Paganism
Paganism is an umbrella term linked to European religious and spiritual practices which are not related to mainstream Christian beliefs.
Festivals/Ceremonies
The Pagan seasonal cycle is called the Wheel of the Year. Almost all Pagans celebrate a cycle of 8 festivals, which are spaced every 6 or 7 weeks through the year and divide the wheel into 8 segments.
Imbloc - February 1st and 2nd.
Spring Equinox - March 20th and 21st.
Beltane - April 30th -May 1st.
Midsummer - June 21st - 22nd.
Lughnasadh - August 1st - 2nd.
Autumn Equinox - September 20th - 21st.
Samhain - October 31st - November 1st.
Yule/ Winter Solstice - December 20th - 21st.
4 of the festivals have Celtic origins and are known by their Celtic names which are Imbloc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain. .
The other 4 are points in the solar calendar. These are, Spring Equinox, Autumn Equinox, Summer and Winter Solstice.
Neolithic sites such as Stonehenge act as gigantic solar calendars which marked the solstices and equinoxes and show that solar festivals have been significant dates for hundreds of thousands of years.