Wicked Obscura Apothecary

View Original

Imbolc: Spring is Coming!

We at Wicked Obscura want to welcome you to one of the most exciting Celtic festivals of the year: Imbolc!

For those of you who don’t know what Imbolc is, it’s the halfway point of the winter season and the reminder that Spring is just around the corner. It symbolizes purity, growth, and renewal; heading into Spring means we’ll be seeing a lot of new flora and fauna cropping up. Plants will be sprouting, trees will be in bloom, and some animals will be introducing their new offspring to this wild and wonderful world. This is the perfect time to ‘shed your winter coat’. Out with the old and in with the new is a great motto to adopt during Imbolc, and we want to help you find different ways to celebrate or to show your appreciation of this time of year.

Fires are popular in many Celtic celebrations, and Imbolc is no exception.

During Imbolc, lighting a fire could be a means of celebrating the Fire Goddess Brigid, and it could also symbolize the return of the Sun after the overcast winter season. Fire is also a great way to bring people together, so light one in your hearth or, if you don’t find it to be unbearably cold outside, light one in a fire pit and gather around with friends and family. Laugh, share stories, reflect on all that’s happened that season, and celebrate the coming of Spring.

Food options for a social gathering like this are simplistic. Keep it light and go natural where you can. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and raisins as well as cakes, muffins, and scones are good options to have for the attendees. Let’s not forget assortments of cheeses! All of this can be paired with spiced wines and herbal teas

If you’re more into solo ventures, a good spring cleaning can help the mind as well as the soul. This is a great time for you to be able to reminisce about things that happened in the past, but then also make a conscious decision to leave them there. Start fresh and declutter in all senses of the word! If you don’t mind your home being a little drafty for a while, maybe crack open some windows to let some natural air – and light – into your space.