Moon Names

 On our Facebook page I try and mention New Moons and especially Full Moons, and I have seen that these days there is a tendency to give the Full Moons names such as for the April Full Moon we find it listed as The Pink Moon.

This name is not a traditional one in any sense of the word. In the 19th Century the US Yankee Magazine  decided to create a list of Moon names for their 'Old Farmer's Almanac', in other words the journalists made them up, and for some reason these names seem to be ones that we are getting stuck with.

There are actually many truly traditional names, some dating back to Anglo-Saxon times and even Celtic beliefs and over the years I have compiled a list of these, which I use on Facebook to try and keep them alive. I have recently been asked about this and so I have decided to list them here, so that at least they are somewhere that people have easy access to.

Full Moons do move about each year, so some years some Moon names are more appropriate than others. Anyway here is my list:

January: Wolf Moon, Stay Home Moon, Moon After Yule

February: Storm Moon, Ice Moon, Snow Moon this can also be Wolf Moon same as January

March: Plough Moon, Wind Moon, Lenten Moon (Lengthening Moon, referring to the lengthening days) Chaste Moon

April: Budding Moon, New Shoots Moon, Seed Moon, Egg Moon

May: Mother's Moon, Bright Moon, Milk Moon (the Saxons called this month Thrimilch, because the rich new grass meant cows could be milked three times daily), Hare Moon

June: Mead Moon, Horse Moon, Dyan Moon, Rose Moon, Flower Moon, Honey Moon (where we get the wedding holiday name from).

July: Claiming Moon, Wyrt Moon (herb collecting moon), Herb Moon, Mead Moon (Meadow or the drink made from honey), Hay Moon

August: Dispute Moon, Grain Moon, Corn Moon

September: Wine Moon, Song Moon, Barley Moon, Harvest Moon (this is usually the name given to the Full Moon nearest to the Autumn Equinox)

October: Blood Moon (this was when herds were culled), Seed Fall Moon, Hunter's Moon (this is usually the Full Moon nearest to the feast of Samhain).

November: Mourning Moon, Darkest Depths Moon, Blood Moon (again), Snow Moon (rarely snow for us these days)

December: Oak Moon, Full Cold Moon, Moon Before Yule.

Hope this helps.

When is the Festival of Easter?

 This might seem a daft question, but for many Pagans and Witches this can be very confusing - and even contentious.

The eight main festivals of the Witches year are spaced roughly every six weeks or so throughout the year. The four main festivals are called the Cross Quarter Days - Samhain, Beltane, Imbolg and Llughnassadh. The four minor festivals are timed by the Sun, so they are the two Solstices at Midsummer and Midwinter and the two Equinoxes at Spring and Autumn.

The Spring Equinox falls around the 21st of March and (surprise, surprise!) celebrates the re-awakening of the Earth and the return of Spring.

The Spring goddess is known as Ostara, Eostre or Easter. So her festival is obviously the Spring Equinox.

But hang on a minute, there is another festival around this time which also bears the name of the Spring goddess. 

Yes, we are talking about the christian festival of Easter, which moves about each year because it is timed, not by the Sun, but by the Moon.

Now this starts to get messy as the christian festival is dealing with the death and resurrection of Jesus. That is: the death and resurrection of a god, but it has been given the name of the Goddess who welcomes the resurrection of the Earth.

So is this a christian festival, timed by the Moon?

Or is it a Pagan festival, originally timed by the Moon, which has been hijacked by the early christians?

Now I must admit, I don't have a problem with there being two festivals of Eostre, because I believe 'The more the merrier!'. That is why my facebook page is dedicated mainly to listing festivals for as many days of the year as I can find something for!

I am all in favour of a party and if the christians want to celebrate Eostre with eggs (ancient Pagan symbol of resurrection) and bunnies (messengers of the Moon Goddess) then I am all for it!

Traditional Witches (and I am one) have always celebrated both Witchy festivals and festivals of other religions too. Largely, I must admit, as a means of self-preservation in times of Witch persecutions - you are less likely to appear to be a Witch if you attend church regularly and participate in christian festivals.

But why limit yourself to four festivals, or eight or even twenty-four, when you can have something to celebrate every day of the year?

Spring is a Season, not a day.

So I reckon our Goddess of the Season is entitled to be celebrated more than once.

Happy Easter!