Litha

• Also known as the Summer Solstice
• Celebrated on the first day of Summer
• Marks the longest day of the year, and symbolizes the peak of the sun's power.

Lughnasadh (pronounced "luhn-sah")

• Also known as Lammas
• Generally celebrated August 1st
• First Harvest Festival, marking the first harvest of the year. The God begins to lose power and grow weaker as the nights become longer.

Imbolc

• Also known as Candlemas
• Generally celebrated February 1st
• It is a fire festival which celebrates the coming of Spring. This is a beautiful celebration as it usually incorporates lighting a lot of candles.

Mabon

• Also known as Autumn Equinox
• Celebrated on the first day of Autumn
• Second Harvest Festival, which marks the completion of the harvest. Again, day and night are equal on this day. The God prepares to leave his body and go to the Sunless Lands to await his rebirth on Yule.

Those are the Sabbats. We also have what are called Esbats. Traditionally, Esbats are celebrations done during the various aspects of the moon phases. But rituals other than Sabbats are also called Esbats. There are no specific rules for celebrating Esbats. They can be used as a time to honor the Goddess or to observe seasonal changes. It can be a time to work magick or to discuss coven issues.

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