Cheers to the first day of Fall!!
If you are with us in the Northern Hemisphere, today marks the First day of Fall! It's almost here!! Fall with officially be with us in just a few hours, at 4:02 p.m. Eastern Time. The beginning of Fall is determined astrologically by the Autumnal Equinox. What is an equinox? Imagine if the equator extended out, in a straight line, into space. The moment when the Sun's path crosses that line is called an equinox. This happens twice each year: Once in September, the Autumnal Equinox, and once in March, the Vernal Equinox (the first day of Spring). During the moment of the Equinox, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are getting almost the same amount of sunlight, and daytime and nighttime are also almost equal. (Why "almost"? Check out this awesome video from PBS explaining why!) This is how the equinoxes got their name! "Equinox" is Latin for equal night (aequus nox).
People today celebrate the beginning of Fall in many ways! We wear flannel and sweaters even though it is still over 70°F, break out boots and scarves, begin drinking pumpkin spice beverages, and start planning trips to corn mazes and pumpkin farms. In farmers markets, you will begin to see more local produce available as farmers kick into harvest season, and everyone is in full-swing school mode. Summer has officially ended, and (almost!) everyone is excited about the beginning of Fall! I know I can't wait for the drop in temperatures and the changing of the leaves! Today, I broke out my fall scented things, including this amazing soap, Fall in Love (and I am definitely in love with Fall), and my Autumn Sunset Rooibos Tea (see what it looks like made above! I added a Cinnamon Honey Stick!)
Historically, many harvest festivals were held worldwide around the time of the Autumnal Equinox. Harvest festivals were, and still are, a time to celebrate and give thanks for the successful growth of crops during the summer, and to begin to prepare for the darker months of winter. Harvest festivals usually include feasts, music, and taking time off from work! Today, many people still celebrate harvest festivals, and for people who celebrate the Wheel of the Year, an annual cycle of festivals/holidays that revolve around the changing of the seasons, there are three main harvest festivals! Mabon is the celebration that occurs on the day of the Autumnal Equinox, and it is the second harvest festival in the Wheel of the Year.
Of course, enjoying the fruits of the Earth is a great way to celebrate Mabon! Today, I am eating grains, apples, corn, and other things I am picking up from a local farmer's market. I will also be spending time outside today, looking for leaves that are changing color, fields that are soon to be or have been recently harvested, and enjoying the warm weather we have left before the cooler temperatures come. This is also a great time to decorate your home in fall style; tonight, I will be cutting out leaves in colored paper and hanging them around my home. Celebrate with wine--the fruit of the vine is definitely part of the Mabon celebration! Buy pumpkins, ears of corn, and hay to decorate your home and yard with. Get those Fall candles burning! Oranges, yellows, reds, and browns, with those spicy smells like cinnamon, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, orange, and clove!
A last thing you can do on this Mabon evening? Think about what you are thankful for! The beginning of Fall has traditionally been the season of thanksgiving festivals, as we are right in the middle of harvest time and still have beautiful weather, but know that winter is around the corner. This is the time that the Earth begins to get colder, the days get shorter, the trees lose their leaves, and we all move towards the quieter, somber months ahead... use this time to reflect on what you have accomplished, projects you have yet to finish, things you are grateful for, and the ways that you can finish the summer and autumn out strong, and prepare for a time of rest in the winter ahead. Happy Equinox!!!