Holidays of Wicca
The Wiccans only have 8 official holidays called the Sabbats. These days are mostly meant for celebrating the joys of life and nature. The Sabbats are supposed to be natural, so the Earth and Sun, and the natural energy they create decides when the Sabbats are going to be. These dates also used to be important to people for when they should harvest, and plant the crops. these are the holidays:
Winter Solstice: The longest night of the year and the shortest day of the year.
Summer Solstice : longest day of the year, and the shortest night of the year. Opposite of Winter Solstice on the wheel.
Vernal Equinox: a day in spring where the hours in sunrise and sunset and sunset and sunrise are the exact same.
Autumnal Equinox: a day in fall where the hours in sunrise and sunset and sunset and sunrise are the exact same.
These four holidays are known as the lesser Sabbats to Wiccans, and also as the quarter-days, because they divide the year into four sections that are exactly the same. The other four holidays are the ones that divide these four in half, and so they’re called the cross-quarter days or the Greater Sabbats. Because they represent the turning points in the seasons, these Sabbats are considered the most important.
Imbolc : between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox.
Beltane: between the vernal equinox and the summer solstice.
Lughnasadh ( or Lammas): between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox.
Samhain (Halloween): between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. This is also the turning point in the Wiccan’s year, so it’s the most important Sabbat.
