Mabon - 22nd of September

Mabon is often a term referring to the celebration of the autumn equinox, and to know why this name was adopted, we must understand its meaning and where it came from.

 The name "Mabon" was introduced in the neo-pagan religions and the seasonal list of celebrations of the year, from the god of hunting "Mabon fab Modron " in the Welsh mythology, this god was kidnapped, tree days after he was born, and was taken to Annwn.

Mabon is the celebration of the year, when the days start to grow shorter and the nights and darkness will prevail till the winter time comes. A preparation for the harsh winter, when the crops come to an end, and people start to gather food to survive the long dark and cold days of winter. It is also a time to burn the soil and the fields where the crops were, in order to fertilize the land that will be covered by frost and snow, and at the spring time nature will do its work, and the land is ready to be planted again.

There is a similar Northern pagan Tradition at this time, called the Haust blót/Haustblót or Haustablót, but a bit more complex, which i'm about to right it in here at the "Norther Pagan Traditions" folder, and in that writting, maybe you will get to understand the true porpose of this celebrations and enter in the pagan spirit of the thing.

Birch Tree - 24th December to 20 January

The Birch Tree is a small tree that rarely exceeds 25 meters, and it can live to 50 years. In Europe it grows below 2,000 feet of altitude. It is a tree that remotes to an ancestral time, of more then 30 million years of existence.
This tree represents ( in druidic lore ) the renewal and rebirth. In the woods, this is the first tree to gain leaves, to rebirth and to renew its green appearance after the Winter. It is also the first tree to grow again in places where it has been a great burning or a place where the trees have all been chopped down.
It is belived that these were the first trees to grown after the great glacial age.
The origins of its name, birch , comes from the indo-european languages, linking to the words Brightness and shining.
However, it is a possibility that the name comes from the Anglo-Saxon term, beorgan, which means "to protect" or "shelter".
That is why it is said, in a dark forest, it is the birch tree that always show us the way out.

This tree is sacred to the Norse god Thor but especialy to the Welsh goddess Blodeuwedd, and to other goddesses such as Freya, Frigga and Ceridwen.

In the Druid Calendar, the first month, that goes from 24th of December till 20th of January, is called beth - the birch moon. In Portugal, this tree is called Betúla.

There is an ancient habit, to give to the newly married folk, small branches of birch tree in order to ensure the fertility.
In certain places in Europe, farmers used to plant these trees around the house, as a protection against lightning, and the juice extracted from leaves, prevents worms from appearing in the cheese.

The wood of the birch tree is one of the tradicional timber used in the Beltane fire festival.