Once Around the Sun by Ellen Evert Hopman

I have been an adherent of nature-based religions for over thirty years now. For each story, the author includes hands-on projects special to the holiday-from crafting magical wands and brooms to flower crowns and Brighid's Crosses-as well as seasonal recipes, such as Magical Peppermint Chocolate Tea, Beltaine Bannock, and La Befana Cake, allowing families to enjoy the tastes, smells, and sounds associated with the feast days and celebrations.Excerpt from 'Once Around the Sun' From the Introduction: The Circle Will Go 'Round You will learn of the Cailleach, the ancient Goddess of Winter La Befana, the Italian new year's witch Eostre, the Goddess of Spring Kupalnocka, the Polish feast of wreaths at midsummer Yule among the Vikings and many other deities and celebrations. Designed to be read out loud, the stories are complemented with pronunciation guides and translations for foreign words. In this beautifully illustrated book, Ellen Evert Hopman shares rich stories drawn from traditional folktales, hands-on crafts, and seasonal recipes to help families and classrooms learn about and celebrate traditional holy days and festivals of the sacred earth year. And as the wheel of the year turned, these tales also served to teach the children about holy days and festivals and the Gods and Goddesses who reigned over the changing seasons.

These tales were not only entertaining but also passed down both history and tradition to the next generation. An illustrated collection of stories and activities to celebrate traditional Pagan festivals and the changing of the seasons * Shares original stories, based on traditional folktales and designed to be read out loud, for each festival, such as Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Beltaine, Lughnasad, the solstices, and the equinoxes * Includes traditional games, hands-on projects special to each holiday, and seasonal recipes to enjoy the tastes and smells of each feast day * Discusses the sacred symbolism, magical lore, and cultural practices within each story and the healing and magical uses for the trees and flowers featured Once upon a time, when only candles lit the inside of homes and people traveled on foot or by horse, the family would finish their supper, wash and dry the dishes, and sit down before the hearth to hear a tale.

Once Around the Sun by Ellen Evert Hopman