What is Mabon?
Mabon is a holiday celebrating the time of the autumnal equinox, focusing on the concepts of abundance, gratitude, and the transformation of nature.
When is Mabon?
Mabon 2025 falls on September 22nd, the same day as the autumn equinox.
Foods Associated with Mabon Feasts
Incorporating seasonal fresh produce into your menu is one of the best and most authentic ways to celebrate Mabon. Squash, pumpkin, apples, pears, grapes, and other seasonal fruits and vegetables are not only traditional foods for Mabon, but they are also delicious and comforting additions to your fall menu. Making a squash soup or a seasonal salad adds that Mabon magic to any meal.
Mabon Activities
Take a walk through nature, observing the changes. This time of year displays some of the most dramatic changes, with foliage morphing into vibrant autumnal hues and creatures gathering the last bits of harvested food to store away for the upcoming winter. Take photos, write in a journal, and/or sketch/paint these seasonal changes and connect to the transformative processes, being sure to feel gratitude for the gifts the season brings.
Go outside or look through a window and observe the night sky. The new moon is on the 21st, so the night of Mabon will have a very slight sliver of visible moon. The darker sky will enable you to see stars and planets more easily. Saturn will be at its closest and brightest for the entire year, visible as a bright spot even to the naked eye, and with a telescope, you can even see its rings!
Take a ritual bath: A Mabon ritual bath should center around gratitude and setting intentions to prepare for the coming colder and darker months. Combining beneficial salts with appropriate herbs makes for an indulgent soak with aromatic, physical, and spiritual benefits. If you don’t have a bathtub, a foot soak can be just as relaxing and provide the same benefits. Surround the tub with crystals and (safely placed) candles, and take time to meditate, reflect on gratitude, and set your intentions.
What Herbs are Associated with Mabon?
Plants and Herbs for Mabon include sage, rosemary, marigold, mugwort, cinnamon, and yarrow.
What Crystals are Associated with Mabon?
Crystals for Mabon include citrine, quartz, amber, carnelian, and jasper.
How To Set Up a Mabon Altar:
Combine elements from nature with meaningful objects. It’s important to only ethically harvest elements from nature to use in your home. This can include seasonal produce, flowers, and herbs purchased from a store, as well as things collected directly from nature. When collecting from nature, be sure to only collect from areas you have permission to take from (such as your own yard or a friend’s garden), only take a small amount to leave plenty for wildlife, and are knowledgeable about what you are picking to avoid anything poisonous or otherwise dangerous. The best natural elements to include in your Mabon altar include herbal sprigs, crystals, pumpkins, squash, pomegranates, apples, pears, and grapes. Place these natural elements alongside candles and meaningful personal objects that represent personal success/bounty throughout the year, as well as sources of gratitude. This time of year represents the bounty of harvest as well as gratitude for the bounty. Doing gratitude rituals at your altar helps to reinforce the feeling and power behind the holiday.