day (Earth Day–Jord being the Earth giantess who is also the mother of Thor.)

May (Thrimilchi)

4 – Walpurgisnacht
5 – May Day (astronomical cross-quarter day)
13 – Mother’s Day (for Odin’s mother Bestla and my female ancestors)
19 – Queen Anne Boleyn‘s Day – a personal day for one of my disir (or adopted “female ancestors”)
30 – Memorial Day – A nice day to remember the dead in general; most pagans seem to focus on them only in the “dark half” of the year, but they’re still dead the rest of the year, too!

June (Se Aerra Litha)

17 – Father’s Day (for Odin’s father Borr and my male ancestors)
20 – Litha (Midsummer)
22-24 – Black Sheep Gathering (Frigga’s Fiber Festival) – a local sheep and wool festival that has become the perfect opportunity for a celebration of Frigga, fiber, and handspinning.

July (Se Aefterra Litha)

There is a major Poseidon festival for this month, but you’ll have to wait til Jolene posts her own calendar to read about it!

August (Weodmonath)

7 – Lammas (astronomical cross-quarter day)
31 – Blue Moon
September (Haligmonath)
22 – my birthday
24 – Jo’s birthday (Since our birthdays are so close together, we generally declare a “birthday holiday” that encompasses both dates as well as the day in between. This is an excuse for bookstore-hopping, eating out, and anything else that strikes our fancy.)
29 – Winter Fylleth (traditionally the 1st full moon after the equinox), Valfather’s Day (Michaelmas), Harvest Home, Feast of Treats – This is a mammoth, multi-faceted festival day, encompassing two created holidays and a traditional holiday–two traditional holidays this year, since Winter Fylleth (the precursor to Winternights or Hallows) also falls on this day in 2012.

October (Winterfilleth)

Our decision to celebrate Samhain/Winternights on the astronomical cross-quarter day leaves this month looking strangely bare this year, but there will probably be a memorial ritual for my cat Sassy who died last October.

November (Blodmonath)

7 – Winternights/Samhain (astronomical cross-quarter day)
11 – Einherjar Day (Veterans’ Day; the Einherjar are Odin’s warriors in His hall of Valhalla)
22 – Thanksgiving Day

December (Se Aerra Giuli)

4 – 10th anniversary of my marriage to Odin
6 – Poseidon Niklaos’ Day and Oski’s Day – Traditionally, this is St. Nicholas Day in the Christian calendar. For us, it has become a day to honor both Poseidon and Odin since They were both identified with St. Nicholas in Their respective cultures.
7 – Tulya’s E’en – a Scandinavian folk holiday in which all the trolls are thought to be released from underground; a good time to sain (bless/smudge) property and dwellings) prior to the dangerous nights of Yule.
13 – Lussinata – St. Lucia’s Day (still celebrated in Sweden); for me, this is a day for Frau Holle.
21 – Modraniht (Mother Night) – a time to honor Frigga and all of the mothers among the gods, as well as my female ancestors.
22 – Yule

I will try to post at least something more detailed about each festival, and how it is celebrated in our household, as the year goes on.

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