Mabon, A Harvest Gathering

It may seem a bit early to plan Thanksgiving if you celebrate in November but if you’re a Pagan, it’s coming up relatively soon.  

Lamas just passed and is considered the first harvest celebration and is celebrated on the first of August. Mabon has similar celebrations, but it's actually celebrated on the Fall Equinox which falls on Sept. 23 this year.  

According to Mabon House, the holiday has been celebrated by modern Pagans since the 1970’s and this particular holiday is the last of eight sabbats celebrated during the year. It's considered the second harvest celebration where farmers can see how well their crops and animals did.  

Mabon is named after the god Mabon who has similar symbols as the Greek god Apollo like the lyre.  

This Pagan Thanksgiving is probably why many people associate the more widely known holiday with gourds, apples, and pumpkins. That big cornucopia also associated with Thanksgiving is also from Mabon and is considered a symbol of the holiday.  

So How Do You Celebrate Mabon? 

You probably already celebrate unintentionally anyway if you're a seasonal decorator. When you add Fall decorations or flowers dried or real (fake is fine too). This is essentially welcoming the changing of the seasons and preparing for Winter.  

No need to do a huge turkey dinner, especially since this time of year is so hectic. You can simply do a sit down with your friends or family, share any kind of meal (or not) and simply say what you’re thankful for.  

It’s also a great time to set end-of-the-year intentions and work toward those for the remaining months.  

Happy Early Mabon!