by Silva Payne

Created on: December 24, 2009

Mabon is a modern name for the autumnal equinox. It takes place on or around September 23 each year, and is one of the solar quarter days; the day and night are of equal length at both the autumn and spring equinox. It is also known as the harvest festival, as it comes when the last of the summer crops have been brought in from the fields in the northern Hemisphere.

The word Mabon is most commonly used by those pagans following an eclectic or Celtic tradition. Its association with the harvest is important as it provides links to the Christian Church's adoption of harvest festival activities around the feast day of Saint Michael. Many UK pagans will be familiar with the Christian celebration of Michaelmas on September 29th, and may use that name for the autumn equinox period instead.

There is much written and promoted on the Internet as being the “true” or “correct” way to celebrate the autumn equinox. Much of this can be safely ignored, as it comes from a particularly modern wiccan section of the pagan community. There is no right or wrong way to mark or celebrate any of the points in the year. That is not to say that anything goes; simply do what feels most natural to you, without feeling you must put on any kind of show for your family, friends or deities.

It is common for many pagans to reconnect with the natural world at this time of year. Collecting hedgerow foods, and making jams and preserves is a fine way to do this. If you are fortunate enough to live in the countryside, you may be able to make use of some stalks of straw from the field sides and create a traditional corn dolly.

Corn dollies have been made by country folk for centuries as offerings of thanks for a successful harvest and petitions for continued good fortune in the coming year. The dolly itself was made from the last stalks of straw left standing, said to be where the spirit of the harvest had taken refuge. The corn dolly was effectively the “home” of the harvest spirit for the winter months, with the corn dolly being buried in the field soil the following spring to continue the cycle.

Corn dollies range from simple sheaves of straw tied together, to intricate figures and designs incorporating hearts, spirals and circle shapes. Modern corn dollies made for commercial sale often include ribbons. Home made corn dollies can be as simple or as elaborate as you desire; all you need is some long stalks of wheat, rye, barley or a similar grain, with the grain husks still attached.

An easy and traditional corn dolly can be made by plaiting the stalks of the straw until the plait is long enough to form a loop when the top is bent over to the grain husks. This can then be tied with a bow to hold the loop in place. To make a heart-shaped dolly, separate the stalks into 3 groups, plait the outer 2 sections as before, but leave the middle section as it is. When the outer sections have been plaited, tie the ends with ribbon to the middle stalks, pulling the ends down towards the grain husks to form a heart shape. You may need to bend over one or two of the central stalks at the back under the ribbon to help keep the heart in place.

Corn dollies can be given as good-luck gifts to friends or family, particularly at the autumn equinox, but also at Halloween and at Yule.

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