The act of decorating, crafting, and cooking puts us in touch with rhythms happening on the planet right now. Our ancestors used what was available to express their creativity and joy. Mabon is about preserving beauty and appreciating abundance even as it fades from our grasp. We meet this challenge by using the things that fall on the ground to make art, and the things that go to seed to make food.
Recipes
Mabon feasts reflect Harvest Home feasts. They are as much a celebration of community survival as a family party. This is a good sabbat meal to invite guests to, especially guests that make your town safer, stronger, or smarter.
There is a school of thought that what should make the sabbats different from the esbats is food. While an esbat may have some ritual sharing of food—passing of symbolic bread, passing of symbolic wine reminiscent of Christian communion—the sabbat should host a full-on state of fellowship with food. For smaller groups, engaging the entire feast while still inside the magick circle is usually reasonably done, just expand the circle to include the table of food or use the serving table also as a focal altar. This, however, is impractical for those who participate in community celebrations. In most cases, for those who celebrate with groups of more than fifteen people, it is usually the best policy to conduct ritual and then to adjourn to the feast. Just remember your manners—always invite any deities you invoke to also attend the feast, and set aside a plate of food and a bowl for libations to ensure that if the gods wish to take their due, they may have it. If an interloper—human or animal—happens to eat the food, no worries. That just means that the gods wanted a taste.
Sometimes, people can’t eat things. The rise of celiac disease and the popularity of vegan/vegetarian diets have made more than one coven/community celebration very tricky indeed. The gods are not nearly as inflexible as humanity. If you really cannot eat wheat or corn safely, they will understand. If you, for personal reasons, choose to abstain from meat or all animal products, just ensure you contribute something that the whole group can enjoy.
A post-ritual feast should be festive: that means focusing on the positive, what you like about one another, and finding things to like about one another.
Since this is a feast of gratitude, it is appropriate to perform blessings on the food. A routine food blessing might be “From whence ye came ye shall return; I thank you for what you are giving me.” On other occasions, the right prayer for these occasions is “Good food, good meat, good gods, let’s eat!”
Some groups cast a circle around the feast to make it part of the sacred space. If you choose to do this, make sure you include the bathroom and kitchen.
Harvest Bread
Bread is the quintessential harvest food. Its civilizing influence trails beer. It is almost a cultural universal. Europeans have bread loaves, Mexicans and some Central and South American countries have tortillas, the southern United States has corn bread, India and Pakistan have naan—the varieties, shapes, and forms bread comes in is infinite, as is the artistry in creating it.
Ingredients:
¾ cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
½ cup milk
3 heaping cups all-purpose flour
1 stick softened butter
Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, add the warm water. Slowly stir in the dry yeast. Continue to stir until the yeast dissolves. Add salt, sugar, shortening, and milk to the bowl. Stir well. Mix in the first 2 cups of flour. If needed, begin adding more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough chases the spoon around the bowl.
You do not need to use up all the flour called for in this recipe, or you may need more flour than is called for. The amounts vary depending on many factors, including weather, which is why most bread recipes only give an approximate amount of flour needed.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead it, adding small spoonfuls of flour as needed, until the dough is soft and smooth, not sticky to the touch.
Use the softened butter to butter a bowl and a bread pan. Put the dough in the buttered bowl, and turn the dough over to grease all sides evenly. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour. Punch down dough. Turn out onto floured board and knead again.
Form dough into a loaf and set it in the buttered bread pan. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes. Before baking, score the dough by cutting three slashes across the top with a sharp knife. Then, put it in oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the bread out of the pan, and let it cool on a rack or a clean dishtowel.
Bruschetta
One of the fruits of the harvest that leaves last is the lovely tomato. Red, round, and relentless, the more a gardener picks the more it grows. A good year usually ends in desperation, with tomatoes abandoned on neighbors’ doorsteps in the night, fed to unwilling squirrels, or made into ketchup to rival Sam’s Club bulk containers.
