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Guide
Imbolc: History, Traditions and Ways to Celebrate
Imbolc falls on 1–2 February. A Gaelic festival of first stirrings, linked with the goddess and saint Brigid, the lambing season and the first snowdrops. This guide covers where Imbolc comes from, its folklore, simple ways to celebrate at home or outdoors in the UK, and what to put on your altar.
History and meaning
A Gaelic festival of first stirrings, linked with the goddess and saint Brigid, the lambing season and the first snowdrops. Brigid's crosses are woven from rushes, and Candlemas (2 February) blesses candles. As with every sabbat, modern practice blends genuine old custom with 20th-century revival, and both are part of a living tradition.
Customs in Britain and Ireland
Customs around Imbolc vary by region, family and path. Look for local fairs, church festivals and folk customs near you; our town guides list heritage sites and seasonal events across the UK. Many old customs were practical, marking the farming year, the movement of animals or the turn of the light, and their meanings grew around that work.
Ways to celebrate
At home
Weave a Brigid's cross, spring-clean your home or altar, light white candles and plant seeds indoors.
Outdoors
Walk somewhere that shows the season, such as a hill at sunrise, a wood or a stone circle. Leave nothing behind but footprints.
With others
Share food, tell stories or join an open celebration. Many Druid and pagan groups hold public rites.
Journaling
Write what this season means to you, what you want to release and what you hope to grow before Ostara.
Altar ideas and colours
Traditional altar items include white candles, amethyst, moonstone, lavender or vanilla incense. Add what you find outside: leaves, flowers, seeds or stones. Keep candles on a heat-proof plate, away from anything that could catch, and never leave them alone.
Folklore
In Scotland and Ireland a Brideog, a doll of Brigid, was carried from house to house, and a bed was made for her by the hearth. If the ashes were disturbed in the morning, Brigid had visited. Weather lore says a fine Candlemas day means more winter to come.
Food and drink
Bread, butter, cheese and milk, foods of the lambing season. Colcannon and oatcakes are also traditional, along with a bowl of milk or a piece of bread left out for Brigid.
Nature at this time
Snowdrops, hazel catkins and the first lambs. Days are noticeably longer, and blackbirds start singing at dawn.
The sky at Imbolc
On 1 February 2027: In London the sun rises at about 07:40 and sets at about 16:47. In Cardiff the sun rises at about 07:52 and sets at about 16:00. In Edinburgh the sun rises at about 08:09 and sets at about 16:43. In Belfast the sun rises at about 08:14 and sets at about 16:59. The nearest new moon is on 6 February 2027. Times are calculated and approximate, in UK clock time.
Reflection prompts
Looking back
What has this last season given you, and what are you ready to let go?
Looking forward
What would you like to have grown by Ostara?
Gratitude
Name three things from the natural world you noticed this week.
Where it sits on the Wheel
Imbolc comes after Yule and before Ostara. The Wheel of the Year guide covers all eight festivals. UK delivery is £3.95, free on orders over £40, and usually takes 2–5 working days.
Imbolc dates for 2026, 2027 and 2028
Solstice and equinox times are calculated with astronomy-engine for UK clock time. The cross-quarter festivals are kept on their fixed calendar dates by most people, though some prefer the astronomical midpoint, a few days later.
| Year | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1–2 February 2026 | Fixed calendar date (cross-quarter day) |
| 2027 | 1–2 February 2027 | Fixed calendar date (cross-quarter day) |
| 2028 | 1–2 February 2028 | Fixed calendar date (cross-quarter day) |
Imbolc on a budget
Imbolc suits small gestures: a white candle, a few snowdrops in a glass, a clean windowsill. Spring cleaning has roots in the same idea of clearing out the old year. Many people write down three things they want to grow over the coming months and keep the note on their altar until Ostara.
Ideas for families
- Make a Brigid's cross from rushes, straw or paper strips.
- Look for snowdrops, catkins and the first lambs.
- Plant seeds indoors on a sunny windowsill.
