The four major Sabbats correspond to the Gaelic year and are known as:

Candlemas Sabbat (also known as Imbolc, Oimelc, and Lady Day) is celebrated on Febuary 2. Associated foods represent growth, such as seeds(pumpkin, sesame, sunflower,etc.), poppyseed breads and cakes, and herbal teas. Candlemas is a Fire Festival which celebrates the coming of spring. This Sabbat represents new beginnings and the "sweeping out of the old" is symbolized by the sweeping of the circle with a besom, or Witches broom. If you are a solitary and live in a place that the weather does not permit holding your ritual outside at this time of year like I do then it is permissable to sweep the area around you personal altar with the besom or to sweep the doorways of your home. You do not even have to actually touch the ground/floor since the things you are sweeping out will be gone if you use your personal energy.

Beltane Sabbat (also known as May Day, Rood Day, Rudemas, and Walpurgisnacht) is celebrated on May Eve and May 1. Beltane celebrates the union of the Goddess and Her consort, the Horned God and thus is also a fertility festival (not the erotic kind). Beltane also celebrates the returning of the sun (or Sun God). On Beltane day, the sun is in the astrological sign of Taurus the Bull, which marks the "death" of Winter", the "birth" of Spring, and the start of the planting season. Tradional Pagan foods are red fruits (such as cherries and strawberries), herbal salads, red or pink wine punch, and large, round oatmeal or barley cakes known as Beltane cakes.

Lammas Sabbat (also known as Lughnasadh, August Eve, and the First Festival of Harvest) is celebrated on August 1. The making of corn dollies ( small figures fashioned from braided straw) is an old custom which is still carried on. They are placed on the Sabbat altar to symbolize the Mother Goddess of the harvest. It is customary on each Lammas to make (or buy) a new corn dolly and then burn the old one from the past year for good luck. Traditional Pagan foods for Lammas are homemade breads (wheat, oat, and especially corn bread), barley cakes, nuts, wild berries, apples, rice, roasted lamb, berry pies, elderberry wine, ale, and meadowsweet tea.

Samhain Sabbat (also known as Halloween, Hallowmas, All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Eve, Festival of the Dead, and the Third Festival of Harvest) is celebrated on October 31. Samhain (pronounced "sow-en") is the most important of all eight Witches' Sabbats. It is one of the best known of all Sabbats outside the Wiccan community, and is the most misunderstood and feared. It celebrates the end of the Goddess-ruled Summer and marks the arrival of the God-ruled Winter. It is the time when spirits of deceased loved ones are honored and the boundaries between the realms are the thinnest at this time. The divinatory arts of scrying (crystal gazing) and rune-casting on this magickal night are Wiccan traditions. As is standing before a mirror and making a secret wish. Traditional Pagan foods of the Samhain Sabbat are apples, pumpkin pie, hazelnuts, Cakes for the Dead, corn, cranberry muffins and breads, ale, cider, and herbal teas.

Now we come to the Four Lesser Sabbats:

Spring Equinox (also known as the Vernal Equinox Sabbat, Festival of the Trees, Alban Eilir, Ostara, and Rite of Eostre) is celebrated on the first day of Spring, which falls on or around March 21. Like most of the old Pagan festivals, Spring Equinox was christianized by the church into the religious holiday of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The traditional Pagan foods of the Spring Equinox Sabbat are hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, the first fruits of the season, and milk punch. In Sweden, waffles are the traditional springtime food.

Summer Solstice (also known as Midsummer, Alban Hefin, and Litha) is celebrated on the first day of Summer which generally falls around June 21. Summer Solstice marks the longest day of the year. This is the traditional time when Witches harvest magickal herbs for spells and potions, for it is believed that the innate power of herbs are strongest on this day. It is an ideal time for divinations,healing rituals and the cutting of divining rods and wands. The traditional foods of the Summer Solstice Sabbat are fresh vegetables, Summer fruits, pumpernickel bread, ale and mead.

Autumn Equinox Sabbat (also known as Fall Sabbat, Alban Elfed, and the Second Festival of Harvest) is celebrated on the first day of fall which usually falls around September 21. On this sacred day, Witches rededicate themselves to the Craft and Wiccan initiation ceremonies are performed. The traditional Pagan foods of the Autumn Equinox Sabbat are corn and wheat products, breads, nuts, vegetables, apples, roots (carrots, onions, potatoes, etc.), cider and pomegranites.

Winter Solstice (also known as Yule, Winter Rite, Midwinter, and Alban Arthan) is celebrated on the first day of winter which usually falls around December 21. It is the longest night of the year, marking the time when the days begin to grow longer and the hours of darkness decrease. This Sabbat was christianized into the Birth of Jesus Christ. Traditional Pagan foods for Winter Solstice Sabbat are roasted turkey, nuts, fruitcakes, caraway rolls, eggnog, and mulled wine.