Celebrating Mabon

It's legal here in the States to sell homemade cider that has not been fermented. Fermented of "hard" cider (Such as Strongbow, Woodpecker, Woodchuck, etc) does fall under the same laws that govern beers and wines. It can be made for home use or to share with friends, but it cannot be sold. The orchards here are selling unfermented cider, which is great if you then want to make your own hard cider by going through the proper fermentation process. We're looking at making some this fall.

I think that Canada is the same as the states. There's an Apple orchard I visit in autumn [I make apple butter for Mabon] he sells cider, but I don't think its fermented. Alcoholic varieties can be bought at the beer store or the lcbo.

As mentioned, its like pagan thanksgiving. I invite friends and family over for a thanksgiving esk dinner and circle. As a gift I give everyone a jar of apple butter [kind of a thick applesauce.]

The Law is the same here in the UK. Unfermented cider is just called "Apple Juice". It is the alcohol content that is against the Law to sell to the public. There is, of course, another alcohol cider made from pears, Perry. And many other fruits, such as plums. But, if it contains alcohol it is against the Law to sell it. But most of the villages in England tend to ignore that Law, especially at Mabon.

Yeah, I believe it is called hard cider when it contains alcohol here. At least what I have seen on tv ads. lol But I'd love to try the home made stuff. :) I haven't had alcohol in many years. But I like cider, so yeah..

And so its a get together of sorts.

Well all sabbats are get togethers [except maybe Imbolc most people I know worship solitary but I doubt everyone does] you take in the second harvest, lots of grains, root vegetables, gourds, apples, grapes... Plus its just starting to enter the season of hunting, so ancient pagans used this time to join together, give thanks for the bounty, and share some of their crop with their neighbours. Scaled down, but that's what most pagans do now still. My coven usually calls it Pagan Thanksgiving because the food, and the social aspect, is very much Thanksgiving. The circle should be decorated for the fall, with some of your harvested crops [if you grew any, if not use some apples and dried corn found in most stores around now] and give thanks for the season and everything you have. My coven does a lot of meditating during the Mabon circle as it is also a day of balance, but I don't think most people do that.