Quarter Days and Cross Quarter days
Pagan observations:
Quarter Days: Equinoxes and Solstices divide the year into quarters
Yule (Winter Solstice) - Dec. 21st. Birth of the Egyptian (among others) Sun God, "Ra".
Ostara (Spring Equinox) - Mar. 20th. - 23rd. The equinox occurs when the sun crosses the equator and enters the House of Aries.
Summer Solstice (Lughnasadh) Aug. 1st. To the Irish-Gaelic, Lughnasadh is a feast to commemorate the funeral games of the Irish Sun God Lugh. This is in commemoration of the death of His foster mother, "Taillte"
Mabon (Autumn Equinox) (Sept. 20th. - 23rd. dependant on actual astrological event) The astrological date is when the sun enters the sign of Libra. Also known as the Witches Thanksgiving.
Cross Quater Days: Mid-way points between the Solstices and Equinoxes
Imbolc - Feb. 2nd. This is also the Greek festival of Diana, Goddess of Love.
Beltain - May 1st. The astrological date for this day is when the sun sets at 15 degrees Taurus. This is a time of the Great rite.
Litha - (June 20th. - 23rd. dependant on actual astrological event). The astrological date is when the sun reaches the Tropic of Cancer. The first battle between the Tuatha De Danann and the Fir Bolgs occurred on this day.
Samhain - Oct. 30th to Nov.1st. Samhain is reckoned when the sun has reach 15 degrees Scorpio.
English Quarter Day Observations:
Lady Day, March 25th. To the Catholics it is the "Feast of the Annunciation".
Midsummer Day, June 24th. Midsummer has been Christianized as the feast of Saint John the Baptist.
Michaelmas, Sept. 29th. To the Christians this is the Feast of St Michael.
Christmas, Dec. 25th. This is the day given in the year 336 C.E. as the birthday of Jesus Christ.
Scottish Quarter Day Observations:
Candlemas, Feb. 2nd. Candlemas marks the end of the Christmas and Epiphany season.
WhitSunday, May 15th. Whitsunday is the Sunday of the feast of Whitsun or Pentecost in the Christian calendar, observed 50 days after Easter.
Lammas, Aug. 1st. Lammas the festival of the first wheat harvest of the year.
Martinmas, Nov. 11th. To the Christians, Martinmas, or November 11 is the feast of Saint Martin of Tours
