In an era when only two or three infants out of each five born actually survived to see their first year, birth itself was not the most significant celebration. “Imbolc” means literally “in the bag.” Some believe that this was an idiom for the thriving God infant. Perhaps, but I find it unlikely that an English idiom would have been popular so long ago.

It is more likely that the term referred to the animal udders full with milk for their coming young. Imbolc, or “in the bag,” could be an obvious metaphor for this in any language.

In any event, the new lambs are being born. The earliest of spring flowers are awakening under the melting snow. The infant God thrives and grows strong. The Goddess glows with the joy of motherhood in all its forms. The sun draws closer again to its summer locations, and it is now clear that the sun’s apparent return is not a fluke

The warmth and abundance of the coming year is foreshadowed.

The corresponding Christian celebration is Candlemas, which celebrated the presentation of the infant Jesus in the temple – again, this took place once the survival of the child, barring misfortune, was more or less assured.

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