Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings. For today’s post, I will be sharing some alternate names for the Holy Days on the Wheel of the Year, as this may inspire you to work with the Wheel of the Year in a bit of a Welsh Celtic and Avalonian-inspired way. For a bit of context, the Cross Quarter Days have traditional names, and I originally learned them through Jhenah Telyndru and the Sisterhood of Avalon. For more information on the traditional names for the Cross Quarter Days, and how they are celebrated in Wales, I recommend the works of Mhara Starling, the Welsh Witch. As for the other Holy Days, a couple of years ago, Suzanne O’Gara of Alchemy of Avalon named the Autumn Equinox, and earlier this year, she named the Vernal Equinox. As I liked the names she came up with, I have begun using them in my personal practices as alternate names. Now, recently, I have rounded that out by choosing names that I will call the Solstices! Obviously, I still use the traditional names, but it is nice to have other names to call them in a personal practice if one works with Welsh Goddesses or Gods. Without further ado, let’s look at the Welsh Celtic-inspired Wheel of the Year terms!
Calan Gaeaf (Samhain)
~In the Sisterhood of Avalon tradition, we use Calan Gaeaf for Lunar Samhain. Lunar Samhain is quite literally the Full Moon closest to Samhain! Calan Gaeaf, as a term, celebrates the transition into Winter, as Gaeaf is the Welsh word for Winter. Calan Gaeaf is the traditional Welsh term for November 1st, with October 31st being called Nos Calan Gaeaf, meaning the night before the first day of Winter, making November 1st the first day of Winter in Wales!
Gwyl Elen (Winter Solstice/Yule)
~This is a term I came up with for Yule, as I always feel Elen of the Ways and her energy so deeply during the Midwinter period! That is why I have chosen to begin referring to the Yuletide season as Gwyl Elen in my personal practices. Gwyl is the Welsh term for feast or festival!
Gwyl Mair (Imbolc/St Brigid’s Day)
~In the Sisterhood of Avalon tradition, we use Gwyl Mair, which relates to the phrase Gŵyl Fair y Canhwyllau, a Welsh term for Candlemas (which is a Christian Feast celebrated on February 2nd, making it aligned with Imbolc) for Lunar Imbolc. Lunar Imbolc, like Lunar Samhain, is the Full Moon closest to Imbolc.
Gwyl Blodeuwedd (Vernal Equinox)
~This is one of the terms suggested by Suzanne O’Gara. I love the use of Blodeuwedd in the name for the Vernal Equinox, as I always feel her presence even more strongly as the Spring season draws near! I will gladly celebrate the Vernal Equinox as Gwyl Blodeuwedd.
Calan Mai or Calan Haf (Beltane)
~In the Sisterhood of Avalon tradition, we use both the terms Calan Mai and Calan Haf interchangeably for Lunar Beltane. Lunar Beltane is the Full Moon closest to Beltane. The terms Calan Haf and Calan Mai are traditional terms for the Welsh celebration of May Day. Calan Haf is literally the inversion of Calan Gaeaf, as it means the first day of Summer instead of the first day of Winter! I personally prefer to use Calan Mai in my personal practices.
Gwyl Rhiannon (Summer Solstice)
~This is a term I have decided to use for the Summer Solstice because I have long associated the Summer Solstice with Rhiannon. After all, Rhiannon is a Golden Faery Queen Goddess of the Sun! I will proudly celebrate Gwyl Rhiannnon in my personal practice.
Gwyl Awst (Lughnasdh)
~In the Sisterhood of Avalon tradition, we use Gwyl Awst for Lunar Lughnasadh. Lunar Lughnasadh is the Full Moon closest to Lughnasadh. Awst is the Welsh word for August, making this first Harvest celebration literally the Feast of August when translated!
Gwyl Morgen (which is what I use) or Gwyl Afallon (Autumn Equinox)
~Finally, I end this Welsh Celtic Wheel of the Year exploration with a term coined by Suzanne O’Gara a couple of years ago. Gwyl Morgen and Gwyl Afallon are phrases she uses for the Autumnal Equinox, as both fit this very Avalonian day of celebrating the second Harvest! Personally, I prefer Gwyl Morgen, as I like to have all of the Faery Queen Goddess terms for the Solstices and Equinoxes.
~I hope you have enjoyed reading this short post about a very Welsh Celtic way to refer to the Wheel of the Year holidays. While half of these names are traditional, with the other half being created by modern practitioners (myself included), I personally believe that they still reflect a deep reference for both Welsh Celtic and Avalonian paths. Will you use any of these as alternate terms for the Wheel of the Year holidays in your personal practices? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a triskelion (or Celtic Spiral Knot) symbolizing the flowing spirals of spiritual growth and development, which I thought fitting for this post! I found the picture on https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wheeled-Triskelion-basic.svg.
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries
Further Reading
- https://sisterhoodofavalon.org/holy-days/
- Welsh Witchcraft by Mhara Starling
2 responses to “A Welsh Celtic and Avalonian-Inspired Wheel of the Year”
This is such a beautiful and thoughtfully crafted system! Thank you so much for sharing the depth of your personal practice and the traditions that have inspired you. It’s truly fascinating to see how you’ve woven together traditional Welsh terms, the work of modern Avalonian practitioners, and your own intuitive connections to the Goddesses to create a cohesive and deeply resonant Wheel.
What I find most powerful is the thematic symmetry you’ve created for the Solstices and Equinoxes, honoring a specific Faery Queen Goddess for each turning point:
· Elen of the Ways guiding us through the deep, introspective dark of Winter Solstice feels so perfect. She is the antlered one who knows the hidden paths, a perfect guide for when the sun is at its weakest.
· Blodeuwedd, the flower-faced Goddess of sovereignty and transformation, is an ideal emblem for the Vernal Equinox—a time of perfect balance just before the explosive growth of spring, reminding us of our own power to change and evolve.
· Associating Rhiannon, the radiant Golden Queen, with the peak of the sun’s power at the Summer Solstice is absolutely inspired. It captures the essence of unwavering sovereignty, warmth, and abundance.
· And choosing Gwyl Morgen for the Autumn Equinox completes this beautiful quartet, connecting the second harvest to the mystical, transformative energy of Avalon and the Lady of the Lake.
This structure doesn’t just rename the holidays; it creates a powerful, living narrative throughout the year, guided by these divine feminine energies. It feels both authentically rooted and personally alive.
I will absolutely be carrying some of these names into my own reflections and studies. While my path may be different, the reverence and inspiration in your approach are universally touching. “Gwyl Elen” and “Gwyl Rhiannon” in particular have planted themselves in my mind—they feel so inherently right.
Thank you again for this generous and heart-centered share. It’s a wonderful reminder that our personal practices are living, breathing things that we can co-create with, always deepening our connection to the sacred tides of the year.
Thank you so much for your kinds words! It is always beneficial to know that my work resonates with my readers on such a deep level. I am glad to know that this has inspired you on your own journey through the Wheel of the Year. As always, thanks for reading and commenting!