Imbolc

There are alot of places you can go to read about the holiday of Imbolc, its symbolism, origins, activities, etc.  So, instead of boring everyone with info you can find almost anywhere else, I'll share what we'll be doing.  (Though not in any particular order...)

Each Sabbat, my kids and I read stories relating to that day.  For Imbolc, we'll be reading Kat Dyer's Meagan's Imbolc (http://home.comcast.net/~kdyer/meagan/imbolc.html), Lori Dake's Kyle's Imbolc Lesson (http://www.doomdiva.com/chipaganps/imbolcstory.html) and PaganDad's Grandfather's Story for Imbolc (http://www.pagandad.com/2009/01/childrens-story-for-imbolc.html).  After the stories, we'll talk about what happened in each one, and what Meagan and Kyle learned.  We'll also talk about what we can do in similar situations.

I try to cook at least a little something that correlates to the Sabbat, as well, and this year, while making a beef stew on Imbolc, I'll also be making a sunflower seed bread and honey cakes, with homemade butter.  -This is a new endeavor, so if it turns out, I'll post the recipes I used.  If not, well, let's just not dwell on that, ok?  Making Sabbat-appropriate foods gives me an opportunity to share with my fiance and his parents (yes, we're staying at his parents' house temporarily, while saving to buy our own- another endeavor I'm working on!) a little about what I practice and believe in at any given time.

In the meantime, since the breads will take some time to rise and bake, the kids and I will be making an Imbolc Crown (courtesy of PaganDad http://www.pagandad.com/2009/01/imbolc-crown.html).  I'll post a pic once it's done :)

I may or may not put together a simple ritual for the kids and myself.  If I do, it will be very simple and non-structured, but I'll post it anyway.  And, if I don't, well, ritual isn't everything, actually living and doing is much more important as far as I'm concerned.  If I don't get a ritual in with my kids, I'll wait until I meet with my coven sisters to get my ritual-fix.