The Story of Imbolc

The Ancient Celtic Festival Celebrating the Rebirth of Spring

Now that Yule and the holiday season have passed, it's time to start looking forward to what's ahead. The Winter Solstice is receding into memory, the Sun is beginning to hang higher in the sky, and the first flowers have already sprung open, to be waited on by the fragile pollinators of the year. Amid this burgeoning field of life, we present the story of Imbolc, the ancient Celtic festival celebrating the rebirth of Spring.

St. Brigid, the Maiden of Spring

Across ancient Europe, the arrival of Spring was a momentous occasion. The ancient Celts were no different from their neighbors across Europe, and for them, the arrival of Imbolc was a time of great celebration. On Imbolc, the night before what we recognize as February 1st, the Celts of the British Isles would prepare their homes for the coming of Brigid, the most important goddess in the Celtic pantheon. On this night, the Celts believed she came to visit them and partake in their offerings of oats and reeds, and in thanks, Brigid would bless the celebrants' households with a bountiful new year.

Crucial to the story of Imbolc is the understanding that Brigid is a goddess who wears many hats: not content with being the goddess of Spring, she is also the patroness of the dawn, poetry, crafting and metalsmithing, animal husbandry, and, perhaps most important of all to a pastoral people, she was the protector of newborn lambs. Lambing season was of crucial importance to the ancient Celts of the British Isles; it still is today, as Ireland remains an overwhelmingly rural and agricultural country. In fact, as of 2023, Imbolc is an official holiday recognized by the Irish government.

The Meaning of Imbolc

The word "Imbolc" itself seems to descend from the phrase "in the belly," referring to pregnant ewes preparing to give birth to their lambs. It was an important season for the pastoral world, where a poor showing among a flock of ewes could spell catastrophe for your entire tribe's fortunes in the coming year as they struggle to make do without meat or dairy for eating or wool for crafting. Because of this, Imbolc was one of the most important days of the Celtic calendar, and ensuring that Brigid was watching over you was considered essential to survival.

Celebrating Imbolc Yesterday and Today

As many features of pre-Christian Celtic myth have, Brigid and Imbolc survived into modern times, albeit with some changes. In the history of Imbolc, it is commonly accepted that the goddess Brigid is the inspiration of Saint Brigid of Kildare, one of Ireland's patron saints (she and St. Patrick are two of Ireland's three most celebrated saints, alongside Columba).

Similar to her pagan goddess ancestor, Saint Brigid is the patroness of newborns, midwives, dairy maids, and cattle, all of which fall squarely under the Brigantine role as protector of the lambing season. The historical Saint Brigid is said to have been born in Ireland around the same time the Anglo-Saxons were invading Britain and introducing their own winter holidays.

Imbolc survives today as Saint Brigid's Day, a feast day for many Irish Catholics, and coincides with Candlemas, an ancient Greek celebration of the return of spring. It even inspires Groundhog Day, in a roundabout way: the emergence of a groundhog from the earth as a symbol of spring is symbolic of the Earth being seen as our mother, with her blessings coming from within her, an analogy to many facets of motherhood.

Today, many of the traditions of Imbolc can be celebrated at home with your family. As all of the old traditional holidays were, by their nature, feast holidays, cooking a good dinner in celebration is quite appropriate, especially if done with herbs like rosemary and winter savory which thrive in the cold.

To Honor Brigid - Traditions, Rituals and Practices

Every person's relationship with their gods and ancestors is personal, whether they realize it or not, and so we always encourage the reader to explore their own ways to honor them. For crafting, using reeds or any similar material, one can make a Brigid's Cross, an ancient protection spell hung near the door to keep evil out. To honor Brigid herself, we suggest lighting candles as the sun goes down, symbolizing her eternal return.

How To Survive Midwinter

While we talk about Imbolc, let's admit that for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it's probably not pleasant out during this time of year. Our Scandinavian cousins have likely developed the most well-tuned systems for surviving winter. Terms like hygge and koselig have reliably cropped up in social media for years now, encapsulated in trends like cottagecore, evoking stone fireplaces, warm cups of tea, and enormous quilts to bury yourself in. At their heart, both are Scandinavian winter philosophies, built to help people endure the long Nordic nights. For the Danish hygge, the word evokes reimagining your home as a warm, candle-lit oasis; for the Norwegian koselig, it can be like approaching winter like it's one big trip to the ski lodge. Both offer valuable lessons on how to keep your spirits up during the long winter months.

Ways to Celebrate Imbolc

Here are a few ideas for celebrating Imbolc - remember to tailor them in a way that is meaningful to you personally. Keep in mind this day will be what you make of it, not what we recommend you make of it, so it is imperative to tailor this ancient celtic holiday to your personal, modern life.

Light Candles

Legitimately why we named our candle-making company Brigid, one of the simplest ways to celebrate Imbolc is to simply light candles. This simple action symbolizes the concept that we each have the power to create light in darkness. The darkness of winter cannot survive all year when we each have the power to create our own light.

You can choose to light candles at dawn or dusk to honor the sun, create a peaceful space for lighting candles, and reflect on the increase of daylight and warmer weather.

Create an Alter or Prayer Space

Create a space for spiritual safety that fits your belief system and decorate with the seasons in mind. Decorate with fresh springtime flowers such as daffodils, crocus and heather, spring-themed items, such as plants, crystals, rocks, religious images, or anything else significant to you for mindful reflection.

Imbolc Feast Traditions

Imbolc means "in-the-belly" and is a reference to the pregnancy of ewes during Imbolc, which also indicates a feast. Much like the other eight traditional Celtic holidays (known in America as the "Wheel of the Year"), Imbolc is traditionally celebrated with a feast - either simple or elaborate.

You can find some fantastic feast ideas we've personally enjoyed ourselves from Gather Victoria - we have made and recommendBrigid’s Rosemary Oat Cake,Rosemary Oat Bannock, Colcannon,Imbolc Lavender & Rosemary Seed Cake, and never forget the Bread Pudding!

Make a St. Brigid's Cross

Collect reeds from nature (or purchase from a craft store), reeds and straw both work well. St. Brigid Crosses were traditionally hung from the rafters of thatched roof cottages where they were believed to bring a blessing and protection of the saint for the remainder of the year. Today you can find them in many Catholic churches and cathedrals across Ireland, hung prominently next to Catholic icons.

The Imbolc Collection

Our own tribute to the history of Imbolc, the Imbolc Collection, anticipates the coming of Spring with a delicate blend of floral and earthy notes, Cross of Brigid welcomes the first glimmers of Spring with a blend of subtle Heather, luxurious Rose, bright Narcissus, and earthy Vetiver. Shop the collection now.