Do Pagans Celebrate Earth Day? By Patti Wigington

Question: Do Pagans Celebrate Earth Day?

I know that there are eight Pagan sabbats during the year, as well as a bunch of Esbats, but I also notice you've got Earth Day on the calendar. Is Earth Day even a Pagan or Wiccan holiday?

Answer:

Well, no, it's not, but then again neither is Tartan Day or the anniversary of Bewitched, but those are on the calendar too. It's important to note, however, that many Pagans and Wiccans view the environment as something really important. Although it's not an "official" Pagan or Wiccan holiday, if you've sworn to be a steward of our planet, then Earth Day is as good a reason as any other to honor Mother Earth.

The first Earth Day celebration was held in 1970, and sponsored by the Earth Day Network. This annual celebration is a time when people worldwide honor our planet and (hopefully) take a few minutes to try to make a difference in the world.
Some things you can do to make a difference in your own space? Try one of the following:

• Turn off the lights you're not using
• Pick up some garbage that isn't yours
• Ride a bike to work instead of driving
• Plant a tree
• Use cloth grocery bags instead of paper or plastic
• Recycle your stuff
• Plant a garden of your own, or buy from local growers
• Build a birdhouse
• Adopt a stream
• Shut off appliances that don't have to be on all the time

Regardless of how you observe this day, even if it's just for a few minutes, take the time to thank the earth for her gifts, and take a moment to be glad we're part of it.
For more information, visit the Official Earth Day Homepage, and be sure to read up on 10 Ways Pagans Can Celebrate Earth Day.


Patti Wigington

-The CraftyWitch

Roman Celebration of Februalia Starts (Tomorrow)

Februalia, January 30 - February 2:

The ancient Romans had a festival for nearly everything, and if you were a god, you almost always got your own holiday. Februus, for whom the month of February is named, was a god associated with both death and purification. In some writings, Februus is considered the same god as Faun, because their holidays were celebrated so closely together.

The festival known as Februalia was held near the end of the Roman calendar year -- and to understand how the holiday changed over time, it helps a bit to know the calendar's history. Originally, the Roman year had only ten months -- they counted out ten months between March and December, and basically disregarded the "dead months" of January and February. Later, the Etruscans came along and added these two months back into the equation. In fact, they planned to make January the first month, but the expulsion of the Etruscan dynasty prevented this from happening, and so March 1st was considered the first day of the year. February was dedicated to Februus, a god not unlike Dis or Pluto, because it was the month in which Rome was purified by making offerings and sacrifices to the gods of the dead. Our Guide to Ancient History, N.S. Gill, has some great information on the terminology found in the Roman calendar.

At any rate, because of the association with fire as a method of purification, at some point the celebration of Februalia became associated with Vesta, a hearth goddess much like the Celtic Brighid. Not only that, February 2 is also considered the day of Juno Februa, the mother of war god Mars. There is a reference to this purification holiday in Ovid's Fasti, in which he says, "In short, anything used to cleanse our bodies went by that name [of februa] in the time of our unshorn forefathers. The month is called after these things, because the Luperci purify the whole ground with strips of hide, which are their instruments of cleansing..."

Februalia was a month-long period of sacrifice and atonement, invovling offerings to the gods, prayer, and sacrifices. If you were a wealthy Roman who didn't have to go out and work, you could literally spend the entire month of February in prayer and meditation, atoning for your misdeeds during the other eleven months of the year.

Adorable Holiday Finds (part 2 of 3)

We are always rushing around for the holidays whether its to see family, partake in festive activities or to get that last minute shopping in. Oh did I even mention the decorations, and the supplies you need to make your home the biggest with "holiday cheer" - one thing on everyone's mind is "How much is this all going to cost me?" Well what if I told you that you could get adorable holiday finds for a fraction of the cost - what if you could get these holiday finds for $1! Im here to save you some money during the holiday, because lets be honest, we could all use the extra dough. All these holiday finds can be found at your local Dollar Tree for yeah you guessed it, $1.

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Christmas Plush Candy Jars

A cute way to deliver sweet treats! Soft felt Santas, reindeer and snowmen top these little plastic jars perfect for jelly beans, candied nuts or other treats! Standing 7" tall, these are excellent stocking stuffers, party favors or at party place settings. Also great for resale in gift shops and toy stores. Case includes 36 Christmas plush and plastic candy jars assorted among snowman, reindeer and Santa styles.



