Sharing what has been shared with me. Enjoy.


Year'Round Sabbat Tree

If you dread having to take the Yule tree down each January, then try something different. Consider leaving the tree up the whole year, merely changing the decorations to fit each Sabbat. Of course, if you have a real tree this may not work. You will need to put your real tree to soil as soon as the season is over, but consider purchasing an artificial tree for the remainder of the year. If you buy an artificial tree after the Christmas season, you are almost guaranteed a sale price. Here are a few decoration ideas for the coming year.


Yule

You shouldn't have any trouble finding Yule decorations. In keeping with the Pagan holiday, and not the Christian one, you may
want to choose ornaments that reflect natural scenes or animals. Some of the traditions of "Christmas" are in fact Pagan in origin, so why not use them on your Yule tree. During the season, purchase sprigs of mistletoe and holly (if they come without the berries, you can easily fashion synthetic ones from beads). Lay the sprigs on top of the tree branches. Baby's Breath (which usually adorns roses) may also be used in the same manner, depicting flakes of snow on your tree.

What tree would be complete without lights? Instead of multicolored light strings, purchase bulbs or strings in single colors such as blue (to represent the Goddess) and yellow (for the God). White or clear lights can be used and will enhance the appearance of snow if you have used Baby's Breath.

Common tree toppers are very Christian in nature (the Star of Bethlehem or the Angel). With a little time, you can create a topper that is truly Pagan. Consider buying a sheet of poster board. Cut a crescent and\or a sun shape. You can use both together or separately. Cover the crescent in tin foil (Silver is the Goddess's metal) and the sun in gold tin foil (available in craft stores). Using glue and glitter (or glitter pens), out line the moon and the sun in dazzling sparkles. Glue crystals or stones in designs. Attach your topper by way of wire. Fasten one end of the wire in the center of the topper (in the back). Set the crescent over the top tree branch and twist the wire around it until the topper is secure. These tree toppers can be used for more than one Sabbat. If you are at a loss as to what to use for a topper for Midsummer (for example), the sun will do perfectly. You may also use the toppers as altar ornaments when not in use on the tree.


Imbolc (Candlemas)

One of the symbols of Imbolc is the candle, representing the illumination in one's life. Your Imbolc tree can be decorated with candles galore. Using a medium sized tree for example, you will want to purchase about 15-20 thin white candles. I don't recommend tapers, as they aren't balanced well. Using silver glitter spray paint, spray each candle. Allow them to dry. Purchase two sheets of white poster board and 15-20 white plastic clothes pins. Spray each clothes pin with gold glitter spray paint and allow to dry.

Now, find an object that is circular, such as a soda can. Trace 15-20 circles on our pasteboard and ut them out. In the center of each circle, draw a small X . Cut the X out and attempt to fit one of the candles through. If they won't fit, lengthen the cut marks. Make sure when the candle fits through that it is a snug fit. Using lavender lace, also to be found at craft stores, glue the lace on the top of the circle, being careful not to cover the X. When everything is dry, fit all of the candles into their poster board holders. Attach the clothes pin onto one side of the poster board circle and attach them both to a tree limb. Any lavender lace you may have left over can be used for the tree.

On any branch that does not have a candle, take a length of lace and tie it onto the branch in a bow. If there are any other colors that you associate with Imbolc, you can use colorful ribbons instead. Silver and gold decorative beads can be used in lieu of the ribbons or along with them. The crescent and sun tree toppers can be used again for Imbolc. If you don't wish to use them, use your imagination and fashion a topper made of candles.Small decorative wreaths in a variety of sizes can be made or purchased. There should be one small enough to fit snugly over the top of the tree. Instead of large candles, attach small white birthday cake candles to the wreath.


Ostara

The vernal equinox is the coming of spring. Your tree should reflect that. Since colored eggs are Pagan in origin, decorate your tree with the little plastic eggs available at the coming of the Easter season. Separate the egg, and close it with a piece of ribbon or string inside. The ribbon should be made of spring colors such as pink or light green. Tie the eggs to each limb of your tree. Inside the branches, set small craft birds. These little birds can be purchased at craft stores and reflect the return of the wild life. In honor of the birds, use small circles of white netting and fill them with bird seed. Pinch all of the ends together an secure it with a ribbon. Tie the loose end of the ribbon to any empty branches. When it is time to change the decorations on the tree, scatter the bird seed on the ground outside.


