Mabon is a pagan harvest festival, which is celebrated on the Autumnal Equinox each year – around September 21st. This holiday marks the middle of the harvest cycle – when both the days and nights are of equal length. It is a time to reap what you have sown. A time to give thanks to Mother Earth for the bounty she provides and a time to rest after bringing in the crops. It is also the second holiday on the Wheel of the Year, which includes other harvest festivals such as Lammas (in August) and Samhain (in October).

The modern Wheel of the Year can be attributed to British Paganism that influenced the eight-armed Wheel. During the mid-twentieth century, several different covens and druid practices began to use the Wheel of the Year for their celebrations! We all could use a reason to celebrate! As the years went on, the movement began to exert its influence on the Wheel – which is why many of the names for the various celebrations are from Germanic or Celtic traditions! Each point on this wheel has a particular significance according to paganism. On the Wheel of the Year, there are 8 points which represent equinoxes, solstices, or cross-quarter days on the lunar calendar. These points are Yule (December 20th-23rd), Imbolc (February 2nd), Ostara (March 19th-22nd), Beltane (May 1st), Midsummer (June 19th-23rd), Lughnasadh (August 1st), Mabon (September 21st-24th) and Samhain (November 1st).

Mabon shows us that night and day are again of equal length and in perfect equilibrium - dark and light, masculine and feminine, inner and outer, ultimately in balance. However, we are again on the cusp of transition and now the year starts to wane and from this moment on…..darkness begins to defeat the light. The cycle of the natural world is moving towards completion, the Sun's power is lessening and from now on the nights grow longer and the days are are shorter and cooler. The sap of trees returns back to their roots deep in the earth, changing the greens of summer to the fire of autumn, to the flaming reds, oranges and golds. We are returning to the dark, which is from where we came from.

According to modern pagan tradition, Mabon is named after a Welsh deity. Mabon was considered to be the god of light and the son of the Earth Mother named Modron. However, some dispute that Mabon was ever actually worshiped by Celtic countries and believe that it is merely a construction of the modern pagan movement sometime between the 1950s and 1970s. I will let you be the judge of that!

Mabon is often celebrated by incorporating the symbols and colors of this harvest holiday into the day. Some of the symbols of Mabon includes horns of plenty, ivy vines, pine cones, gourds, apples, dried seed and pomegranates. There are also several colors associated with this holiday, which include orange, brown, gold, maroon and red.

Many choose to have a huge harvest feast on this day using foods symbolic of the holiday. Some of the foods that may be served include apples and pomegranates, potatoes, onions, carrots and squash. These foods can be seasoned or served with herbs of the god Mabon, which include rose, thistle, honeysuckle, ferns, and acorns. There are some wonderful recipes on the internet that are just a google search away! I have made several through the years and have yet to be disappointed!

At this time of year, it is fun to create a small little Mabon altar! This altar is usually created on a small space and contains many of the symbols and colors of the harvest holiday as shared above. It can also be adorned with various Mabon items that are symbolic to the holiday, which may include baskets, corn, apples. Usually, an orange or yellow candle is lit on this altar and then a prayer is offered to the Goddess Mother or Green Man. Other things to do on Mabon include practicing apple magic (the apple is at the heart of many traditions and is the source of life. For Pagans, the apple contains a 'secret'). Cut an apple width ways and it reveals a pentagram containing seeds. It is a much loved symbol of Paganism. The five points represent the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water with Spirit at the top, and thus also the directions of East, South, West, North and Within. You can also go for a long walk picking up leaves, pinecones, etc to place on your altar, plant bulbs that will sprout in the sprint, bake bread, and listen to music while spending time with friends and family in celebration! It is also a good day to practice arts and crafts – particularly ones that utilize harvest symbols such as corn, corn silk or acorns. The ways to celebrate Mabon are truly limitless! The most important part is to enjoy the holiday in whatever way feels good to you! HAPPPY MABON!