Mabon is the second harvest festival of the Wheel of the Year. It’s also known as the fall equinox. Most years, the date of this will fall near or on September 21. Equinox marks the time when daylight decreases steadily until the Winter Solstice.
Then, at the winter solstice, daylight will again begin increasing, continuing its progression toward the long days of summer, repeating the familiar cycle of the four seasons.
- Get your free one page Mabon/Fall Equinox Guide here.
Because I follow the natural rhythms of Mother Earth, I observe all of her seasonal cycles as special events. These small celebrations don’t need to be elaborate. There’s no special list of things to have in order to make it “just right.”
I make do with what I have on hand, and keep things simple.
In this post, we will look at 6 super simple, fits-in-your-life ways to observe the second harvest festival of the year.
Here are 6 very simple ways to celebrate Mabon
1. Put on a Harvest Meal for your family or make it a gathering of friends and family. Serve a simple meal that features fresh, homegrown vegetables and in-season items like apples and pumpkins. Get creative. Do your cooking over an open fire, use whatever wildflowers you can find for table decorations. Eat outside, where you can take in the natural world around you.
2. Get outside – take advantage of these remaining days of moderate temperatures to enjoy the gifts of the early fall season. Take in the late-in-the-season blooming flowers, the changing leaves, the cool mornings and warm afternoons. Embrace the changes of the season, integrate them.
3. Fall decorations. Whether you are doing your whole house or just your altar there are lots of options for natural decorations. Pumpkins, corn stalks, hay or straw bales and gourds can be found at all the farmer’s markets. You can incorporate other natural items such as acorns, apples, fresh or dried wildflowers or even herbs you grew yourself. Nuts, seeds, seed pods and colored leaves are nice touches too. And of course, natural items can be composted when you are done with them. Bonus!
4. Swap out summer for fall. Get out those boots, scarves, and sweaters you haven’t seen since the weather got warm. Time to freshen them up and reacquaint yourself with the joys of wearing them!
Another good swap is from cold tea to hot tea. Experiment with new types of teas, herbal teas, purchase new blends, or make your own blends. Try using honey or lemon for additional flavor options. Honestly, boots, sweaters, scarves and hot tea are my favorite things about fall!
5. Make Fire Cider. There are probably hundreds of recipes for making this home remedy to have on hand for cold and flu season. Do a Google search and choose one that resonates with you. I always keep some in the fridge year round, just in case.
Here’s a fire cider video by Rosemary Gladstar (one of my favorite herbalists) that you might find interesting. It includes recipes for Fire Cider + some other fun stuff. Be sure to check it out after you’re all done here.
6. Dust off your crock pot and make a big batch of homemade soup or bone broth. Both are perfect for those chilly days that are coming. I am doing a batch of bone broth as I write this.
Mabon Blessings to you all!
I hope this season of Mabon brings you all much joy and many blessings! I’d love to hear from you about your Mabon traditions, or if you try any of these simple suggestions. You can always connect with me through the Contact Page.
See you next time!
Blessed Be.
For other Wheel of the Year posts:
Celebrating Samhain – A Personal Perspective
Get simple one-page guides for every Sabbat in the Free Witchy Things Vault
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