Imbolc: The Festival of Brigid

Imbolc is the pagan holiday that lands between the Winter Solstice (Yule) and the Spring Equinox (Ostara) on the Wheel of the Year. It is celebrated from February 1 through sunset on February 2nd.

Imbolc has ancient Celtic roots and is associated with the goddess Brigid. The focus of this sabbat is to welcome the return of the light and set intentions for the coming spring season. The holiday, also known as Lady Day or Oimelc is celebrated by Wiccans and neo-pagans. It has inspired other holidays Groundhog Day and the Christian holiday of Candlemas or St. Brigid’s Day.

The History of Imbolc

Imbolc originated in pre-Christian Ireland and was celebrated widely in the ancient Celtic world. Imbolc (pronounced IM-bolg) comes from the Old Irish meaning “in the belly.” This is a reference to the pregnant and lactating ewes and to the fertility of the season and the fact that the earth is about to burst forth with new life.

During the long winters in the north, wild garlic bursting through the snow and baby lambs were early signs of spring was on the way.

The Celts celebrated Imbolc to honor these first stirrings of life. It was one of their four fire festivals and bonfires were lit in honor of Brigid. Girls carried small dolls made of straw or oats representing the goddess from house to house to bless them and sometimes offerings were left tied to trees near small springs called clootie wells.

The first mention of the holiday comes from the Irish heroic saga known as The Ulster Cycle and the story of Cú Chulainn’s Courtship of Emer, written between the 8th and 11th century.

In it, Emer tells Cú Chulainn, “No man will travel this country, who hasn’t gone sleepless from Samain, when the summer goes to its rest, until Imbolc, when the ewes are milked at spring’s beginning, and from Imbolc to Beltine at the summer’s beginning, and from Beltine to Bron Trogain, earth’s sorrowing autumn.”

It is also the time to honor the triple goddess Brigid. This is one of the reasons fire was an important part of the Gaelic Imbolc celebrations. Not only was it part of purification rituals, but also it symbolizes Brigid’s sacred flame and her connection to blacksmithing. Even after Brigid became St. Brigid and Imbolc influenced the Christian holiday of Candlemas, the tradition’s connection to fire remained as candle lighting is part of the holiday’s ritual.

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Brigid, the Goddess of Imbolc

The Celtic goddess Brigid (pronounced Breed or Breej) was the daughter of Dagda, the oldest god in the Tuatha dé Danann.

Brigid is a triple goddess who rules over the smitharts, poetry, and healing. The fire goddess is also connected to fertility, springtime, and prophecy. And, as mentioned in the Irish saga Cath Maige Tuired, she was the one to bring keening (a combination of shrieking and wailing in grief) to Ireland.

Celtic celebrations worshiped her at Imbolc with fires and by hanging a Brigid’s Cross above doorways to protect against lightning and fire.

When Christianity came to Ireland, Brigid became Saint Brigid, complete with a human history beginning around 450 A.D. in Kildare, Ireland. As a saint, she was known for feeding the poor and healing the sick. A perpetual flame that was tended for centuries by pagan priestesses, and later, by Brigidine nuns, burns in the town square of Kildare.

Ways to Celebrate Imbolc Today

Modern pagan Imbolc celebrations include rituals to celebrate the coming spring and engage energetically with the cycle of the year.

Fire is still a strong component of the holiday. In Marsden, Ireland, there is a large annual fire festival. In Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, Cunningham writes that it’s traditional to light a candle in every room in the home or to light every lamp in the house just after sunset “to honor the sun’s rebirth.”

• Plant seeds. If you set an intention at the Yule, the winter solstice, get a couple seed packets and hold them in your hands, focusing the same intention into the seeds. Then plant the seeds in a small pot with soil and make sure to water frequently. The reminder to nurture your intentions will help them grow.
• Make Brigid dollies or Brigid crosses to protect the home. Here’s how to make a Brigid cross.
• Bake oatcakes and leave butter and beer outside for Brigid on Imbolc eve. Consider adding a cornstalk for her white cow.
• Decorate your altar with colors and symbols related to Imbolc.
• Listen for a lark. Ancient Celts used to listen for a lark to sing on feast day. If it did, it was a sign spring was close.
• Walk or be in nature. Connect to the changing season and welcome the return of the light.
• Do a candle ritual and set intentions for the season.
• Write poetry. Brigid represented poets and poetry. Consider writing some poems connected to her or the season.

Here are more Imbolc rituals you may want to consider.

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Imbolc Symbols and Colors

Whether you are decorating your altar or just brightening up and decorating your home, the traditional colors and symbols of Imbolc include many early spring-themed items. The holiday celebrates the fire goddess Brigid and the early springtime, so choose items that evoke the energy or emerging and reawakening.

Here are some Imbolc altars to inspire your own.

Imbolc correspondences to consider for your altar:

• Brigid’s cross: This cross with four equal arms represents the fire goddess and was hung over doorwarys for protection.
• Candles: Candles are a way to symbolizes the fire element on your altar. In this case they can also represent the goddess Brigid.
• A triskele or other triple goddess symbol
• Plants: Snowdrops (first flower of spring), crocuses, dandelions, or daffodils
• Herbs: Angelia, bay, lavender, rosemary, cedar
• Colors: White, green, red, or pink
• Animals: Wool from sheep or carvings representing lambs, sheep, larks, or swans
• Food: Offerings of butter, oatcakes, milk, homebrew, beer, or dandelion wine
• Stones and crystals: Fiery gems like citrine, garnet, amber, bloodstone, ruby, and sunstone as well as amethyst, onyx, and turquoise

What Are Imbolc’s Recipes and Foods?

Most traditional Imbolc foods are things you would find in a medieval Celtic home in the middle of winter. It might be surprising that some of these are actually pretty tasty.

• Milk: Dairy is an important symbol of Imbolc as it represents the pregnant ewes and new lambs. You can drink it or use it in a spiritual bath. Milk and butter are also associated with Brigid’s healing and protective powers.
• Bannock: A traditional Scottish skillet bread similar in texture to a scone
• Butter: In some traditions, butter was churned the same day of the festival
• Pancakes: Whether plain or with berries, the shape of pancakes evokes the sun
• Cheese: Rich sheep’s cheeses connect to Imbolc’s Celtic history and early rituals
• Colcannon: A traditional Irish dish made with potatoes and greens

Here are 50 easy Imbolc recipes you can make for the holiday.

Sources and Further Reading

The Táin Bó Cuailnge translation by Thomas Kinsella
Imbolc: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Brigid’s Day by Carl F. Neal
Seasons of the Witch: Imbolc Oracle Cards
The Pagan Book of Days: A Guide to the Festivals, Traditions, and Sacred Days of the Year by Nigel Pennick
Brigid: History, Mystery, and Magick of the Celtic Goddess by Courtney Weber
Tending Brigid’s Flame: Awaken to the Celtic Goddess of Hearth, Temple, and Forge by Lunaea Weatherstone

Updated on: February 3, 2025