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Christmas House Tinsel Snowman & Santa Wall Decor, 12"


Merry little snowmen and Santas add a jolly sparkle to all your holiday décor! Metal frames are covered in colorful tinsel for simple decorations that make a big statement — a cheery greeting for your front door, walls, office doors, or store entrances. Also great for resale in holiday and gift shops. Case includes 48 Christmas House® 12" tinsel wall decorations assorted between snowmen and Santas.

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Felt Elf Hats with Ears, 13¾"


Play the part of Santa's helper with these fun felt elf hats with ears! Great for putting a smile on the faces of others, these felt hats come in green with a red bottom stripe and star, and red with a green bottom stripe and star, and all have 2 elf ears attached to the sides. A nice departure from the traditional Santa hats. These are fun for holiday parties, Christmas plays, and anyone trying to spread a little Christmas cheer. Case includes 24 – 13½" felt elf hats with ears assorted evenly among the 2 styles shown.

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-The Crafty Witch

Adorable Holiday Finds (part 1 of 3)

We are always rushing around for the holidays whether its to see family, partake in festive activities or to get that last minute shopping in. Oh did I even mention the decorations, and the supplies you need to make your home the biggest with "holiday cheer" - one thing on everyone's mind is "How much is this all going to cost me?" Well what if I told you that you could get adorable holiday finds for a fraction of the cost - what if you could get these holiday finds for $1! Im here to save you some money during the holiday, because lets be honest, we could all use the extra dough. All these holiday finds can be found at your local Dollar Tree for yeah you guessed it, $1.

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Luminessence Cinnamon Stick Mini Glass Apothecary Jar Candles, 3 oz.


The succulent aroma of cinnamon creates a wonderful holiday scent! Apothecary candles are perfect for scattering candlelight at banquets, receptions, outdoor parties, and more. Plus, glass container helps protect flame from extinguishing.





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Luminessence Peppermint Mini Glass Apothecary Jar Candles, 3 oz.


The sweet aroma of peppermint creates that wonderful scent of the holidays! Apothecary candles are perfect for scattering candlelight at banquets, receptions, outdoor parties, and more. Plus, glass container helps protect flame from extinguishing.



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Christmas House Decorative Wooden Nutcrackers, 9"


Nutcracker soldiers stand at the ready to greet all your holiday guests! A traditional symbol of the season, detailed wooden nutcrackers are a classic addition to table settings, centerpieces, mantels, and more. The troop is highly decorated with accents of glitter, feathers, fur, gemstones, and gold rope, plus each has a back lever that moves his mouth. ($1 each)


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- The Crafty Witch

25 Best Movies of the Holidays - 6 - 7 Of 25

These two movies don't actually have a category to fall under but after the latest "What do you think poll" both of these movies tied to be on the list. - Movies for the people, by the people - Enjoy.

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Jingle All The Way

Rating: NA          Length: NA               Year: 1996

Cast:Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad, with Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson, Jake Lloyd, James Belushi

Movie Description

A father decides to dream the impossible; to get a Turbo Man action figure for his son just before Christmas.

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Love Actually

Rating: NA          Length: 135 mins.               Year: 2003

Cast: Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney

Movie Description

Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely and interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.

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-The Crafty Witch

25 Best Movies of the Holidays - 1- 5 Of 25

During the holidays I would sit with my grandparents and watch all five of these movies with them and grew to love them all in their own special way. The 25 Best Movies has no particular order, only categories. This week its all the best Vintage Christmas Movies. 1 - 5 of 25 Enjoy!

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 Holiday Inn

Rating: NA          Length: 100 mins.               Year: 1942

Cast: Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale

Movie Description

At an inn which is only open on holidays, a crooner and a hoofer vie for the affections of a beautiful up-and-coming performer.

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It's a Wonderful Life

Rating: NA          Length: 130 mins.               Year: 1946

Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell

Movie Description

An angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed.

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Miracle on 34th Street

Rating: NA          Length: 96 mins.               Year: 1947

Cast: Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn

Movie Description

When a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane, a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing.

