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Imbolc - February 2Imbolc (also called Imbolg, Candlemas, The Feast of Brighid) is celebrated on the 2nd of February. It marks the middle point of the dark months, a time when seeds in the ground begin to grow, spring is on the way, and the light is returning. It is a time to honor the maiden Goddess Brighid, a goddess of fire, poetry, childbirth. Imbolc is a time to celebrate new growth and new beginnings.One of the customs of Imbolc is to place a lighted candle in every window of the house in the evening, and leave the candles burning all night, or until they burn out. Another custom is to weave "Brighid's Cross" to hang in the house. The Brighid's Cross is a symbol of protection and prosperity for the coming year. To learn more about Imbolc, click here. How to Make A Brighid's Cross A Brighid's Cross can be made with wheat stalks, grasses, reeds or rushes. Gather a few dozen reeds of the same length. If they tend to break when you bend them, soak them in water to soften them, so that they will bend easily. |
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Hold one reed vertically and fold another in half around the middle of the first. |
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Fold next reed over the last one. It will be parallel to the first reed.
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Fold next reed over the reeds one and three. It will be parallel to the 2nd reed.
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Continue to work in a circular fashion, until you have used up your reeds, or created enough of a "woven" center to the cross. Hold the reeds together carefully, and tie each end together with string, so that the cross won't fall apart. |
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