Thankfully, the tomato is actually a versatile fruit-cum-vegetable. It goes well into custards and jellies. It also stews well, dries well, and still indicates disdain for theatrical performance.
Serve this dish on toasted bread slices. It also goes well as a garnish to soups, stews, and meats.
Ingredients:
1 cup diced tomatoes
½ cup olive oil
1 cup fresh basil (2 tablespoons dried)
4 garlic cloves plus 1 tablespoon minced garlic or garlic powder
1 tablespoon savory (optional)
Black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
Dice tomatoes and place in a baking dish. Add olive oil and herbs. Stir until ingredients are distributed thoroughly. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with black pepper and Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve over toasted bread slices, on crackers, or on any other food that strikes your fancy.
Honeyed Cucumber
This treat comes from Poland’s Dozynki (Harvest Home) tradition. While those who enjoy Polish fare usually think of pierogi, sausage, and cabbage, the Polish diet also has an affinity for other vegetables. Cucumber especially makes an appearance; it moderates sauerkraut, turns into a wonderful dill pickle, and can even make water taste a little bit better.
Ingredients:
Cucumber
Honey or maple syrup
Salt (optional)
Before peeling, slice off each end of the cucumber. Rub the sliced end in a circular motion against the cut end. A milky substance may foam up and drip out of the cucumber. This process reduces bitterness. Do this to both ends, and then rinse off the cucumber and discard the sliced ends. Peel the cucumber, and slice the flesh into spears. Drizzle honey on top (maple syrup for vegans). Add a pinch of salt if desired. Serve immediately.
Green Bean Casserole
Green beans also fall into that pick them and they just grow back category. Fortunately, they also freeze well—just blanch for one minute and then seal off in an airtight plastic bag. In recent years, some adventurous cooks have discovered that green beans hold up well breaded and deep-fried, although that approach to this vegetable is best reserved for a once-a-year treat. Since green beans, like tomatoes, can take over your life, learning to eat them as a main dish will help manage their proliferation. In this case, the casserole relies on the abundant green been.
Casseroles are a regional peculiarity. Some cooks argue that any stratified dish sans gelatin qualifies as a casserole. In Minnesota and Iowa, cooks insist that hot dish is the same thing as a casserole. Other Midwesterners, however, make a distinction: hot dish always has a layer of pasta in it. Instead of pasta, those outside the northern regions use condensed mushroom soup and potatoes, usually in diced form and sometimes even with potato chips in the mix.
This recipe uses the stratification rule, but abandons all pasta and mushrooms. It is ideal for someone who likes a little crunch in his or her bean.
Ingredients:
1 pound green beans
1 can cream of tomato soup or 1 cup unflavored, unsweetened yogurt (dairy or soy)
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce*
¼ teaspoon salt
1 clove minced garlic
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 cup ground almonds
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Wash and trim the stem ends from the green beans. Place in a greased 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, mix cream of tomato soup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, salt, minced garlic, and paprika. Pour over beans and bake, covered, about 1 hour. Remove from stove and stir in the almonds, adding a layer across the top.
*There are vegan versions of Worcestershire sauce on the market; you can also make your own at home using molasses and vinegar as the base ingredients.
Bean Chili
Something about chili just announces “fall.” It is a classic warm-up dish, one of those comfort foods that signals falling leaves and a season of impending traditions. Chili purists insist chili should be vegetarian. Add meat to the bean stew and you have chili con carne.
This vegetarian recipe is all about the bean and the pepper.
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
6 garlic cloves, chopped (you can also save time by purchasing a jar of pre-minced garlic)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for those who really like it hot)
3 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, drained, ½ cup liquid
reserved
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
Heat the oil in a heavy, large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until onions soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in the chili powder, oregano, and cayenne; stir 2 minutes. Mix in beans, the reserved bean liquid, and tomato sauce. Bring the chili to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend and chili thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Roasted Beets
In recent years, a secret buried deep in the dirt emerged: beets are supposed to taste good. All that pickling and boiling kept the world from enjoying the wonder of them. Thanks to local food movements, however, this has changed. Roasted beets are on the menu and are they good.
