While there are obviously a whole bunch of traditional activities associated with the Gaelic and Wiccan celebrations at Imbolc, what if you don't really vibe with those? After all, they're based on what's going on in the UK (or sometimes the US) in 6 months time, and while it's roughly the same point in the seasonal cycle, our landscape, lifestyle, and even seasons are still quite different.
Some ideas:
Light a candle in honour of the lengthening days, and thus the increasing sunlight and warmth.
Open the curtains/blinds to let sunlight in! If it’s practical, you might also open the windows for a time to let in some fresh air.
A great time to start spring cleaning, whether you’re one to do a massive clean, or just pick one room, cupboard, or drawer.
This is the perfect time to start planning your garden!
- If you live somewhere with an early spring and there’s no more chance of frosts, you may be able to start planting outdoors and re-potting plants now,
- Otherwise you can start off seeds indoors (or plan what seeds/seedlings you want to buy in the meantime) ready to plant out at the Spring Equinox. I love this idea for bringing in some egg symbolism.
- If you need to buy any seeds, seedlings, new pots, soil, or other supplies for the coming growing season, this is the perfect time to start working on your shopping list (whether you want to go shopping for them soon, or wait until weather warms a little).
Have a cleansing milk bath, adding a dairy or non-dairy milk (or milk powder) to your bath water.
Start planning for the coming solar year (especially if you’re a person who gets more done in the warmer half of the year): What are your goals, and what are your plans for achieving them?
Weather divination is associated with this time, along with general divination regarding the year to come. Generally it’s believed that pleasant weather on this day portends a longer cold season, but poor weather indicates that spring is coming sooner.
If you have natural (or paper) decorations from your Winter Solstice, now would be the time to dispose of them, ideally by burning or composting.
Looking for more information on this seasonal point in general? Check out last week's post here.