Thanksgiving meal
A shared meal of the season's food.
- Cook with food that is in season where you live.
- At the table, let each person name one thing they are grateful for.
- Pour out a little of a drink onto the ground at the end.
Wheel of the Year · solstice or equinox
Mabon
The autumn equinox, a time of thanksgiving.
- Northern Hemisphere
- about 22 September Next: 23 September 2027, the equinox falls at about 06:02 UTC
- Southern Hemisphere
- about 20 March Next: 20 March 2027, the equinox falls at about 20:25 UTC
History and names
There was no ancient festival called Mabon. The name was suggested in the 1970s by the American writer Aidan Kelly, who borrowed it from Mabon ap Modron, a figure in Welsh legend. The autumn equinox itself, around 22 September in the north, has long been a time of harvest thanksgiving across Europe.
The festival is often called Harvest Home in Britain, where the end of the harvest was celebrated with a feast.
Also known as
- Autumn equinox
- Harvest Home
- Alban Elfed (modern Druidry)
Customs
People mark it with a thanksgiving meal, gathering the last of the garden produce, sharing food with others, and taking stock of what the year has given. It is a festival of gratitude and balance.
Practices
Share the harvest
Give away some of what you have grown or bought.
- Choose some surplus produce or a few tins from your cupboard.
- Take them to a neighbour, a food bank or a community fridge.
- Note what you are glad to have enough of.