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The Bishop's Wife

Rating: NA          Length: 109 mins.               Year: 1947

Cast: Samuel Goldwyn, Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven

Movie Description

The Bishop's Wife is a Samuel Goldwyn romantic comedy feature film starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven in a story about an angel who helps a bishop with his problems

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White Christmas

Rating: NA          Length: 120 mins.               Year: 1954

Cast: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen

Movie Description

A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.

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-The Crafty Witch

DIY Candy Corn Candle Holder

This is not an official DIY Dollar store project, but it is still so cute and very much affordable  All items on the Candy Corn Centerpiece can be found at your local Dollar Tree.

Best of this entire project will only cost $3.00!

What you'll Need:

• Candy Corn

• Pillar Candle

• Tall Glass Candle Holder

Easy Step-by-Step Directions:

(The easiest three step directions of your life)

1. Open the bag of candy corn and pour into the candle holder

2. Unwrap any plastic off the candle and press into the candy corn

3. Light candle and enjoy

 

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-The Crafty Witch

DIY Spooky Tree Centerpiece

The Tree Centerpiece really pulls together a room, whether it be spooky for child’s fun, it will definitely have everyone looking twice

Best of this entire project will only cost $3.00!

What you'll Need:

• Black Plastic Cauldron

• Floral/Craft Foam

• Glass Gems, Rocks, or Stones

• Halloween Tinsel Garland

• Plastic Skeleton Garland

• Twigs from Your Yard

• Paint & Paint Brush (Optional)

• Glittery Bat Ornaments (See Directions on Page 2)

*All items italicized are item you probably already have around your own home.

*All items underlined are optional

Easy Step-by-Step Directions:

1. First, gather a few spooky-looking twigs from your yard.

2. Place the floral/craft foam in the center of the cauldron and

fill the empty space around the foam with glass gems, rocks,

or stones. This will anchor your foam and provide stability

for your tree.

3. Stick the twigs from your yard securely into the foam... make

sure you push them far into the foam for stability. Arrange

twigs into your desired tree shape. If you want to paint your

twigs black or another color, do that next. They will be easier

to paint standing upright in the foam. Set the tree aside to dry.

4. Once the twigs are dry, cover the stones at the base of the

tree with Halloween tinsel garland, then place the skeleton

garland on top of the tinsel and position the skeletons

however you wish.

5. Decorate the tree with more skeletons, Halloween creepy

creatures, or handmade glittery bat ornaments (see directions

on page 2).

 

I did mine a little differently but both ways are acceptable. I had bits of gravel from around by house that I was able to anchor mine down with but there are many options available at your local Dollar Tree to find what you would like best. Also I did not line the bottom of my tree centerpiece with tinsel garland and the skeleton garland, I was going for a spookier look to I surrounded mine with Spanish Moss (available at the Dollar Tree)

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Here is also link for those of you how would like to have a print out of the directions - it will take you to the Dollar Tree site where you can print out a PDF!

Go For PDF!

-The Crafty Witch

Autumn Equinox

It is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly empty, because the crops have been plucked and stored for the coming winter. Mabon is the mid-harvest festival, and it is when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. On or around September 21, for many Pagan and Wiccan traditions it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings. You may want to take a moment to read up on:

Depending on your individual spiritual path, there are many different ways you can celebrate Mabon, but typically the focus is on either the second harvest aspect, or the balance between light and dark. This, after all, is the time when there is an equal amount of day and night. While we celebrate the gifts of the earth, we also accept that the soil is dying. We have food to eat, but the crops are brown and going dormant. Warmth is behind us, cold lies ahead. Here are a few rituals you may want to think about trying -- and remember, any of them can be adapted for either a solitary practitioner or a small group, with just a little planning ahead.

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Mabon Magical Herbs

Rue, yarrow, rosemary, marigold, sage, walnut leaves and husks, mistletoe, saffron, chamomile, almond leaves, passionflower, frankincense, rose hips, bittersweet, sunflower, wheat, oak leaves, dried apple or apple seeds.

