imbolc celebrations

[Mana-Raven-Star]

Kia ora!
I live in a house with three other people, one who was raised roman catholic (but has since left that path) an and two who don't believe in any religion. How cani have a succesful and enjoyable imbolc cellibration that can include everyone without them seeing it as a pile of 'hocus pocus' and just end up taking the sh*t out of me for believing in a 'silly made;up religion' which i can almost guarantee will happen. i just want a simple one with a wee feast then i can do a private thing by myself afterwards or something like that.

[Windsmith]

Well, what's going on in the world around you at this time of year? The Catholic name for this holiday is Candlemas, which, very loosely translated, means "birth of light". That's what I love about that time of year: although intellectually I know that the amount of light has been growing since the day after Yule, Imbolc is about when I usually start to believe it. For me, that makes it a great holiday for keeping pledges and promises I've made (especially any I made around Midsummer) and for whatever reason haven't kept yet. Not for nothing is Imbolc a traditional time for initiations in the Reclaiming tradition.

Your climate may be milder than mine. Are green things growing yet? Animals giving birth? How can you find a way to connect with things like that that are going on around you?

I find that, when planning rituals with non-Pagans (or even Pagans on very different paths from mine), focusing on the natural, rather than the supernatural, helps things run smoother. For you and your housemates, if you don't want them making fun of your "pile of hocus pocus", leave the "hocus pocus" out of it. Instead of having what you're calling a simple ritual and then a "wee feast", why not have your wee feast be your ritual? Cast your circle simply, perhaps with held hands or a simple chant. When you welcome the Elements and whatever deities or other entites you are in relationship with, keep it simple. If you usually invoke Watchtowers, maybe give those a miss and simply honor and acknowledge the Elements as they are already around us: the air we breathe; the fire of the returning sun; the water in our bodies; the earth on which we stand. Light a candle to represent the returning light.

Then share a meal together. If particular foods are in season in your area, plan the meal around them, to reaffirm your interconnection with the land. While you eat, give everyone a chance to talk about what this time of year means to them, any promises they'd like to keep, or promises made to them that they'd like to see fulfilled. Or, if the "promises" motif isn't working for you, think about what the holiday means to you, and build from that.

I don't know your path. Maybe you're ordinarily an athame-waving, bell-ringing, names-of-god-chanting Pagan all the rest of the time. But for a simple ritual to share your religion with people who don't practice it themselves, you needn't bring all of that. Just celebrate and connect with the moment and highlight what's important to you about this holiday, and your housemates will probably respect that.

Have fun!

[Mana-Raven-Star]

Thankyou so much! I was starting to give up hope of ever getting help haha
This year we seem to be having a late winter, snow on the hills still and even the occasional bit lower down. Probably the odd early lamb popping out somewhere but i havn't seen any yet. I work in a vet clinic so when the time for baby animals come we really get to know about it :)
Simple sounds nice. I've never been much of a 'athame-waving, bell-ringing, names-of-god-chanting Pagan', just the basics do for me.

Thanks again!