We decided as a group we would have an event once a month. Some of these are the standard holidays, while others are inventions loosely based on lore. We feel for Heathenry to be meaningful, it must not only carry forward ancient traditions, but be relevant for our local climates and modern cultures.
There are 11 holidays open to members of the Heathen community known to us. These holidays celebrate the turning of the seasons and various deities. One event is a closed gathering for kindred members only.
January : Creation of the World
What better way to start of the new year than celebrating the creation of Middle Earth? We honor Woden and his two brothers who slew the primordial giant. We create an anatomically correct bread mock-up of Ymir and ritually dismember him. This reenacts the sacrifice that begat the world.
February: Charming of the Plow
The eventual coming of the spring is dedicated to Ing (Freyr). We do a seed exchange and bring our gardening instruments; the seeds and tools are then ritually blessed for planting season.
March: Eorthan Modor Daeg
We dedicate March to the earth mother. Samples of land from members yards and gardens are ritually blessed for planting season.
April: Hretha and Eostre
In April, the cycle of the year gives itself over from a dark half to a light half. We honor these two goddesses known to the Anglo-Saxons.
May: Flower Festival
With spring in its lush height, we gather to honor Frige with lots of flowers. Frige is our tribal goddess who embodies traits of both the Norse Frigga ad Freyja.
June: Litha
Our Midsummer event is dedicated to Sunna with sun-wheels and bonfires, as well as to the landwights.
July: Tiw Blot
We honor Tiw, guardian of oaths.
August: Hlaefmass
The first harvest, Loaf Mass, is dedicated to Thunor (Thor) and his wife Sibb.
September: Annual Thing
This is a closed camping event for kindred members to discuss business and renew oaths.
October: Winter Nights
The final harvest and the start of winter is dedicated to Ing-Frey and the ancestors. In recent times this has become a semi-closed affair for the core members of the kindred. We perform a blot in the genuine sense of the term; that is, a blood sacrifice.
November: The Wild Hunt / Furious Host
We honor Woden (Odin), the All-Father who roams the lands looking for souls.
December: Yule / Modranicht
Our celebration of the greatest of the Heathen holidays centers around the Tribal Mothers, the disir/idesa/matronae. Mothers’ Night is officially Dec 25th, but the kindred does not meet in late December owing to weather and familial obligations centered around Christmas, so we celebrate in early December.
