Pagan New Year
A single glowing candle burns in the center of a dark, misty scene with golden embers floating in the air. The flame radiates gentle warmth, symbolizing renewal and the return of light at Yule. The Ali Owl Rising logo appears subtly on the image.
Paganism honors the cycles of the earth and the spirit within them. Whether you mark Samhain, Yule, or Ostara as your new year, each invites reflection, renewal, and the chance to begin again.
When does the pagan new year start?
There are many flavors of paganism, and in today’s world there are eclectic pagans like myself who celebrate from different traditions that resonate. I’m going to focus on the three main times often seen as the start of the new year.
Samhain, Yule, and Ostara
I recently told a friend that I celebrate the new year with Yule, which falls on the winter solstice. It’s the darkest night of the year, and from that point forward the days begin to grow longer. To me, this feels like a new beginning both spiritually and within nature. On Yule night I light candles and sit quietly, watching the first flicker of flame as a promise that light always returns.
She disagreed, saying that Ostara marks the new year because spring is when life returns to the earth.
Others believe that Samhain is the new year. It’s the end of summer and the close of harvest, the beginning of the darker days. It’s also when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest, a time that symbolizes death and rebirth. Samhain honors endings and the quiet transformation that happens beneath the surface. Yule celebrates the spark of hope that carries us through darkness. Ostara welcomes visible renewal, when what has been resting finally bursts into life.
Who’s right?
All of them.
This is the beauty of being pagan. We follow how the energy of the earth feels to us. We celebrate the traditions that resonate within and honor what speaks to our spirits.
What I love about being pagan is that no one dictates what is right or wrong. I follow my heart in spirituality and feel the earth respond in return. That freedom is powerful, but it also asks us to listen deeply and take responsibility for what we invite into our lives.
In all three celebrations of the new year, the essence is the same. We honor new energy, rebirth, and renewal. It’s a time to look back on the harvest of the year that has passed. What did you sow and reap? What did you learn? Reflect on the past, set intentions for the rebirth of a new cycle, and carry those lessons with you.
In the coming year, I’m setting an intention to find gratitude and joy in everyday accomplishments. You can read more in my article on the Gratitude Jar, Yule Gratitude Jar
Paganism is a practice, not a religion. It’s a belief system that holds the practitioner accountable for their actions, thoughts, and feelings. We are tied to the earth and her cycles.
However you mark the turning of the wheel, each new year invites us to begin again, rooted in the lessons of the last.
When do you celebrate the new year? What are your practices to let go of the old and welcome the new?
