Hearthfire Handworks

Festivals: A List of Greek Pagan Festivals and Holy Days

The following is an alphabetical list of Greek festivals and holy days. It is incomplete, and it is a work in progress. Most of the festivals on the list are Attic, but […]

Festivals: Poseidea

Although only one festival of this name is attested and that in the region of Marathon, it does seem likely, given the existence of a month called Poseidion, that at one time […]

A Short Holiday-of-choice Shopping List

It’s that time of the year again, the season of giving, and I know I can’t be the only one who finds it stressful. Somehow gift-giving is a thing that only gets […]

Festivals: Boreaia (An Exercise in Modern Festival-building)

As far as I know, there was no ancient Greek festival that went by the name of Boreaia. If there were, it probably would not be thematically similar to this one. There […]

Festivals: Maimakteria

The festival of Maimakteria is very obscure, but surely took place in the month of Maimakterion, and likely honored Zeus Maimaktes or “blustering Zeus” Given the name of the month and the […]

New in my Shop: Prayer Beads for Celtic Gods

My relationship with the Celtic gods has been a complicated one over the years; they have not always been a steady presence in my life, but they have been a strong one. […]

A Prayer to Artemis and Apollo, Protectors of Youth

I posted this prayer on my blog for prayers and rituals but I am also posting it here with a bit of commentary. A few years back, I wrote a lot of […]

The Peplos of Athena

One of the traditions associated with ancient Athens’ greatest festival, the Panathenaia, was the presentation of a new peplos to Athena Polias on the Acropolis. This was no mere symbolic gift; the […]

Festivals: The Chalkeia

The Chalkeia was held in Athens on the last day of Pyanepsion; it was a festival of smiths and artisans honoring Hephaistos and Athena. The festival appears to have included a procession, […]

New in my Shop: Travel Prayer Beads

Sometimes I add something to the shop simply because I want one. This is one of those times. This design is meant to be carried on your travels; it is easily hung […]

Greek Pagan Basics: Finding a Ritual Calendar

For a modern Hellenic polytheist, a ritual or festival calendar is, while not strictly a necessity, certainly very helpful. You can clearly honor the gods outside of festivals; for many if not […]

Festivals: The Genesia

The Genesia was held as a public festival honoring the dead on 5 Boedromion in Athens. It is uncertain how the Genesia related to private or family rites honoring individual ancestors (held […]