Ingredients:
Two or more beets
Feta cheese
Walnuts
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Rinse the beets. Remove the greens and set aside. (Beet leaves make an excellent salad ingredient.) Place the rinsed beets in the pan and roast until soft. You can test this by wrapping your hands in an oven mitt and slightly squeezing the beet—it will give just a little under the pressure. This can take between 45 and 90 minutes. After the beets soften, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan. Peel the beets—skins will come off under your fingers with a slight squeeze. Set the beets in a bowl and discard the skins and aluminum foil.
Slice and serve the beets. Garnish with feta cheese and
walnuts.
Beetcake
Along with tasting sweet when roasted, beets make a fabulous butter and sugar substitute when baking. They do turn everything red unless you use golden beets. This recipe comes from experimenting with beets in desserts and main dishes. Red beets pair exceptionally well with dark chocolate.
Ingredients:
1 cup roasted, peeled beets
2 cups wheat or almond flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until they form a cake batter consistency. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 baking pan. Bake until a toothpick or fork inserted comes back clean. Baking can take up to 55 minutes.
Apple Butter
Apples are the fruit of fall, especially in Europe and North America. Between the mythology of the fruit ranging from Eden to Troy and its seasonal benefits, it’s almost a requirement at any Mabon feast. Like many an autumn crop, their abundance can take you by surprise—fortunately, many people have found clever ways to make the most of apples that goes far beyond dipping them in caramel or pressing them into cider.
Ingredients:
1 pound sweet apples peeled, cored, and sliced
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
½ cup maple syrup
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Place the apples and vinegar into a large slow cooker. Place lid on top, set on high, and cook for 8 hours. Turn the slow cooker to low and continue cooking 10 hours more. After 18 hours, stir in maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Cook another 4 hours. Scoop into mason jars and refrigerate until ready for use.
Baked Apples
Ingredients:
4 apples, cored
1 tablespoon raisins
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 clove per apple
Set apples on a microwave-safe plate. Inside the apple hollow, add maple syrup, raisins, and spices. Microwave the entire apple on high for up to three minutes. Serve immediately.
Apple Chips
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
2 Granny Smith apples
Preheat oven to 225°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar evenly onto the lined baking sheets. Cut apples into thin slices. Arrange apple slices in one layer on sheets and sprinkle evenly with remaining 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar. Bake slices in the upper third of the oven, moving to the lower third halfway through baking, 2¼ hours total, or until slices are pale golden and starting to crisp. Immediately peel apple chips off parchment and cool on a rack. Apple chips keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks.
Roasted Spiced Nuts
Nuts are so much part of traditional autumn that they have their own holiday. In England, September 14 actually became a day for children to go pick nuts! This nut gathering was called “going nutting.” Almonds, pecans, and walnuts all emerge around Mabon, packing friendly protein and happy fat. You can get the most from nuts with the help of an oven or a food processor.
This recipe came about after an especially large bag of nuts languished too long in a cabinet. Nuts can keep indefinitely, even after cooking, but sometimes you just need the space. These make an intriguing alternative to croutons and crackers on soups and salads. The ½ cup of oil may seem high, but it’s not—the excess oil is the best way to make sure the spices sink well into the pores of the nuts.
Ingredients:
½ cup olive oil (or sunflower oil)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound nuts
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, mix the oil and spices. Stir in the nuts until coated thoroughly with the oil. Spread the nuts in an even layer across a baking pan. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or longer if you prefer a more caramelized result. After cooling on a paper towel, store in an airtight container. Enjoy as a snack or garnish.
Walnut Butter
This rich alternative to other nut butters is easy to make.