- Notice how much later sunset is than at the winter solstice.
After Imbolc
Imbolc opens the run to the spring equinox. Some people keep their Brigid's cross above the door until next year, then burn it and make a new one, as was done in Ireland.
Sunrise and sunset across the UK on Imbolc, 1 February 2027
Calculated with astronomy-engine for each city, in UK clock time. Day length grows the further north you go in summer and shrinks in winter.
| City | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 07:39 | 16:49 | 9h 10m |
| Cardiff | 07:51 | 17:01 | 9h 11m |
| Birmingham | 07:49 | 16:53 | 9h 4m |
| Manchester | 07:54 | 16:51 | 8h 57m |
| Belfast | 08:13 | 17:01 | 8h 48m |
| Edinburgh | 08:07 | 16:45 | 8h 38m |
| Inverness | 08:18 | 16:42 | 8h 24m |
The moon on the day
- 1 February 2027: waning crescent, 20% lit.
- 1 February 2028: waxing crescent, 31% lit.
Crystals, herbs and colours for Imbolc
- Amethyst: calm, clear thinking and restful sleep; the Greek name means 'not drunk'
- Garnet: most often deep wine red; also orange, green and purple
- Moonstone: the moon, intuition and new beginnings; June birthstone
- Selenite: light and cleansing other crystals; avoid water
- Clear quartz: clarity and amplifying intention; the 'master' stone
- Herbs and scents: lavender, rosemary and early flowers such as snowdrops.
- Colours: white, pale green and yellow.
Seasonal pieces from the shop
Real pieces in stock today, with current prices. Each product page lists size, materials and what is included.
- Celestial Energy Atlas Oracle Cards - Spiritual Deck: £3.20.
- Manifest Magic Candles (pack of 12) - Violet - Crown Chakra: £1.72.
- Manifest Magic Candles (pack of 12) - Indigo - Third Eye Chakra: £1.72.
- Esoteric Fringed Altar Cloth - Moon & Sun Chart: £4.00.
- Hop Hare Crystal Magic Flower Candle - The Moon: £11.96.
- Ancient Witch Ritual Water - Fountain of Youth: £6.40.
- Magic Spell Candle - Protection: £11.20.
- Magic Spell Candle - Prosperity: £11.20.
Words worth knowing
- Wheel of the Year: the modern pagan cycle of eight seasonal festivals, popularised in Britain in the 1950s and 60s.
- Sabbat: one of those eight festivals.
- Quarter day: a solstice or equinox, fixed by the sun.
- Cross-quarter day: a festival roughly halfway between a solstice and an equinox: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain.
- Esbat: a full moon gathering or ritual, as opposed to a sabbat.
- Altar: a surface set aside for seasonal and ritual objects.
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Questions answered
When is Imbolc?
1–2 February.
How is Imbolc celebrated?
Weave a Brigid's cross, spring-clean your home or altar, light white candles and plant seeds indoors.
What colours are used for Imbolc?
Common choices include white candles.
Do I need special tools for Imbolc?
No. A candle, something seasonal and a quiet moment are enough.
When should I order for Imbolc?
Allow about five working days before the date. UK delivery is £3.95, free on orders over £40, and usually takes 2–5 working days.
Is Imbolc a pagan festival?
Imbolc is one of the eight festivals of the modern pagan Wheel of the Year, marking the first stirrings of spring and Brigid's festival. Some of its customs are old folk traditions in Britain and Ireland; the name and the eight-festival cycle in its current form date from the 20th century.
How can I celebrate Imbolc on my own?
Light a candle, go for a walk to notice the season, cook something seasonal and write a few lines about what Imbolc means to you this year. Solitary celebration is completely normal in modern paganism.
What food is eaten at Imbolc?
Traditional and seasonal choices include milk, butter, oatcakes, bread and seed cake.
Can children join in with Imbolc?
Yes. Crafts, seasonal walks, baking and decorating are all easy ways to include children. Keep candles and fires supervised.
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