Image: Edward Carey @EdwardCarey70 Series of Daily Folklore Drawings

Imbolc

The first signs of spring appear in February, where the deep freeze of January begins to break; snowstorms turn to rain, and the land begins to thaw with the first sprouts of grass. When flowers like snowdrops and crocuses appear, it’s the promise of summer.

To the ancient Celts, this sacred period was Imbolc, a time for anticipation, hope, healing, purification, and preparing for spring. It’s the season for honoring the Goddess Brigid and planning what seeds will go into the field at the spring equinox.

https://symbolsage.com/imbolc-symbols-rituals/

Cailleach

The Old Woman of Winter she is a hag with deathly blue pale skin, a bow-legged leaping gait, striding across mountains with a power to shape and transform the landscapes as rocks fall from her gathered apron. With her staff she touches the trees and their leaves fall. On the Eve of May Day she throws her staff under a holly tree and turns to stone, but awakes again on Halloween.

We place stones from the stream in pile, a mountain of our own.

She swings her white cloak upon the mountains covering them with snow.

She smashes her blackthorn staff upon any sign of spring.

https://www.irishcentral.com/travel/best-of-ireland/cailleach-irish-goddess-winter-trail-ireland

Bride

A slave of the Cailleach given impossible tasks. Clean this muddy tangled fleece. Bride tries and for three days has her hands frozen blue trying and trying. It is the Old Man of Winter who helps her and makes it as white as snow.

https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/factsheets/factsheet-the-festival-of-imbolc/

The First Snowdrop

A lovely story with echoes of Bride and the Cailleach. Sometimes I tell this as part of Bride’s story. Sometimes with a Christian Eve and Adam and Garden of Eden vibe.

In the beginning of the world there was a beautiful garden full of flowers and fruit, warm sun and gentle rain. The only rule don’t eat the apple!

Of course the apple is eaten and the people cast out into the harsh cold, sharp stones and freezing snow of winter.

The girl is weeping frozen tears in the snow when she feels the warmth of feathers behind her and around her. She turns and there is an angel. Look! Where her tears of fallen there is the first snow drop and the sign that whatever the harshness and deepness of despair there is always hope of Spring.

Did you know that Snowdrops hand their heads down to protect the pollen from the harsh winter winds?

Ideas