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Incense

Pine, sage, sweet grass or myrrh you can also mix

marigold, passionflower, and fern, using

frankincense or myrrh as a resin for Mabon incense

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Mabon Magical Stones

During Mabon, stones ruled by the Sun will help

bring the Sun's energy to you.clear quartz,

amber, peridot, diamond, gold, citrine, yellow

topaz, cat's-eye, aventurine.

Mabon is a good time to cast spells of balance

and harmony. It's also a time of change.

Protection, wealth and prosperity spells are

appropriate as well.

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Holiday Fare

Mabon is the Witch's Thanksgiving, a time to

appreciate and give thanks to the Goddess for

her bounty and to share in the joys of the

harvest. Fall fruits, squash, gourds, pumpkins,

grains, nut breads, vegetables.

A magickal Mabon beverage: hot apple cider.

Apple rules the heart, cider alone is a self-

love potion. By spicing it with cinnamon, ruled

by Jupiter and the Sun, we are in essence,

ingesting the sunlight.

Sample menu #1: Mabon Wine Moon Cider, Roast

Chicken Rubbed with Sage, Basil, and Thyme,

Acorn Squash made with Sweet Butter, Cinnamon

and Honey, and Apple Bread.

Sample menu #2: Wine from the god and beans and

squashes from the goddess. A hearty multi-bean

soup with smoked meats (optional), including

such as cut-up mild sausage like mild Italian

or Polish.

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Mabon Wine Moon Cider

4 cups apple cider 1/2 tsp. whole cloves

4 cups grape juice additional cinnamon sticks

2 cinnamon sticks for cups, 6 inches long

1 tsp allspice

In a 4-quart saucepan, heat cider and grape

juice. Add cinnamon, allspice and cloves.

Bring just to boiling. Lower heat and simmer

for 5 minutes.

Serve with ladle from a cauldron. Makes 8 cups.

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Mabon Activities

* Make grapevine wreaths using dried bitter-

  sweet herb for protection. Use ribbons of

  gold and yellow to bring in the energy of the

  Sun, and decorate with sprigs of dried yarrow

  or cinnamon sticks.

* Make a Magical Horn of Plenty.

* Make Magickal Scented Pinecones.

* Make a protection charm of hazelnuts

  (filberts) strung on red thread.

* Collect milkweed pods to decorate at Yuletide

  and attract the faeries.

* Call upon the elementals and honor them for

  their help with (N-earth) the home and

  finances, (E-air) school and knowledge,

  (S-fire) careers and accomplishments,

  (W-water) emotional balance and fruitful

  relationships.

* Make a witch's broom. Tie dried corn husks or

  herbs (broom, cedar, fennel, lavender,

  peppermint, rosemary) around a strong,

  relatively straight branch of your choice.

* Make magic Apple Dolls: Apples are sacred

  symbols of the witch. Our holy land, Avalon,

  means Apple-land or Island of Apples. Slice

  an apple through the midsection and its seeds

  reveal the sacred shape of the pentacle.

  You will need two large apples, one for Mabon

  and one for Modron, 2 pencils and 2 dowels

  about 12 inches long, a paring knife, a glass

  or bowl of water to wash your fingers, a plate,

  and a towel to wipe your hands. Peel and core

  the apples. Carve a face in the apples. Place

  apples on a dowel and stand them in a jar

  to dry (start now). Then charge in a magick

  circle. After 2 or 3 weeks, they should look

  like shrunken heads. Make them into dolls. Use

  wheat, dried herbs or doll's hair for hair.

  Dress them in tiny robes and bring them into

  the circle, asking god/dess to charge them with

  their light.

 

  Hang these Mabon and Madron heads on a Witch's

  cord or a Mabon wreath.

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From "Celebrate the Earth" by Laurie Cabot, Green Witchcraft by Ann Moura, Llewellyn's Witches'

Calendar 1998, and The Witches' God by Janet and Stewart Farrar.

-The Crafty Witch

40 Days Till Halloween

Yep, thats right, 40 days remaining until Halloween. 

Check every-- 

Monday for my DIY Halloween Projects, everything you can make yourself and all under $5!

Wednesdays for articles Into The Paranormal and Beyond, where we talk about the unknown and gives you a different perspective on life. . . and the afterlife!

&

Fridays for Fav Halloween Movies, talking about the best Halloween movies to watch (the best from when you were a kid)


See you then


-The Crafty Witch