Beltane

Beltane is another rite of spring as well as being a fertility festival. Your tree can become a decorative maypole. Cut lengths of different colored ribbon that measure the length of the tree. Secure each ribbon to the top of the tree with a bow. Allow the ribbon to hang to the bottom of the tree (not the floor). In between the ribbons, decorate the tree by securing silk flowers to the branches. Since this is a Sabbat that reflects both the God and the Goddess, you should use the tree topper you made for Imbolc (both the crescent and the sun). If you don't want to use the Imbolc topper, fasten dozens of flowers above where the maypole ribbons originate. These flowers should be above the bows at the top of the tree.


Litha

This is the God's Sabbat. Decorate the tree with anything that reflects the sun. Affix silk sunflowers and marigolds on the tree branches. On opposing branches, tie ribbons of gold, yellow, and orange. For added fragrance, make pomander balls from oranges (a sun fruit). This is a very simple craft.

Using whole, un peeled oranges, tie a ribbon around the circumference of the fruit. Secure the ribbon to the fruit by use of small sewing pins, pushed all the way in. Using a thicker needle or pin, poke rows of holes up and down the fruit. Push whole cloves into the holes. Allow the fruit to dry outside or on a sun touched windowsill for a week before hanging. Hang the pomander by the ribbon on a thick, secure branch.

Top your Midsummer tree with the sun topper you made for Imbolc. Since this is the God's holiday, you might want to place your crescent on your altar until the next Sabbat.


Lammas/ Lughnassad

Lughnassad is the first of the harvest festivals. Fall is coming. Decorate your tree with fall colored ribbon (dark orange, mustard yellow, and red). If they are available, place dried corn or dried wheat stocks inside your tree. Fall flowers also add a lovely touch. Sunflowers and marigolds work just as well for Lugnassad as they do for Midsummer. Both flowers usually bloom in later summer. If you don't have any animals about, decorate your tree with dried bread slices. Lay 6 pieces of wheat bread on a plate and allow them to dry to a hard consistency. Using a skewer or chopstick, punch a hole in the top of the slice large enough for a thin ribbon to pass. String your bread slices onto the tree branches.

If you are feeling modern, decorate your tree with sports paraphernalia. Lughnassad is also known as the Sport's feast. Set golf balls, baseballs, or a small football inside the tree.


Mabon

The second harvest festival and the Pagan Thanksgiving, your Mabon tree should be similar to your Lughnassad tree (of course, without the golf balls!). In lieu of wheat stalks and dried corn, collect colored leaves from a park or your backyard. Spray the leaves with clear hairspray and allow to dry. Attach them to your tree with alternating ribbons. If you are hanging a red leaf, use a yellow ribbon. If you are hanging a yellow leaf, use a red ribbon. Using a small grapevine wreath (again, available at craft stores), attach acorns and walnuts with a little bit of craft glue. Weave ribbons in and out of the vines. Place the wreath over the top of your tree.


Samhain

There are so many different things you can do for a Samhain tree.

Start by decorating your tree with little effigies of witches and black cats. If you can't locate any ornaments like these, purchase Halloween greeting cards with different covers. Cut out the pictures and fasten them to poster board for stability. Cut a small hole in the top and hang them from different branches with black and orange ribbon. Most craft and dime stores now sell "Halloween" lights in the shape of little jack- o-lanterns. String these lights as you would "Christmas" lights. Instead of ribbons, beads, or garland, drape your tree in fake spider webs. Cover the entire tree. Remember, the more you stretch the webs out, the more realistic they look. Attach little plastic spiders into the web.

The little tissue ghosts you made as a child look fabulous on a Samhain tree. Gather two white tissues per ghost. Lay the first tissue out flat. Roll the second into a tight ball and place in the center of the first tissue. Gently squeeze the first tissue around the ball in the center. Tie it off with a thin black ribbon. With a felt pen, draw a little face on your ghost. Hang them from the branches.

For an interesting and unique Samhain tree topper, purchase a costume witch's hat. Simply set it over the top of your tree.

Interesting ideas there.Not much for me but for those with a "Crafty" inclination should be good.

Terrific ideas, how much do you think it would cost me to get someone to dust the darn thing once a .... month? I hate dusting.