Ingredients:
1 cup walnuts
1 teaspoon walnut oil
Put at least one cup of walnuts in a food processor and pulse until the mix reaches a buttery/oily consistency. Help this process along by adding a teaspoon or so of walnut oil to the mix. Store the butter in an airtight container. Use on sandwiches or as a recipe substitute for peanut butter.
Ground Cherry Sauce
Ground cherries, or husk cherries, grow wild near roads in some parts of the United States and ripen in early autumn. They look similar to tomatillos with their husks. Once the husk comes off, however, the taste is completely different. They are sweet and unique, with a hint of citrus and strawberry. Many cooks are only now figuring out everything possible to do with them. Ground Cherry Sauce is one excellent option.
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
4 cups ground cherries, husked
Place the water, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and stir in the cherries. Reduce heat, and simmer until cherries are transparent. Let cool until able to pour into resealable freezer bags and freeze, or pour into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process the sauce (inside the jars) for 15 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Serve over sponge cake, ice cream, shortbread, or yogurt.
Pomegranate Mint Relish
Persephone famously ate six seeds from this fruit and was just in Hades about it. You will not have to suffer as she did.
The edible part of the pomegranate is its seeds. To get to them, slice off the top of the pomegranate. Then, slice the sides where you see the white chamber dividers. Pry open the pomegranate and remove the chamber dividers. Then you can simply pluck the seeds and eat them, pulp and all. You may wish to use a spoon to do this—the juice drips everywhere!
There are plenty of ways to enjoy a pomegranate either with an extract such as a juice or syrup or using the whole seed.
Ingredients:
½ small green onion, chopped
1½ cups pomegranate seeds (from about three fruits)
½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup finely chopped fresh mint
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Combine green onion, pomegranate seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and chopped mint in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Chill for at least one hour; can be made one day ahead.
Oranges with Pomegranate Molasses and Honey
You can buy pomegranate molasses at any specialty cooking store. If vegan, you can substitute the honey with maple syrup.
Ingredients:
8 large navel oranges. Peel and cut away white pith, then slice the oranges into thin rounds
¼ cup honey
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
8 large dates, pitted and chopped
Arrange orange slices, overlapping slightly, on a large rimmed platter. Whisk honey, pomegranate molasses, ground cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. Drizzle evenly over oranges. Sprinkle chopped dates evenly on the oranges. Let stand at room temperature.
Fig and Pomegranate Tapenade
Ingredients:
1½ tablespoons olive oil
8 ripe fresh figs, stemmed and halved
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2½ teaspoons pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon white vinegar
½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Preheat the broiler. Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush foil with olive oil. Lightly brush figs with ½ tablespoon olive oil. Arrange figs, cut side up, on sheet. Broil until figs are lightly browned at the edges, about 3 minutes. Cool on baking sheet.
Combine figs, olives, pomegranate molasses, rosemary, and vinegar in a food processor. Using on/off turns, coarsely chop figs and olives. With motor running, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Stir in walnuts. Let tapenade stand 2 hours at room temperature to blend flavors. (Can be prepared 5 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
Serve with bread, crackers, or on apple slices.
Mabon Crafts
Pagans are often crafty people, as easily enticed by the promises shining in a bead store as they might be in any occult bookshop. As a result, often enough, art is magick and magick is art. Much of this universal weaving begins while crafting. The autumn season especially speaks to a magickal crafter’s heart, so many supplies literally grow on trees and fall to the ground at this time!
Crop Art
Crop art uses parts of a plant to create an image in place of paint. You can use seeds, beans, and other pieces of dried plants to create mosaic images and sculptures. This can give you a whole new set of things to do with any leftover seeds from your garden! You may wish to use things you grew yourself to make such a mosaic to commemorate each harvest; those who live in apartments might also enjoy obtaining seeds and dried pieces from local farmers and creating a mosaic as a link between their own homes and that of the greater community.
