Date: Usually celebrated on February 2, can be celebrated on the exact cross-quarter day between Yule and Ostara (can be found on most lunar or Witch calendars)
Imbolc, (pronounced "IM-bulk" or "EM-bowlk"), also called Oimealg, ("IM-mol'g), by the Druids, is the festival of the lactating sheep. It is derived from the Gaelic word "oimelc" which means "ewes milk". Herd animals have either given birth to the first offspring of the year or their wombs are swollen and the milk of life is flowing into their teats and udders. It is the time of Blessing of the seeds and consecration of agricultural tools. It marks the center point of the dark half of the year. It is the festival of the Maiden, for from this day to March 21st, it is her season to prepare for growth and renewal. Brighid's snake emerges from the womb of the Earth Mother to test the weather, (the origin of Ground Hog Day), and in many places the first Crocus flowers began to spring forth from the frozen earth.

Lore: The Goddess recovers from the birth and the God is young. Imbolc is a purification, and a festival of light and fertility. This is the opening of spring and the origin of the popular "Groundhog Day."  
The Maiden is honored, as the Bride, on this Sabbat. Straw Brideo'gas (corn dollies) are created from oat or wheat straw and placed in baskets with white flower bedding. Young girls then carry the Brideo'gas door to door, and gifts are bestowed upon the image from each household. Afterwards at the traditional feast, the older women make special acorn wands for the dollies to hold, and in the morning the ashes in the hearth are examined to see if the magic wands left marks as a good omen. Brighid's Crosses are fashioned from wheat stalks and exchanged as symbols of protection and prosperity in the coming year. Home hearth fires are put out and re-lit, and a besom is place by the front door to symbolize sweeping out the old and welcoming the new. Candles are lit and placed in each room of the house to honor the re-birth of the Sun.
     Another traditional symbol of Imbolc is the plough. In some areas, this is the first day of ploughing in preparation of the first planting of crops. A decorated plough is dragged from door to door, with costumed children following asking for food, drinks, or money. Should they be refused, the household is paid back by having its front garden ploughed up. In other areas, the plough is decorated and then Whiskey, the "water of life" is poured over it. Pieces of cheese and bread are left by the plough and in the newly turned furrows as offerings to the nature spirits. It is considered taboo to cut or pick plants during this time.
     Various other names for this Greater Sabbat are Imbolgc Brigantia (Caledonni), Imbolic (Celtic), Disting (Teutonic, Feb 14th), Lupercus (Strega), St. Bridget's Day (Christian), Candlemas, Candlelaria (Mexican), the Snowdrop Festival. The Festival of Lights, or the Feast of the Virgin. All Virgin and Maiden Goddesses are honored at this time.

Special Time: This is a time to celebrate the light and to honor the Maiden aspect of the Goddess, as well as the child aspect of the God. It is a time to purify, of new beginnings and such. It is a very joyous time, with much in the future to look forward to and sort of a playful feeling in the air. This is a time for making plans for the future, which will be encouraged to develop in future Sabbats.         

Activities: Imbolc is celebrated with symbolic new beginnings and sweeping out of the old. Many like to have self-dedication rituals and re-initiations at this time. Traditional activities are making candles, lighting a candle in a window and burning it until morning, using candles in magic and divination, doing a "spring cleaning" of the house, blessing seeds that are hoped to produce good plants for food and other things, re-stocking the magickal cabinet, and going out looking for signs of spring, collecting pebbles and other natural trinkets. Some people like to put a wheel symbol on their altar at this time of the year.

Brigit’s Cross

Items needed:
a handful of wheat stalks
warm water
clothespins
clear or red thread and needle  

Directions:      
Soak wheat stalks in warm water
Fold one stalk of wheat in half, leaving the kernels sticking out
Fold another one the same way, and thread through the first one. (It now looks like a long "L" )
Fold the third the same way, and insert through the second wheat stalk. (It now looks like an L with a tail )
Fold and insert the fourth stalk through the third
Use the clothes pins to help keep the shape as you weave more wheat
Continue folding and threading the wheat stalks until you have several wheat woven through each "arm"
Allow to dry with the clothespins in place
Using the thread and needle, sew the stalks together - this is cheating, but I find that it's necessary!
Hang over the fireplace or stove.

Ideas and Activities for Imbolc 

• Make or decorate candles 

• Brighid, the Celtic goddess of fire, healing, and poetry is considered the patron Goddess of Imbolc. Read up on her as a Celtic goddess and as her later incarnation, St. Brigit.  (Have a bardic circle to share this) 

• Burn the evergreen boughs that decorated your home during the winter holidays in the Imbolc Fires and celebrate the return of the Sun's strength and the Godess as the Maiden. 

