Heathen holidays


In the modern Pagan new religious movement of Heathenry, various publications identify a number of holidays, to some extent based on medieval references to sacrifices observed in historical Norse paganism or reconstructions of an early Germanic calendar, but frequently also inspired by the "Wheel of the Year" popular in Wicca, and sometimes also based on ad hoc innovation, e.g. the various "Days of Remembrance" introduced by The Troth.
As a minimal consensus, the three great seasonal blots mentioned in Ynglingasaga are recognized by practically all adherents. These are: Winter Nights, Midwinter and Sigrblot. Beyond this, the modern Icelandic festival of Þorrablót is sometimes considered a "pagan holiday".
Suggestions for rituals suited for these various holidays were published by Edred Thorsson, A Book of Troth and by Kveldulf Gundarsson, Teutonic Religion.
James Chisholm published a suggestion for Ostara. Chisholm argued for the reconstruction of the "sacred dramas" which he saw reflected in some Eddaic poems, although shorn of their sexual content by the Christian redactors. The revived neopagan ritual was again to be modified to suit "contemporary American sensibilities".

Asatru Free Assembly

The seminal organization of American Heathenry was Asatru Free Assembly, founded in 1974 by Stephen McNallen.
The first attempt to provide a "Germanic" version of the Wiccan Wheel of the Year was made by McNallen in desktop-published documents between 1975-1976.
DateWiccan sabbathAsatru equivalent
21 December
YuleYule
2 FebruaryImbolcCharming of the Plow
21 / 25 March
OstaraSummer Finding
1 May
BeltaneMay Day
21 June
MidsummerMidsummer
1 August
LugnasadFreyfaxi
21 / 29 Sept
MabonWinter Finding
31 October
SamhainWinter Nights

The name "Yule" coincides with the Wiccan Wheel as the name has been taken by Wicca from the Germanic tradition in the first place.
McNallen's "Summer Finding" later came to be popularly called Ostara both in Wicca and in Asatru.
For the remaining items, McNallen sought to replace the Gaelic name used by Wiccans with a Germanic-inspired alternative.

Puryear

Puryear constructs an "eight-spoked Yule, also called achtwung", also paralleling the eight holidays in the Wheel of the Year in Wicca, but with slight differences to McNallen's 1970s version:
Disting, Ostara, Beltaine, Midsummer, Hleifblot, Haustblot, Vetrablot, Yule. Of these eight names, Ostara, Beltaine, Midsummer and Yule coincide with the Wiccan "Wheel". The remaining four, Disting, Hleifblot, Haustblot and Vetrablot, correspond to Wiccan Imbolc, Lughnasadh, Mabon and Samhain, respectively.
Puryear mentions "Charming of the Plow" it as an "alternate name" for Disting, which he in turn identifies with the "midwinter sacrifice".

The Troth

The handbook Our Troth in its second edition, published by The Troth in 2006,
likewise lists eight festivals: Yule, Þorrablót, Idis-Þing, Ostara, Waluburg's Night, Midsummer, Loaf-Fest and Winter-Nights.
These eight festivals are not, however, evenly distributed throughout the year as the Wiccan "Wheel of the Year".
The handbook takes as its starting-point the statement in the Heimskringla
on the three major holidays, Winter Nights, Yule, and Sigrblót, set in October, December and April, respectively.
Midsummer is added as a fourth festival in the absence of Eddaic evidence because its popularity in modern Scandinavian folklore. The remaining four holidays are listead as the "lesser blessings".
In addition, Our Troth cites a number of "Days of Remembrance" dedicated to various Eddaic heroes introduced by modern Ásatrú in the United States.
dateholidaysignificance
late December Yule one of the "three greatest blessings of the year" mentioned in the Ynglinga saga
late January / early FebruaryÞorrablótone of the "lesser blessings"; mentioned in Hversu Noregr byggðist, in modern Icelandic folklore associated with Thor
late February / early MarchDistingone of the "lesser blessings"; the Heimskringla mentions this as a Swedish tradition originally lasting for a week during the month of Góa, but later moved to Candlemas and reduced to three days' duration.
9 FebruaryRemembrance for Eyvindr kinnrifione of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance", dedicated to a martyr of the Christianization of Scandinavia
14 FebruaryFeast of VáliThe US Valentine's Day celebrated as an Ásatrú-specific "Day of Remembrance"; by folk etymological connection of Váli with Saint Valentine
28 MarchRagnar Lodbrok's Dayone of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance"
9 AprilRemembrance for Haakon Sigurdssonone of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance"
AprilOstara Sigrblót is one of the "three greatest blessings of the year" mentioned in the Ynglinga saga, celebrated "for victory". Ostara in Wiccan tradition is set at vernal equinox; the historical Sigrblót marks the beginning of summer and the campaign season. The historical lunar month of Eostre may coincide with the Paschal Full Moon.
9 MayRemembrance for Guðröðr of Guðbrandsdálone of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance", dedicated to a martyr of the Christianization of Scandinavia
late MayEinherjar Daythe US Memorial Day celebrated as an Ásatrú "Day of Remembrance"
9 JuneRemembrance for Sigurdone of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance"
late June Midsummerincluded as part of Scandinavian folklore
9 JulyRemembrance for Unnr the Deep-Mindedone of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance"
1 AugustLammas one of the "lesser blessings"; The name Lammas or "Loaf-fest" refers to an Anglo-Saxon festival of the wheat harvest; the name Freyfaxi refers to a tradition of horse sacrifice to Freyr.
9 AugustRemembrance for Radbod, King of the Frisiansone of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance"
9 SeptemberRemembrance for Herman the Cheruscanone of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance"
mid OctoberRemembrance for Leif Ericson and his sisterThe US Columbus Day celebrated as an Ásatrú "Day of Remembrance"
mid OctoberWinter Nights one of the "three greatest blessings of the year" mentioned in the Ynglinga saga. The historical festival marked the beginning of winter, and involved sacrifices to the elves and the dísir. In Neopaganism also observed as a Festival of the Dead and as such associated with Wiccan Samhain on 31 October.
28 OctoberRemembrance for Erik the Redone of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance"
9 NovemberRemembrance for Sigrid the Haughtyone of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance"
late NovemberWayland the Smith's DayThe US Thanksgiving celebrated as an Ásatrú "Day of Remembrance"
9 DecemberRemembrance for Egill Skallagrímssonone of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance"