12:09 AM 1/30/2010 by Dragonlaurel

I feel Imbolc coming much more, sitting here all bundled up, than I have in previous years. Spent most of my life in Florida and although I celebrated all the sabbats, it was hard to be in tune with this one when the weather might be in the 80's. We started today here with cold rain and sleet, then added snow this afternoon.

In areas where this was normal winter weather, Imbolc would be a reminder that the world was coming back to life. The cold gray winter was starting to lose it's grip on the land. It was still nasty weather much of the time but the sun was shining more. The wild and the farm animals were pregnant at this time with the babies that would be born in the spring.

The women and men were busy with projects that helped pass many cold hours. This was the chance to do time consuming things that you couldn't during planting and harvesting seasons. Creative work and the arts were appreciated to break the monotony but the spinning wheels and the loom were as busy as the fireplace. Some tranced while doing the repetitive work, doing their magic while their hands were busy. They had more time to tell the stories of their ancestors and their Gods to the children, passing along their history and beliefs.

Those who decorated their homes with the evergreens for Yule, burned them at, or before, Imbolc. The greenery was brittle and dry and would create a fire risk if kept any longer. The Imbolc fires warmed the homes and the fire was sacred. The hearth and the forge were both necessary to survive.

If it was warm enough to travel out, celebrations would be held in the hills with bonfires to attract and warm the people. Celebrations like this were a needed change of pace. They lifted the spirits when the gray days and long nights could be getting on the nerves. A chance to get together with neighbors and and friends was valuable. They saw that their loved ones were alright or told the stories of the ones who had recently passed. It was also a time to ask for healing and protection to help make it through till the warmth returned.