Lorri@Mabon_House 1/25/22 Lorri@Mabon_House 1/25/22

5 Easy Thrift Ideas for Celebrating Imbolc

Celebrating Imbolc doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. There are many ways to celebrate Imbolc using what you have on hand. However, if you do decide to buy things for Imbolc or any other Wheel of the Year holiday, starting at your local thrift store can save you money and is often more sustainable than purchasing through big box stores. Here are five items to look for at the thrift store for your Imbolc celebration.

Art Supplies

Imbolc is associated with the Celtic Goddess Brigid, who was the goddess of craftsman. So making some arts and crafts is a great way to celebrate in her honor. Look for paper, garbic, yarn at your local thrift store. These items are usually pennies on the dollar over buying new. You can use your thrifted art supplies to make Imbolc crafts like a Brigid's Cross or a corn dollie. You could also create a junk journal or add materials to a grimoire. To help you get started I’ve curated some Imbolc craft ideas on Pinterest.

Baskets

Baskets are always a good thing to look for at thrift stores. You can use them all year long for decorations and storage. Baskets can be used to hold bread and rolls, which are popular foods to make during Imbolc. You can fill a wicker basket with freshly cut winter greens for an easy winter centerpiece. Or use thrifted baskets to hold all your Imbolc arts and crafts or altar items, until you are ready to use them.

Candles

Imbolc marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox and the return of the light and it’s most well known symbol is a candle. Candles from the thrift store are usually inexpensive and often brand new, still in the wrapper. You can use thrifted candles for your altar, if you put one up, or as decor around your home.

You can also do a simple Imbolc ritual with a candle by selecting a word that has meaning to you or is something that you want to implement in the coming seasons (i.e. simplicity, abundance, love, etc…). Carve the word onto the side of your candle. Light the candle on the night of Imbolc and meditate on what you want to be, do or have as the candle burns down.

Linens

Table linens including tablecloths and napkins can add a sense of occasion to a simple Imbolc dinner. Look for linens that are white, pink, gold or red - the colors associated with Imbolc.

Dishes

As with table linens, china dishes are an easy way to dress up your Imbolc celebration. Vintage dishes are especially pretty when mixed and matched. Plus, they are one of the most inexpensive items to buy at a thrift store.

Imbolc is a time to celebrate the coming spring as well as the quiet stillness of winter. Creating some cozy spaces in your home, with simple activities is one of the best ways to celebrate this turn on the wheel.

Lorri@Mabon_House 1/17/22 Lorri@Mabon_House 1/17/22

The Season of Imbolc and the Goddess Brigid

Here in Maine we are expecting our first big snow storm in a few days and the winter air is full with anticipation. I’ll spend some time later today filling the woodbox on my back porch, emptying the ashes from the woodstove and checking my pantry to see if I should pick up any groceries before the snow descends.

Winter storms in Maine are not that big a deal. It’s just part of living here. But I do find comfort in preparing ahead of time. There is a wonderful sense of hominess and security when I top off the woodbox or have a bucket of ash ready to spread on slippery steps. Unlike summer, when the days are long and hot and the work in the garden seems to never end, the cadence of winter is more my natural pace. A burst of energy to get things done, with a promise of hot tea and rest by the fire when I am finished.

Snowstorms aside, I’ve been thinking about springtime and what I’d like to accomplish this year, both in my gardens and in other areas of my life. For this is the season of Imbolc, when we can plot and plan, as well as pause and rest. To celebrate, this week I’m sharing a post about the History of Imbolc and the Goddess Brigid.

Along with the free Mabon House Imbolc Celebration Guide in the Members Library, this week’s free printable is a new word art print that I created to remind myself that ebb and flow, change and constancy, are all part of life’s balance.

Lorri@Mabon_House 8/1/21 Lorri@Mabon_House 8/1/21

Seven Thrift Ideas for Your Wheel of Year Celebration

The Wheel of the Year sabbats are opportunities to pause and celebrate the changing of the seasons, both within and around you. When you are just starting out, it can feel like you have to buy all.the.things in order to celebrate each sabbat properly. You may need certain items like candles or vessels, or fabric in a specific color that corresponds with that sabbat. Or maybe you are throwing a dinner party and need additional place settings and serving dishes. Thrift stores, charity shops and even yard sales are all great places to stock up on items for your Wheel of the Year celebrations.

Anyone who’s been following along on my Instagram knows that I love thrift store finds. Most of my home decor is thrifted or second hand finds. I love thrifting because it's affordable and more sustainable than buying new. I can often find higher quality items than what is available in local box stores.

Here are seven things that you can usually find for pennies on the dollar at your local thrift store:

Candles

I often find nice quality candles, new in the original packaging at my local thrift store. Candles are useful for altars, centerpieces or add a specialness to an ordinary day. Imbolc especially embodies candles as part of its celebration.

Dishes

A beautiful table doesn’t have to cost a lot of money (looking at you Pottery Barn). I love (and I mean LOVE) picking up vintage dishes whenever I’m thrifting. I am especially partial to Blue Willow china because it’s easy to find and adds an instant charm to any meal. Plus it reminds me of Jessica Fletcher’s kitchen from Murder She Wrote.

Along with place settings, I have scored most of my nice serving dishes from my local thrift store, including mixing bowls, various size platters, small serving vessels and pitchers.

Table Linens

Along the same lines of thrifted dishes, thrifted table linens are an easy and inexpensive way to dress up your dinner table. Along with vintage tablecloths and napkins, I often pick up handmade doilies and dresser scarves to use throughout my house or on my altar, if I am setting one up.

Picture Frames

I love adding framed printable art and quotes to my seasonal decor. It’s usually free or very low cost and easy to swap out as the seasons change. To make my thrifted frames look more cohesive, I’ll often give a mismatched collection a coat of spray paint. And whenever I find an oversized frame (bigger than 8x10) I’ll grab it, because they are harder to find and surprisingly pricy to buy new.

Baskets

Woven baskets offer beauty and function for your entire house. I use them for holding bread on the dinner table, to store magazines or craft projects and corral clutter in my office. In the autumn, to celebrate Mabon, I like filling small baskets with dried flower bouquets from the garden and placing a larger basket of fresh red apples on our kitchen counter.

Faux Greenery

Not everyone has ready access or a budget for fresh flowers and greenery, especially in the winter months. Thrift stores are an excellent place for scoring gently used fake plants, picks and flowers. I use faux greenery to add a little color and texture to places in my house where real plants won’t make it, such as my kitchen which gets little direct sunlight. For my Wheel of the Year celebrations, I will add faux greenery for sabbat decorations.

Now, some might argue that using fake greens goes against the very essence of a nature based spiritual path. I argue that it is the intent that you have when using any item, real or fake. Plus I feel it's a bit elitist to assume that everyone can pick up a fresh bouquet of flowers for their Wheel of the Year celebration. I say do what you can, where you are, with what you have.

Clothes

Easily half of my wardrobe is thrifted. If you are looking for a special outfit for your Wheel of the Year celebration, thrift stores and consignment shops are a great place to look. ThredUp is another resource, if you don’t live near any good quality second hand clothing stores. I wrote a whole post on how to shop online for thrifted clothes. Buying second hand clothes is one of the best ways to avoid fast fashion and reduce the environmental footprint of your wardrobe.

As you plan for your next Wheel of the Year celebration, I hope that these tips have helped inspire you. Be sure to visit the Member’s Library for Free Wheel of the Year Printables, calendars, art and more!