What you’ll need:
• Seeds, whether all the same or different shapes and sizes. If you use a single seed type, plan to focus on the shape of an object rather than adding details. Rice, beans, corn kernels, sunflower seeds, seeds released from garden plants, and pieces of dried straw are just a few examples of your choices.
• A flat, dry surface such as cardboard, poster board, canvas, or almost any other material. You may even want to cut open an old cereal box and use that cardboard as your seed canvas.
• A pencil or a piece of chalk
• A paintbrush
• A spoon
• Glue, such as Elmer’s craft glue
• An adhesive fixing spray for when your project
is complete
• A well-ventilated work area
On the chosen canvas, sketch out the image you want to create in either chalk or pencil. Use the paintbrush to paint glue inside the lines. Carefully press your seeds and other plant matter onto the glue. You may wish to define each section of the image with a different plant. For instance, if you want to depict a mermaid with red hair, use lentils for the hair and dried green peas for the tail.
Some artists like to add paint coloring to the seeds after the glue has dried.
If you want a permanent piece of art, add a spray adhesive after the glue has dried. If you prefer to return the art to nature after Mabon, and if you used a biodegradable canvas, you can cut the image apart and bury it either on your property or in flowerpots if you want to see what it might sprout.
Scarecrow Effigies
Of all the sabbats, Mabon calls the loudest for an effigy. Effigies are in the same magickal family as poppets but larger and often made of plant matter.
What you’ll need:
• An outfit of old clothing—pants and a shirt
• An old pillowcase; grocery plastic bags may work as well
• Dried leaves for stuffing
• A 6- to 8-foot-tall pole
• A 5-foot-tall pole (to use as a cross stick)
• Clothespins or safety pins
• Twine
• A marker
First, stuff the plastic bag or pillowcase with leaves. This will form the scarecrow’s head. Close off the bottom with clothespins, safety pins, or a bit of twine. Next, insert the head onto the longer pole by inserting the pole into the “neck” and stopping just as it hits the top of the head. Slide the shirt (at the neck) up the pole until it meets the head. Attach with safety pins or clothespins. Use the location of the shirt and the armholes to determine where to affix the 5-foot pole. Use the twine to attach the 5-foot pole as arms.
Then, pull one leg of the pants up the pole and position under the shirt. Attach at the hem and the waist with safety pins or clothespins. Tie off the other pants leg with twine and stuff with dried leaves. Take a piece of twine and run it from a belt loop to underneath the shirt. Bring the twine back around and tie off in the belt loop. Repeat on the other side. Push the pole into the soil so you can stuff the scarecrow upright. Stuff leaves into the shirt, through the armholes and into the pants. Tie off all openings. Using the marker, draw a face on the scarecrow. If you plan to use him as a ritual effigy, a solemn or even somewhat dismayed expression is appropriate. Attach hats, scarves, and other accessories desired with safety pins.
Mabon Oil
You can use this oil to anoint your sabbat candles or to bless the small effigies you make with the power of the day.
What you’ll need:
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 1 pinch white sage leaves
• 1 pinch rosemary leaves
• A few apple seeds
Combine items in a glass jar or vial. Leave jar in the sun for two to three days.
Mabon Incense
This is a loose incense, meaning you only need to mix the herbs together and drop a pinch on a piece of incense charcoal or into a fire.
Ensure all herbs are dried. If unsure, spread the herbs out on a cookie tray and heat inside a stove set to 250°F for 90 minutes.
What you’ll need:
• Pinch marigold
• Pinch spearmint
• Pinch sage
• 2 to 3 cloves (per personal preference)
Mix together one pinch marigold with equal parts spearmint and sage. Add 2 to 3 cloves to the mix. Make sure that all plants are totally dry before mixing.
Store the jar of incense in a cool, dry place until ready for use.
Mabon Bath
Ritual baths use herbs as a way of attuning the bather to the ritual ahead. If you do not own a tub, you can also pour mixtures over your head or brush a powder over your body.
