Thorvald Ragnarsson, the Gothi and owner of Thorvaldshavn, has been working on a revised calendar of Norse holidays and feast days, that steps away from some of the "traditional" (id est, "accepted" for the last few decades) Ásatrú holiday set. Partially, he wants something closer to how historical Nordic peoples worshipped, in their daily lives; partially, this is because Ásatrú is largely based in Icelandic reconstructed traditions, and his people hail from Norway.
But it's taken him several months to get this far, and he's given me permission to post this initial draft. This is his rundown for 2021, using the moon cycles of the Gregorian calendar, because they're slightly more accurate than the Julian.
(Also understand this is a calendar year designed to take into account the days and solar tilt of the lands centering on Norway, and not the world as a whole. Depending on where one is in the world, it will affect when these days start and end.)
2021 Moon Cycles of the Gregorian Calendar Year
Nàttleysi ( Nightless Days; Summer)
Skammdegi (Short Days; Winter)
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Average dates of the Solstices and Equinoxes:
Lunar Month Length: 29.5 days
Lunar Year Length: 12.38 months
NORSE HOLIDAYS:
(The rest are largely still sourced from Ásatrúar holidays; some of the names and dates may change, some will remain. They're listed because they're mostly the wheel of the year that is celebrated in Nordic recreationist faiths.)
Þorrablot: or Husband's day, it was celebrated on the first day of Þorri in honour of all husbands and fathers. It was held in honour of Thor and of course, the winter spirit of Thorri.
Góublót: also known as "Wife's day", it took place on the first day of Gói in honour of all mothers and wives. It’s also a celebration of the end of winter.
Sigurdsblót: the first day of Harpa. A day to celebrate the beginning of Summer and the victory of light over darkness. Offerings to Freya were made during this festival.
Mid-Summar: a common festivity in many cultures, it was the celebration of light, fertility and music.
Alfarblót: the first day of Winter. It celebrates the last harvest of the year and it’s also associated with the goddess Freya. This festivity was celebrated in the privacy of each home, as opposed to the others and it was lead by the women of the house.
Jól or Yule: a festivity associated with the Wild Hunt and Odin and the predecessor of the modern Christmas celebrations in northern Europe.
Dísablót: the exact day of this celebration is unclear, some sources say it was held at the beginning of winter, others at the end of it or it might have been celebrated on both, actually. This festival honoured all the female figures: the disir (the female spirits of protection and fertility), goddesses, ancestors and other female figures of the Norse lore.
NORSE FESTIVAL DATES:
Disting or Disablot (February 2nd): a celebration of new beginnings and preparation of the land for planting.
Sigurdsblot (End of March): Sacrifices for prosperous harvests at the beginning of planting season.
Midsummar or Midsummarblot (June 21st): The date of this celebration can vary a little bit if you decide to do it on the actual Summer solstice. Bonfires, traditional music and the burning of corn dollies take place to celebrate the brightest time of the year.
Frey Feast or Freysblot (August 1st): Thanks giving for the fruits of the first harvest of the year. A loaf of bread is baked as an offering to the goddess Frey.
Fall Feast or Haustblot (September 23rd): this festivity falls on the Autumn equinox, so the date may vary a bit if you celebrate it on the actual astronomical event. It honours the second harvest of the season and it’s the time to gather food for the upcoming winter months. It's also a time to reflect on what we have achieved and to be thankful for what the Earth has given us.
Winter Nights or Vetrnaetr (October 31st): The end of the harvest season, which meant that it was time to use the meat of the farm animals and start hunting. It's also a night to reflect and honour ancestors, as well as the goddess Hela. The veil between the worlds is thinner during this night, so it's also a good time to do some divination for the year ahead.
Yule (December 20th-January 1st): the most important of all Norse holidays, it has a duration of 12 nights, starting on December the 20th. The darkest time of the year symbolizes the beginning and end of all things and it is when the gods and goddesses are the closest to Midgard. The dead return to Earth to share feasts with the living, but other magical creatures run freely at this time too, so be aware!
Please keep in mind that like many other things in Viking culture, some 'educated guesses' are made concerning the Norse culture.
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There's more to come, I'm sure. The names of some festivals may change; Thor's doing a great deal of research into the oldest mentions of feast days and festivals he can find, and who knows? Before he's done he may have a name for this reconstruction, and a book on how to worship. It would not be the first time a random thought led to a revolution, or a revelation.
I'm fascinated to see where this is going to go.
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