Imbolc is a traditional Irish fire festival, frequently associated with Saint Brigid's Day, marking the beginning of spring. It is typically celebrated on February 1st within Irish Paganism. But it's so much a part of Irish tradition and culture that many people who do not identify as Pagan still celebrate some aspects, such as tying a scarf to the branch of a tree on the eve of the holiday. Kept throughout the year, it is said to confer blessings upon your house.
The term Imbolc is often associated with "washing" or spring cleaning. Not a bad idea for those of us who like to freshen up the house! It is sometimes also interpreted as "ewe's milk," which may relate to the fact that spring is lambing season. Pastures all over Ireland are dotted with new babies every spring--a very welcome sight indeed.
Irish tradition embraces four festivals: Imbolc, marking the start of spring; Beltaine, celebrating the beginning of summer; Lunasa, which is the start of harvest season; and Samhain, announcing the onset of winter. Many people associate Samhain with the better-known Halloween, whose roots are in the celebration of Samhain.
Saint Brigid, or Brighid the Goddess, is also interwoven with Imbolc, both literally and symbolically in the form of the traditional Brigid's Cross. Fashioned of straw and hung over the hearth or perhaps in the doorway to the kitchen, it invites protection of "hearth and home" and is found in many Irish homes.
A blessed Imbolc to all who observe.
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