Print

[Lucinda]

Howdy. I hope I'm posting in the best place for this; the calendar board appears to be locked.

I was cruising around the board and discovered the calendar. There's an entry for today: Day of Mooncakes. I tried searching the boards for information. A Google search turned up the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and yummy looking mini-cakes. Just what is a mooncake for a Pagan and why does it have a day? Are mooncakes part of Cakes & Ale? Or does it have something to do with the New Moon?

[DragonsFriend]

Dark (new) and full moons are special times for pagans as we relate the lunar cycle to deity and life together. Light, round cakes symbolize the full moon and dark round cakes (think chocolate) symbolize the dark moon. These times are when the moon shows the fullness of the goddess and the crone or inner wisdom of the goddess. Pagans commonly use symbolism to participate in the magik of the moment. We can "partake" of the goddess' strength and wisdom by eating the cakes that have been blessed in the making and a ritual to join with her. It is one of the "fun" things that make our practices more enjoyable.

[Lucinda]

Thanks for the explanation! I'm still curious, though, as to why there is just one day on the calendar for Mooncakes. Wouldn't there be two per lunar month? One dark, one full?

[Crystal Dragon]

Moving this thread to a more appropriate board


While what DF has posted is interesting, it has very little to do with the calendar entry.

Just what is a mooncake for a Pagan and why does it have a day?

Depends on who the Pagan is ... The Day of Mooncakes is a Celtic celebration centered around the Moon Goddess. 

Are mooncakes part of Cakes & Ale?

No

Or does it have something to do with the New Moon?

Nope

Because the ancient Celtic religions were mainly oral traditions, there isn't a lot of information available from an anthropological standpoint so there won't be much that can be found online about any of the lesser holidays, celebrations, or traditions they held.  Don't know why the day is named such, but a mooncake was likely a bread based food created to honor the Celtic Moon Goddess.

This celebration was included because at least one of the staff here observes Celtic celebrations.  We'll be happy to include observances of other traditions or pantheons but those items need to be requested as the admins do not have time to research every single Pagan observance. 

As an aside ... do not try to learn about anything solely from the internet ... much of the information found online is flat wrong (including some information found on many public forums).  Online research if fine if you can sort the wheat from the chaff, but any research needs to be heavily augmented by reading knowledgeable resources (such as books written by recognized experts).

[Lucinda]

Thanks for the help (and the thread move), CD! I haven't started reading yet on the Celtic path. The vast majority of my reading are books, and I'm working my way through the recommended reading lists. (A couple books I'd found on my own were listed, so that was cool.) I just had zero frame of reference for the calendar entry and was curious. Really appreciate the explanation.

[Crystal Dragon]

Of course hun. 

Yeah ... I'd guess some of the observances noted on the calendar might seem odd to those not familiar with a specific path or pantheon.  Then again, some of the major holidays celebrated by everyone in the US were originally Celtic holidays. (think Christmas, Easter, and Halloween)

[DragonsFriend]

I am sorry, I did not intend to place any but my own meaning to the topic. Since the Sumerian take on this is obviously very different I will post it in another area.