The Wheel of the Year

The Crömist calendar starts on the first new moon after the winter equinox.

Annual Holidays

• The New Moon of the New Year / Day of the Wild Hunt
• Date: Varies based on the Lunar cycle.
• Theme: Endurance of the coldest part of the winter, celebration of the spirit that sustains us.
• Meal: A minor feast, rich and warm (roasts, mulled drinks, breads, sweets).
• Mood: Echoes that of Yule - Communal joy, renewal, hope.
• Ritual: Lighting of the fire, first toast of the new year, final dance of the Belsnickles, then the retiring of the props until the next Night of the Dark Moon.
• Derkato’s Day
• Date: February 14th.
• Theme: Passion, playfulness, desire, and human connection.
• Meal: Light indulgence — chocolates, wine, sweet breads, fruits.
• Mood: Fun, irreverent, sensual.
• Ritual: Toasts to lovers, friends, and bonds of passion.
• Luck of the Fae Day
• Date: March 16th.
• Theme: Luck, mischief, hidden blessings.
• Meal: Drinks and breads tinted green, playful fare.
• Mood: Lighthearted, humorous, playful.
• Ritual: Games of chance or playful trickery, toasting to fortune.
• Spring Equinox / Beginning of Planting Season
• Date: March 21st.
• Theme: Planting and beginnings; balance of light and dark.
• Meal: Smorgasbord of early fresh foods — greens, eggs, fish, light breads
• Mood: Optimistic, balanced, renewing.
• Ritual: Blessing of seeds, small offerings to growth.
• Spring Cross-Quarter
• Date: May 8th.
• Theme: Flourishing, fertility, life in full surge.
• Meal: Feast of freshness — garden vegetables, cheeses, honey, bread, early meats
• Mood: Celebratory, playful, sensual.
• Ritual: Outdoor feasting, raising of maypoles or symbolic plantings.
• Summer Solstice
• Date: June 21st.
• Theme: Triumph, vitality, fire at its peak.
• Meal: Barbecue or open-fire feast, meats, beers/ciders, hearty breads
• Mood: Bold, active, joyful.
• Ritual: Toasts to victories and struggles overcome.
• Day of the Forge (cross-quarter)
• Date: August 12th.
• Theme: Hard work, completion, honoring the forge.
• Meal: Simple but hearty foods — breads, stews, ales
• Mood: Strong, industrious, proud.
• Ritual: Symbolic act of labor or creation; forging something literal or metaphorical.
• Autumn Equinox
• Date: September 21st.
• Theme: First fruits of harvest, balance of work and reward.
• Meal: Smorgasbord of fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, bread
• Mood: Gratitude, balance, groundedness.
• Ritual: Small offerings of first harvest, shared meals.
• Festival of the Dead (Cromist Samhain)
• Date: October 31st.
• Theme: Death, remembrance, the veil between worlds.
• Meal: Preserved foods and sweets (smoked fish, candies, dense breads).
• Mood: Somber yet playful (masks, mummery).
• Ritual: Offerings to ancestors, masked processions, firelit remembrance.
• Harvest Feast (Autumn Cross-Quarter)
• Date: Mid November (can be held in place of TG).
• Theme: Completion of the harvest, gratitude for abundance.
• Meal: Full feast — turkey, stews, breads, pies.
• Mood: Gratitude, plenitude, community.
• Ritual: Toasts of gratitude, preparation of reflection tokens.
• Night of the Dark Moon (last new moon before Solstice) - Beginning of Yuletide
• Date: Varies based on the Lunar cycle.
• Theme: Cleansing, letting go, preparing for rebirth.
• Meal: Simple smorgasbord of preserved foods (smoked fish, cheese, dried fruits, dark bread).
• Mood: Somber, purgative, reflective.
• Ritual: Reflection tokens from the Harvest Feast burned in the fire.
• Yule / Winter Solstice
• Date: December 21st.
• Theme: Rebirth of the flame; joy returning in the longest night.
• Meal: A full feast, rich and warm (roasts, mulled drinks, breads, sweets).
• Mood: Communal joy, renewal, hope.
• Ritual: Lighting of the fire, final toast of the year, symbolic return of light.
• Note: The Yuletide Season continues until the end of the year, the New Moon of the New Year.