What you’ll need:
• 1 tablespoon sage
• 1 tablespoon rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chamomile
• Cheesecloth or small-mesh strainer
• ½ cup sea salt
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• Sandalwood essential oil
In a saucepan, prepare a decoction of sage, rosemary, and chamomile over medium-low heat. Simmer for 3 minutes. Allow to cool, then strain the liquid into a plastic jar or bottle. (This is for safety—bathrooms are slippery, and glass in a tub is dangerous.)
In a separate jar, mix together sea salt and baking soda. Add a few drops of sandalwood scented oil. Store the bath salts in a shatterproof jar.
When ready to take a bath, fill the tub with water. Before entering, pour in the sea salt mixture and then the liquid preparation. Stir the bath water until the salt crystals dissolve. Once dissolved, bathe as usual.
Apple Candleholders
Apples ripen in the fall and sometimes a bag of apples has more than a family can eat. Rather than just let them rot, add a little function to your altar decoration with apple candleholders. When you finish you can eat any part of the apple without wax drip.
This works with taper, votive, or tea light candles—slightly better for the latter two.
What you’ll need:
• A paring knife
• As many apples as desired
• A spoon
Cut about a half an inch off the bottom of the apple to ensure there is a flat surface.
Next, cut a circle around the top stem of the apple. Then, cut off the top of the apple around the circle lines, just below the stem center. Take a spoon and scoop out the apple center until you have removed enough flesh that the candle will fit.
At the end of ritual, compost the apples or eat them!
Acorn Prayer Beads
Lots of rituals and spells prescribe a chant and a number of times to repeat it. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep track. While any bead or coin system may work, Mabon season presents nature’s own beads—acorns! Gather as many acorns as you like and sort them into groups. For instance, often chants happen in sacred number groupings, such as three, seven, nine, or thirteen.
What you’ll need:
• Acorns, as many as possible
• String
• A small drill (hand drills are good for this)
• Scissors
Set aside the specific number of acorns you want for your prayer string. Cut a piece of string for each acorn grouping. Drill a hole through each acorn. String each acorn and knot both ends.
You may want to fill the end acorns with a large drop of hot glue to prevent them all from sliding off the string.
Acorn Worry Dolls
What you’ll need:
• Acorns
• A small drawstring bag
In Guatemala, children and adults suffering from insomnia fill a little bag with tiny, colorful dolls. The insomniac takes out each doll and tells it one worry. As this person sleeps, the doll carries away the worry. The Guatemalans are not the only people to use a little magick to address anxiety; ancient Greeks rubbed thumb-sized stones as a means of easing tensions.
Our ancestors used what they had around them for their magick, and we can do the same. You can simply gather acorns into a small drawstring bag—like a worry doll, tell each one a worry. If an acorn disappears, just assume it’s gone off to take care of something for you.
Leaf Candleholders
This one is great for beginning crafters. A Mason jar candleholder offers wind protection, decoration, and when finished, candle storage!
What you’ll need:
• A Mason jar
• Craft glue
• Dried and flattened autumn leaves
• Paint brush
You may want to press leaves between the pages of a book for a few days before using them for this project.
Paint the inside of the jar with the glue. Gently press the leaves to the glue, with the side you want showing toward the outside. White glue dries clear, so yes, you will see the actual leaf color on the other side of the glass. You may want to use a chopstick to smooth the leaf to the glass.
Allow the jar to dry for about two hours. Drop in a tea light or votive candle. Make sure you pay attention when burning candles in the jar: leaves can catch on fire and glass can get very hot!
Stick Figures
Remember that old “don’t know how to draw” go-to, the stick figure? Lines represented body parts with a circle on top for a head. If you felt fancy, you added a hat.
Now you can make a stick figure out of real sticks! You will find plenty on the ground as you gather autumn leaves for other projects—and this offers you a comfortable alternative to the skill it takes to fashion a corn dolly.