• Brighid is the goddess of poetry. Write a poem in her honor, and read it aloud during any Imbolc ritual you may have planned. 

• Cleanse and re-consecrate your ritual tools and clean your altar.  

• Go through all your herbs and discard those that are more than a year old 

• Weave "Brigit's crosses" from straw or wheat to hang around the house for protection  

• Perform rites of spiritual cleansing and purification 

• Make "Brigit's beds" to ensure fertility of mind and spirit (and body, if desired)  

• Ritually cleanse your home and start your "spring" cleaning 

• Make a Crown of Light (i.e. of candles for the High Priestess to wear for the Imbolc Circle, similar to those worn on St. Lucy's Day in Scandinavian countries **see the kids craft section for a cute kids' version of this** 

• Place a lighted candle in each and every window of the house, beginning at sundown on Candlemas Eve (February 1), allowing them to continue burning until sunrise. Make sure that such candles are well seated against tipping and gaurded from nearby curtains, etc. If you are not able to use real candles use those candle lamps sold at crafts and department stores for the Christian Christmas season.

•  Buy a "salt lick" block and leave it out for the wild animals.  

• Make a window garden with seeds, soil, old glass jars or rinse some tuna or cat food cans, and get ready for spring! Easy items are beans, mints, marigolds. Even carrot or pineapple tops and avocado pits are fun to do. 

• Make a tiny "Candle Garden" by filling a small aluminum pan with fine salt or sand and "planting" birthday candles, Hanukkah candles or even tea lights in the "garden" 

• Tie tiny strips of fabric in trees near a stream and ask Bride for her influence in your life. Use cotton strips and the birds will use them for nesting or they will biodegrade over time 

• Play a candle game where the men stand in forming a circle whole passing a candle quickly and the women stand on the outside of the circle trying to blow out the flame. The one who succeeds gets to claim a kiss. 

• Meditate as a family. Have everyone explore what it would feel like to be a seed deep in the Earth, feeling the first stirrings of life. Lie on the floor and put out tendrils. Stretch and bloom.  

• Help your kids go through all their clothes, toys, and books to find the unwanted and outgrown items. Donate everything to a charity that will give the items to children who need them.  

• Go for a walk. Search for signs of spring. Take off your shoes and socks and squish your toes in the mud! 

• Lead the family on a parade around the outside of your home, banging on pots and pans or playing musical instruments to awaken the spirits of the land.  

• Have your children hold some herb seeds in their hands. Talk to the seeds. Bless them with growth and happiness. Fill them with love. Plant an indoor herb garden.  

• Make corn dollies and a cradle for them to sleep in.

Kindling The Fire 

This morning, as I kindle the flame upon my hearth, I pray that the flame of Brighid may burn in my soul, and the souls of all I meet today.

I pray that no envy and malice, no hatred or fear, may smother the flame.

I pray that indifference and apathy, contempt and pride, may not pour like cold water on the flame.

Instead, may the spark of Brighid light the love in my soul that it may burn brightly through the day.

And may I warm those that are lonely, whose hearts are cold and lifeless, so that all may know the comfort of Brighid's love.

 Prayer to Bride  ~~By ElfDragon2@aol.com 

Great Goddess Brigit
I ask for your inspiration
In all my endeavors
Help me to learn new things
Please give me the gifts
Of poetry and creativity
Help me to clean out the old and musty
In my mind and heart
Show me how to make mundane tasks
A joy and Honour to you
Make my hands, my lips, my mind
My heart and my soul, a blessing to you
Forge me into your instrument
That I may be a blessing
To you and the Old Ones
As well as a blessing to all I meet
May they see your love and power in me
Teach me to Honour you in being
A wife, a mother, and keeping a home
I dedicate my life to you
My body, soul, heart, and mind
To your service
SO MOTE IT BE!!

Imbolg  ~~© 2001 Raven Spirit  

Look through the darkness and you will see
The spark growing for all to see
To warm the Earth
To warm our souls
The seeds we plant begin to grow
The goals you set and magick worked
Was it all for knowledge, wisdom and mirth?
To help the Gods and your fellow man
To grow strong and to aid your clan
The light of hope begins to stir
Even though snow and ice still occurs
The work that is wrought
Brings the growth that is sought
Just as a seed breaks open underground
Deep in your Spirit these roots are found
But how they will grow is up to you
They grow by way of the things that you choose
We are given a light to bring us warmth
And nourished from Water from the time of our birth
The Earth with big rocks to anchor our lives
And Air to teach us so the Old Ones may guide
The second turn of the Wheel has begun
The God is rising
The Cycle begun