Imbaelk, also known as Imbolc,[1] (Common Speech: Sprouting) is celebrated in February as according to the elven calendar, giving a name to the third savaed of the year. It heralds the end of winter. The holiday is a festival of the hearth and home, and a celebration of the lengthening days and the early signs of spring - that's the reason why Imbaelk is often called "Sprouting".
Celebrations often involve hearthfires, special foods, divination or watching for omens, lighting candles or a bonfire if the weather permitted. Fire and purification is an important part of the festival. The lighting of candles and fires represents the return of warmth and the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months. In some regions blessed candles are lit during storms and placed in windows to ward off thunders.
Imbaelk is also traditionally a time of weather divination - people are making predictions about weather in the coming year.
Magical Holidays[]
Trivia[]
- Imbolc is a celebration among some Celtic cultures in the real world.
References[]
- ↑ David French's translation