The Wheel of the Year consists of eight Sabbats and thirteen Esbats. All the Sabbats are solar in nature and the Esbats are lunar, being the celebrations of the full moon during the months of the year. The Sabbats mark the passing of the year with natural "milestones" and it is through these Sabbats that witches throughout the world mark the passing of the year with celebration and reverance for the dieties and the events that each of our Sabbats represent...please note that in the southern hemisphere, all this is very much reversed due to the obviously opposits seasons. Yule here would be Litha in Australia.

Some of us break the Sabbats down into major and minor, the major Sabbats being Samhain (pronounced sow-inn), Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh (pronounced loo-nasa). The minor Sabbats are Yule, Ostara, Litha and Mabon. Below is further information about each of the Sabbats, both major and minor.

Yule,also called the Winter Solstice, celebrates the rebirth of the Sun, the Sun God and honors the Horned God. On Yule we experience the longest night of the year. A From this day until Midsummer the days will grow longer everyday. This day is the official first day of winter.

Imbolc,also called the Feast of Brighid, and Candlemas celebrates the approach of spring.

Ostara, celebrates the spring equinox and marks the first true day of spring.

Beltane, also known as May Day, marks the emergence of the young God into manhood.

Litha, the summer solstice, celebrates the fertilty of the Goddess and God and the high point of the powers of nature.

Lughnasadh, the time of the harvest, also known as August Eve and Lammas. Celebrates the passing of summer.

Mabon, the autumn equinox, the completion of the harvest begun at Lughnasadh, celebrates the changing of the seasons and the coming of winter.

Samhain, also known as All Hallows Eve and Halloween, celebrates the dying of the God as he prepares to be reborn at Yule.