What are the Cross Quarter Days?
Naturally, I love this because it’s all about the geometry of the world and its journey, the passing of time, and how we observe the journey of the seasons.
The Wheel of the year goes as you can see in the geometry. the Solstices divide the year in half and the equinoxes into quarters. So what are the cross quarter days? The cross quarter days are those that fall equally between a solstice and an equinox. Surprisingly for some these fall on days that we always seem to have celebrations on ( or there about)
Names and titles have been changed because of religions and passing of time but i find these interesting as they all seem to come back to the tradition of noting the cycle of the year which we are ALL subject to.
What are the cross quarter days?
See below: St Brigid (1st February), Mayday (1st May), Lammas (1st August) and All Hallows (1st November)
Winter equinox – 21st December
Shortest daylight hours in the northern hemisphere. Referred to as Midwinter or sometimes Saturnalia. Also Yule or Christmastide.
St. Brigid – 1st February
The first cross quarter day we come to, falling between midwinter and the spring equinox. St. Brigid in Celtic tradition seen as bringing spring to the earth Also known as Candlemas, on the 2nd, being a tradition adopted by the church. Also referred to as Groundhog day.
Vernal Equinox – 21st March
In planetary terms this is when the path of the sun – as it appears to us- crosses into the Northern hemisphere meaning that the days contain more hours of daylight than darkness from now on. (on each of the equinox days, everyone on earth enjoys equal amounts of darkness and daylight)
Mayday – 1st May
Also known as Beltane in the pagan Celtic tradition. thought of as a festival of light as oppose to that of darkness in November. Became known as Mayday through onset of Christian church.
Summer Solstice – Midsummer
The point at which in the northern hemisphere we are most exposed to the sun during our year’s journey. The ancients sites at Stonehenge and also Newgrange in Ireland will be the centre of events at this time, demonstrating their structures to align with the sunset and sunrise.
Lammas – 1st August
Also referred to as ‘Loafmas’ when harvest loaves are baked. Not really so well known but traditionally seen as beginning of harvest season in agricultural communities. Will be the first of many celebrations with harvest as their focus.
Autumn equinox – September 21st
The opposite of spring. the days will begin to shorten in daylight hours if you are in the northern hemisphere. The beginning of our journey towards midwinter.
All Hallows or Samhain- 1st November
Of course we recognise this now as Halloween, many festivities all over that celebrate the dead. Seen as the opposite of May’s light, this is a festival of darkness. From now it is only a few weeks ’til we arrive back at the Winter solstice and the year starts again.
Naturally, I love this because it’s all about the geometry of the world and its journey, the passing of time, and how we observe the journey of the seasons.
