The Norse Calendar & Holidays

 

I know it's not Celtic Heritage, But Old Norse Heritage has always fascinated me, I even volunteer at a Nordic Museum. I believe that the Celtic and Nordic Heritage has quite a bit of culture to share with each other. 

Fortunately, with these archaeological discoveries have a few references to the past Pagan festivals and the old Icelandic calendar was spent until the eighteenth hundred years, so because of these assets, we can have a surmised thought of how the early Germanic clans coordinated their time. Not at all like our advanced Gregorian calendar, the year was separated into two seasons in particular: Summer and Winter. Albeit the Sun played a significant part in their lives, Vikings utilized the moon stages to monitor time, from new moon to new moon, isolating the year into a year of 30 days and four additional days each fourth Summer called the Sumarauki, to represent jump years. Similarly, as in different civic establishments, solstices and equinoxes had some significance also: these galactic occasions are truly perceptible in the northern locales and assisted them with anticipating the appearance of the changing seasons, something basic for horticulture and cultivating. Here are the names of the various months and times of the Norse "wheel of the year":

·        Náttleysi (nightless days or Summer months):

·        Harpa (mid-April to mid-May): the first month of the year, probably named after a forgotten goddess or mythical creature.

·        Skerpla (mid-May to mid-June): probably named after a forgotten goddess as well.

·        Sólmánuður (mid-June to mid-July): its name translates to “Sun month” and it’s the brightest time of the year.

·        Heyannir (mid-July to mid-August): or “haymaking”. It’s time to harvest the hay.

·        Tvímánuður (mid-August to mid-September): it means “two months”. This might refer to the two months left of Summer.

·        Haustmánuður (mid-September to mid-October): the Autumn month and time to harvest and get ready for the hard winter months ahead.

·        Skammdegi (short days or Winter months):

·        Gormánuður (mid-October to mid-November): or “slaughter month”

·        Ýlir (mid-November to mid-December): also known as “Yule month”. The origins of its name aren’t clear, but it seems to be related to the celebration or to “Jólnir”, one of the names of Odin.

·        Mörsugur (mid-December to mid-January): its name translates to “fat-sucking month”. Animal fat was very important to survive the hard Scandinavian winters when nothing else grew from the land.

·        Þorri (mid-January to mid-February): or “frozen snow month”. Its name may come from the god Thor (Þor) or the Norwegian king called Þorri Snærsson.

·        Góa (mid-February to mid-March): literally “Góa’s month”, who was Þorri’s daughter and a winter spirit.

·        Einmánuður (mid-March to mid-April): meaning the “lone month” or “single month”, probably referring to the fact that this is the last month of winter.

Fun fact: each month of the Norse calendar always started on the same day of the week.

The Norse calendar is loaded up with various holidays and celebrations, yet we don't have point-by-point records of every one of them, sadly. What we are familiar a portion of these merriments depended on middle-age compositions, while others have been reproduced by utilizing the little data accessible from various adventures, blended in with the Wiccan Wheel of the Year as a motivation at times.

·        Þorrablot: or Husband’s day, it was celebrated on the first day of Þorri in honour of all husbands and fathers. It was held in honour of Thor and of course, the winter spirit of Thorri.

·        Góublót: also known as “Wife’s day”, it took place on the first day of Góa in honour of all mothers and wives. It’s also a celebration of the end of winter.

·        Sigrblót: the first day of Harpa. A day to celebrate the beginning of Summer and the victory of light over darkness. Offerings to Freya were made during this festival.

·        Mid-Summer: a common festivity in many cultures, it was the celebration of light, fertility and music.

·        Alfarblót: the first day of Winter. It celebrates the last harvest of the year and it’s also associated with the goddess Freya. This festivity was celebrated in the privacy of each home, as opposed to the others and it was led by the women of the house.

·        Jól or Yule: a festivity associated with the Wild Hunt and Odin and the predecessor of the modern Christmas celebrations in northern Europe.

·        Dísablót: the exact day of this celebration is unclear, some sources say it was held at the beginning of winter, others at the end of it or it might have been celebrated on both, actually. This festival honoured all the female figures: the disir (the female spirits of protection and fertility), goddesses, ancestors and other female figures of the Norse lore.

What we know today as the "Heathen Schedule" was as a matter of fact made involving the Wiccan Wheel of the Year as motivation and giving Nordic names to existing festivals inside Northern Europe, which were vigorously impacted by Christianity by then. Obviously, this doesn't imply that you are off-based on the off chance that you choose to follow this schedule for strict purposes, as it is more helpful for our advanced way of life. Confidence is something exceptionally private that develops with time, so pick anything feels ideal for you!

·        Disting or Disablot (February 2nd): a celebration of new beginnings and preparation of the land for planting.

·        Ostara (March 21st): rejuvenation of the Earth and celebration of fertility and growth.

·        Walpurgisnacht or May Eve (April 30th): associated with the god Frey and goddess Freya. Celebration of love, fertility and the coming of Spring.

·        Midsummer or Midsummarblot (June 21st): The date of this celebration can vary a little bit if you decide to do it on the actual Summer solstice. Bonfires, traditional music and the burning of corn dollies take place to celebrate the brightest time of the year.

·        Frey Feast or Freysblot (August 1st): thanksgiving for the fruits of the first harvest of the year. A loaf of bread is baked as an offering to the god Frey.

·        Fall Feast or Haustblot (September 23rd): this festivity falls on the Autumn equinox, so the date may vary a bit if you celebrate it on the actual astronomical event. It honours the second harvest of the season and it’s the time to gather food for the upcoming winter months. It’s also a time to reflect on what we have achieved and to be thankful for what the Earth has given us.

·        Winter Nights or Vetrnaetr (October 31st): The end of the harvest season, which meant that it was time to use the meat of the farm animals and start hunting. It’s also a night to reflect and honour ancestors, as well as the goddess Hela. The veil between the worlds is thinner during this night, so it’s also a good time to do some divination for the year ahead.

·        Yule (December 20th-January 1st): the most important of all Norse holidays, it has a duration of 12 nights, starting on December 20th. The darkest time of the year symbolizes the beginning and end of all things, and it is when the gods and goddesses are the closest to Midgard. The dead return to Earth to share feasts with the living, but other magical creatures run freely at this time too, so be aware!