THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR IN THE TROTH
(Troth: meaning faith or loyalty)
WINTER NIGHT - around October 15th - The Norse new year.
The forces of nature are finished expending their vital powers. People begin to turn inward to more spiritual things. Originally this festival lasted for around several days.
YULE - from around December 20 - 31st
This is a whole period of time - the old "yule-tide" also remembered as the 12 days of christmas. Yule-tide begins on the mother night and ends on yule itself, twelve nights from the mother night. It is a prime time to contact dead ancestors or the gods as the realm between this world and the other becomes thin.
DISTING - around February 14th -
The beginning of the return of the vital forces that turned inward at the time of winter night. This is a time when the ground is being made ready for the planting of seeds. It is a time for the preparation of new things to come.
EASTER/VERNAL EQUINOX -
The full manifestation of the return of the vital powers of nature. Eostre is the name of the goddess of the spring and of the dawn. Her name is also known as OSTARA.
WALBURGA/MAYDAY - the night of April 30 & May 1 -
This is a two-fold affair, the night of April 30th is traditionally the night of witches in central Europe. It is a time when the mysterious night side of life is strongly manifest. Walburga means enclosure of the fallen or dead. Mayday is the opposite, being a bright and sunlit celebration.
MIDSUMMER/SUMMER SOLSTICE -
A celebration of the final victory of the sun in the cycle of the year and of the full manifestation of the vital forces of nature which were given to birth during the yule-tide. On midsummer night, it is said that many wondrous things can appear. This is still a major holiday in Scandinavia. One of the times when the entire panteon of germanic gods & goddesses is to be given offerings in common.
THING-TIDE - around August 23rd -
A time of great regional and national gatherings, where the social aspects of the troth are given expression, a time when legislation & business matters of all kinds are attended to.
HARVEST/WINTER FINDING (Autumn Equinox) -
This is the beginning of the culmination of the natural cycles of things which come into being and pass away toward new beginnings. The end of this period is celebrated on winter night, bringing the cycle to a close.
Some of the information here was taken from: Northern magic by, Edred Thorsson, published by Llewellyn 1992
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Modernised list of festivals celebrated by the Norse & Germanic peoples. List taken from Mysteries of the runes, by Michael Howard
Norse Roman Festival Date
Wolfmoon December Yule
Mothersnight 21st
Snowmoon January Twelth Night 6th
Blessing the
Plough
Horningmoon February Festival of 2nd
Light
Festival of the 14th
Family
Springmoon March Summer finding
Spring equinox 21st
Ostaramoon April Eostre beginning
of Summer Full Moon
Flowermoon May Walpurgis Day 1st
Summermoon June Midsummer 21st
Haymoon July
Harvestmoon August Lughnasadh 1st
Sheddingmoon September Winterfinding
Autumn Equinox 21st
Huntingmoon October Winters' Night 31st
Fogmoon November Fallen Heroes Day 11th
