Is anyone celebrating St Brigid’s Day?

[Hunnybadger1]

I’ve only just found out about this and understand you should put a scarf outside tonight to be blessed by St Brigid? Fascinated to know anymore?

Any Irish MN’s out there?

I tied a silky scarf on a tree close to the road same as my mother used to do. My neighbours were puzzled when I first did this after moving to West Limerick from Kildare, St. Bridget is the patron saint of Kildare so it was normal to see scarfs, bits of fabric, ribbons tied outside houses on January 31st. I also decorate a May bush, puzzled the neighbours again.

I celebrate 1st Feb as ‘Imbolc,’ 1st day of Celtic or Gaelic spring (apologies to any practising Pagans if I have terminology wrong) as well as St Brigid’s Day.

The sun is beginning to set noticeably later, snowdrops abound, and even some early blossoms are appearing.

I didn’t know about the scarves (Irish parent, but not Kildare), but I always do a big clean and light a new candle.

Lovely time of year!

I love the symbolism associated with the goddess and St Brigid. I did a lovely St Brigid's Cross workshop yesterday at a local Irish Centre and made a cross for the first time. I also tied a scarf outside overnight between sunset and sunrise, I have new health issues and will use this in my self care and mindfulness practice.

Cloth was out overnight, I didn't make a cross yet but have rushes ready to go and tomorrow morning there is going to be a gathering to make crosses, chat with pals of tea and biscuits, see the cloak a group of local women made, and (weather and legs permitting) make a short pilgrimage to our local St Brigid's well.

Not raining atm but sufficiently overcast that any little forecasting animal would decide hard weather was over for the winter.

Soft weather is another matter . . . .

On another thread I mentioned St Blaise, and the women who used to sell scraps of cloth for blessing on February 3rd when throats were blessed, and I am now wondering whether that was a transference of the Brat Bríd cloth-blessing - just as groundhog day in the USA is on Candlemas, February 2nd.

I love having three special days at the start of Spring. I'll be taking the crib down this evening too, another part of the changing year.