How Many Days Until Mabon?
Mabon 2025 occurs around the Autumn Equinox, Monday, September 22, 2025.
About Mabon
Mabon is a modern Pagan festival, part of the Neopagan Wheel of the Year, celebrated on the Autumn Equinox (around September 21-23 in the Northern Hemisphere). It marks the second of three harvest festivals (following Lughnasadh/Lammas and preceding Samhain) and corresponds to the time of year when day and night are of equal length. It's a time for giving thanks for the abundance of the harvest, acknowledging the balance of light and dark, and preparing for the coming winter.
Origins and Naming
While rooted in ancient harvest traditions, the specific name "Mabon" is relatively modern.
Harvest Festivals
Historically, cultures worldwide celebrated the main harvest around the equinox. Mabon draws inspiration from these traditions of thanksgiving and community feasts.
Modern Neopaganism
The name "Mabon" was popularized in the 1970s by Aidan Kelly. It refers to Mabon ap Modron, a figure from Welsh mythology associated with youth, liberation, and possibly the harvest.
The Autumn Equinox
The festival is tied directly to the astronomical event of the Autumn Equinox, when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, resulting in nearly equal hours of daylight and darkness.
Second Harvest
It represents the midpoint of the harvest season, focusing on fruits, late grains, vegetables, and the bounty gathered before winter sets in.
Key Themes of Mabon
Mabon centers around several interconnected themes:
- Gratitude and Thanksgiving: Expressing thanks for the abundance provided by the earth, both literally (food) and metaphorically (blessings in life).
- Balance: Recognizing the equilibrium between light and dark, day and night, as seen in the equinox. This extends to finding balance within oneself.
- Harvest and Abundance: Celebrating the fruits of labor, the gathering of crops, and the richness of the season. Symbols include apples, grapes, wine, gourds, corn, and grains.
- Preparation: Acknowledging the waning light and preparing for the darker, colder months of winter, both physically and spiritually.
- Community and Sharing: Sharing the harvest bounty with others, fostering community bonds through feasts and gatherings.
- Reflection: Looking back on the year's growth and accomplishments, letting go of what is no longer needed, similar to trees shedding leaves.
How Mabon is Celebrated
Modern Mabon celebrations vary but often incorporate traditional harvest elements:
Harvest Feasts
Sharing meals featuring seasonal foods like apples, squash, root vegetables, grapes, nuts, and bread.
Apple Magic & Activities
Apples are prominent symbols. Activities include apple picking, baking pies or cider, and divination using apples.
Altars and Decorations
Creating altars decorated with autumn leaves, gourds, cornucopias, candles in fall colors (red, orange, brown, gold), and symbols of the harvest.
Rituals and Reflection
Performing rituals focused on gratitude, balance, and letting go. Meditating on personal achievements and preparing for introspection during winter.
Connecting with Nature
Walking in nature, gathering fallen leaves or seeds, and appreciating the changing colors of the season.
Sharing and Charity
Donating food or resources to those in need, embodying the spirit of sharing the harvest's abundance.