Celebrating Imbolc with Toddlers

Lockdown in January sucks balls. I could just finish there!

We can't go outside as much, the night's are dark, far too bloody early, it's cold, there's nothing to celebrate and there seemed no potential light at the end of this covid tunnel we are dwindliing through.

And because of Lockdown this seemed like the longest, greyest, most bleak frigging miserable darkest Groundhog day-esque January ever on bloody record! There, you get my vibe...

Then, eventually, we had some good news! My husband's article was to be published in a monthly magazine, called 'Pagan Dawn'. It was to be in the February issue, which was mainly celebrating Imbolc and all that comes with the beginning of February. I was full of pride and joy.

I was not looking hard for any excuse to celebrate mind you..dry January had gone out of the frigging window by January 4th when Lockdown was extended and school closures announced for the new year. My Dads 65th birthday was to be on February 1st, the first year in many when I haven't been able to see him and celebrate together as a family, and his Christmas presents are still sitting very sadly in the spare room because of this shit show that has been Covid 19 we haven't seen him in almost 3 months.

So, my husband being Pagan, said lets celebrate Imbolc as a family...Yes!!!!

Imbolc celebrations focus around the lighting of fires. Fire and Brigid (also known as Bride, Brigit, Brid), the Goddess of fire, healing and fertility. The lighting of fires symbolises the increasing power of the Sun over the next coming months. Goodbye Winter, and Hello Spring, we cant wait to see you!

So, these are a few of things we got up to, with our sons, amidst a global pandemic, to celebrate Imbolc on February 1st 2021.

We made a wreath the night before, to adorn our front door, featuring snowdrops, one of the first signs of Spring. A Brigid Dolly, to attract fertility and fortune upon the home. And St Brigid's cross, to keep any evil, or hunger away from the home.

That morning, we awoke early, as of course all house holds with babies do...mine have a particular issue with sleeping in past 5am, its disgusting. So we literally watched the sun come up.

I made pancakes for us all for breakfast to symbolise the Sun, hopefully we will start seeing a little more of it soon enough...

Ragnar was very impressed with my smiley face pancake for him....extra lemon for added deliciousness...of course!

We also got busy with some festive crafts, we made a Jack Frost face to go on our window to say farewell to Winter, and we made a Green man's face to say Hello to Spring!

Ragnar had lots of fun making these, he's really into crafting with me lately, and loves to use the glue stick on his own, supervised of course, like a big boy!

Wolf, however, now 18 months , slept the whole time we made these!

We painted paper blue and allowed it to dry before making a face and cutting out spikes to make a spikey beard and hair cut for Jack frost, throwing huge handfuls of glitter on top! Then for the green man we used green card we already had in Mummy's very handy, somewhat overflowing art supplies box! We then made a green sticky crown and we collected some leaves and twigs on our walk to make realistic hair.

We enjoyed the park for a family walk, where Ragnar went on a bear hunt for the 10,000th time this week (babies and repetitive stories!!!!!!!!) and baby Wolf enjoyed the swings in the spring-like sunshine.

Finally that evening my husband feasted on spring lamb, whilst us vegetarians enjoyed an asparagus tart...and we felt well and truly blessed for everything we have.

In the past, I may have said, no we haven’t got time for any of that, no we don't need to go so full on, no I don't want to go to the extra hassle. But, if this last year has taught us anything, it is to be grateful for what we do have, and to see the pleasure in the small things. It's made me really value what we've achieved as a family, and to really appreciate one another. And yes, its sad I needed a year like 2020 to make me focus on those things, and put those things at the forethought of my day, but at least it has, so it has done some good. And Imbolc was the perfect way to celebrate the light at the end of our Covid tunnel, and to shine some hope on the situation! So, why not celebrate as a family, and include all ages in the celebrations! Imbolc blessings from ours to yours xxx