You will need:
• 5 sticks, no more than 6 inches in length
• Leaves, acorns, or flower petals you might wish to add
• Glue (a glue gun or standard craft glue works fine)
• Newspaper
Gather twigs fallen to the ground, along with leaves, bark, and any other natural material you want to make your stick figure.
Set out newspaper on a flat surface. Lay one stick in front of you. Arrange the other four sticks a few inches apart at a slight diagonal to represent the arms and legs. Glue the sticks in place. Add a leaf at the top of the first stick. Glue in place. Add and glue flowers, acorns, and so on. You may wish to glue on googly eyes or use a marker to draw a face. You can use this as a poppet or even as a miniature effigy. Treat your stick figures with kindness.
Wreath of Real Leaves
Wreaths as adornment go as far back as the Ancient Etruscans. In Etruria, rulers wore them as crowns. The ancient Greeks wore them to indicate occupation and social rank. They also made a wreath, woven from harvest plants, then hung it on the door until the next year. The wreath also appeared as a crown or as an indicator of the finished harvest during Harvest Home celebrations—so it seems fitting to make one to hang on your own door! The real leaf wreath consists of preserved autumn leaves. It has a more lightweight feel than traditional variations; because of this, when you hang it you may want to add some extra-strong double-sided adhesive to make sure it stays.
What you’ll need:
• About 50 autumn leaves
• A large pan—square baking pans work well
• A pan that fits inside the larger pan
• ¼ cup vegetable glycerin (this helps preserve the leaves)
• ½ cup water
• Glue or a needle, scissors, and thread
• A spoon
In the larger pan, mix the glycerin and water with a spoon. Add the leaves to the solution. The liquid should completely cover the leaves. Place the smaller pan on top of the leaves. Allow the leaves to sit in the solution for 3 days. On day 3, remove leaves from the solution. Pat dry with cloth or paper towel. You may wish to allow leaves to dry an extra day or two after. Glue or stitch the leaves together in a circular pattern.
Allow glue to dry before hanging the wreath. You can preserve the wreath between seasons by storing it in a box between sheets of wax paper.
Gratitude Journal
Mabon is a season about celebrating having what you need and is very much aligned with Thanksgiving holidays celebrated in some countries. This makes it an excellent time of year to start a gratitude journal. Once a day, write down in a special notebook something you feel grateful for. Some days you may have more than one. Other days you will struggle to think of one thing. Forge ahead with it. You may even want to decorate the pages, doodle on them, or include pictures, short stories, and anecdotes about the things you feel grateful for. It is okay to mention something you feel grateful for more than once.
All you really need for this is a notebook and a pen. You can add other material as suits you.
Mabon Decor
Decorating is a way to attune yourself to the passing of the seasons, whether you simply change the candle colors on your altar or bedeck the house in autumn colors. Stores abound with seasonal decor choices: if you can just buy what you need to bedeck your house, you can enjoy that. However, if you wish to make traditions visceral, creating your seasonal home decor is a way to make the sabbat and your own home that much more personal. Children especially love crafts; it’s a good way to engage them with household faith traditions that allows them to understand the household rituals in a concrete way.
Mabon decorations should reflect mainstream autumn decorations. Colors are typically in reds, yellows, oranges, muted greens, and browns. Leaf and tree motifs are common, as is the appearance of wheat, corn, rye, and seeds. All the natural material that falls to the ground in autumn makes great Mabon decor. Some people like to use cornucopia themes at this time for the Mabon association and because the shape is thought to attract abundance.
Some people prefer to make their own decorations or even to craft functional items for their practice. Making magickal tools is time-honored though not a requirement. You may wish to explore the Internet for even more Mabon and autumn crafting ideas.
In the case of the harvest sabbats, food is an essential feature in ritual. Pagans are not just giving thanks for the nourishment of the earth but thanks for the gods revealing the mysteries of agriculture to humanity so that we might have a way to prepare for winter and for our survival of the harshest conditions the year can give us.