Pagan Holidays?

Question

Can someone name all Pagan holidays, including the ones that are celebrated as Christian holidays? I am an Atheist, but I have a few friends that are Pagan and I'd like to give them a little something for their holidays. They always remember my birthday and important days for me.

What are appropriate gifts for these holidays?

Answer 1

Although it doesn't describe the holidays, this is a cool website that has a countdown for the dates/times for the eight commonly celebrated holidays.
http://archaeoastronomy.com/countdowns.shtml
I'm sure if you asked your friends about their holidays that they'd be more than happy to tell you all about them.

Not all pagans celebrate these eight holidays. For example, my tradition only celebrate four of these. Some traditions celebrate totally different days. It depends on what neo-pagan path your friends follow. Although my father follows a different religion than me, he always makes sure to call me and wish me a happy holiday. I really like getting those calls. I do the same for him on his religious holidays. Gift-giving isn't necessarily involved in pagan holidays, but if you wanted to do something like that you could give a simple candle or a few tea light candles. Most neo-pagans like candles and use them in their practice. We like using scented tea light candles that are connected to each season. They are inexpensive, safe, and work very well. However, I still like phone calls with good wishes.

Answer 2

There are several web sights where you can get a full list. Basically there are the solstices -longest and shortest day of the year-, the two that split those in half (you now have the year split into four) and split that in four again making eight main holidays. This may be clear as mud, but it is the way I remember them best.

The next big one is Samhain (say "so-wen") or all hallows eve, Halloween. It is called the witches new year and is when most pagans believe that the veil between worlds is thinest. Since spirit work can be scary to some, the spookier aspects have grown into the celebration for many.

For those who are interesed in spirit work, contacting guides and angels or perhaps doing some ghost hunting, this is the time of year to do it. Don't be stupid and go out a try to scare yourself though. Serious workers will get good results, fools jumping into deeper waters than they can handle will get hurt.

Answer 3

*All* of them is a pretty tall order. It really depends on what type of Pagan they are. Wiccans, for example, have 8 major ones (solstices, equinoxes, and 4 "cross-quarter" days). Celts, as witchy said, really only have 4. Romans will have things like Saturnalia, Lupercalia, etc.

You'll see a lot of them with Christian analogs. There's a host of them near Christmas, Halloween and Samhain are at the same time, Candlemass at Imbolc, Easter & Ostara, Lammas and Lughnasadh, St. Valentine's Day and Lupercalia...

As for appropriate gifts? Nothing really comes to mind - at least, nothing major. Candles or incense, maybe, perhaps some baked goods or other food... If it's just a "thinking of you" type of thing, even a webcard would probably go a long way.

Answer 4

For most you can do just fine with a card. Honestly most of them are more about food than presents. We generally don't give each other presents except on Yule (Dec 21) and Ostara (Spring Equinox) (Those are just like Christmas and Easter) and if you can count Trick or Treating and Maybaskets (flowers), Samhain(Nov1) and Beltane(May1). Mostly we just get together to eat or make stuff or dance or whatever. Like Imbolc (Feb 2) we make candles, so you could give folks candles or candle making supplies, but we generally don't. Instead we just all bring something and share it with everyone.

But you could just give them a card, I'm sure they'd appreciate that. I'm sure everyone else has covered the 8 Neo sabbats, so I'll leave it at that.

Answer 5

I understand your wanting to return the kind gestures your friends have extended to you. Since you are not pagan nor religiously inclined, it would be best to just celebrate the common secular holidays with them. Pagan holidays will vary with different pagan religions. Christians, Muslims, Jews all have their own holidays but rather than trying to accommodate them all and getting nosy about their own personal beliefs, it's best to stick with the basics. You know you are not bound by holidays to celebrate a friendship or to honor a relationship, that is the beauty of having one.

Answer 6

Well, for the wiccan or Celtic oriented ones, there are 8 Sabbats. Starting with the New Year of Samhain on October 31st, traditionally, which is the Celtic Feast of the Dead. Then Yule on Dec. 21st. Which is the rebirth of the Sun. Then Imbolc which is on Feb. 1st. Then Eostara on March 21st. Then Beltain on May 1st. Midsummer on June 21st. Lughnasadh on August 1st and Mabon on Sept 21st. They follow the Wheel of the Year, which is the cycle of life and death for the Northern Hemisphere.

Answer 7

Lets see Christmas, easter,halloween,,may day die natalis solis invictus come to the top of my mind as pagan holidays

Answer 8

Uh... I don't know the dates, but I can tell you the names so you can look them up.

Beltane (Spring, fertility festival)
Lammas (I'm honestly not sure when this is)
Imbolc (Same)
Samhain (Halloween, October 31)
Yule (Christmastime, the Winter Solstice)
Ostara (Easter)

I know there are others, but I can't remember them right now... sorry.

Answer 9

Pagans have a fondess for making up holidays if the shared ones don't fit their needs but the major gift one is Yule or Christmas which for me is a whole month. Also flowers on May Day are good to wish someone abundance throughout the year.

Answer 10

Samhain and Beltane are 2, although it might be spelled Beltain. Try searching for those and see what you find.