Days of magic
103 days across the year and the world when magic is practised, remembered or feared, grouped by kind. See the calendar for this year's dates.
Sponsored ClearTrust Solstices, festivals, days of the dead and omen days, with the dates each next falls on.
Festivals
Chaharshanbe SuriThe Tuesday night before the last Wednesday of the Persian year, when people jump over bonfires to leave sickness and ill luck behind.
Nowruz, the threshold of the yearThe spring equinox new year, with a deep clean, a table of symbolic foods and first-footing for luck.
Lag BaOmerThe day of bonfires and the pilgrimage to Meron, honouring the sage said to have revealed the Zohar.
Lantern FestivalThe first full moon of the new year, with lanterns, riddles and sweet dumplings that stand for reunion.
Chinese New Year and its protective customsRed paper, firecrackers, door guardians and a sweeping taboo, all aimed at keeping bad luck out of the new year.
Dragon Boat Festival and its protective herbsThe fifth day of the fifth month, a time believed dangerous for illness, met with mugwort, calamus and scented sachets.
TanabataWishes written on paper strips and hung on bamboo for two stars that meet once a year.
Songkran and the water blessingThe new year of Thailand and its neighbours, when water is poured on Buddha images and elders to wash away bad luck.
Wai Khru at Wat Bang Phra (Sak Yant festival)The annual gathering where tattooed devotees renew the protective power of their sacred tattoos and sometimes fall into trance.
Loy KrathongThe full-moon night when small floats of leaves, flowers and candles carry away bad luck on the river.
Tet and its protective customsVietnam's new year, with the kitchen god sent to heaven, a first visitor chosen for luck and a tall pole to keep spirits out.
Diwali, the night of lampsThe new-moon night when lamps are lit to welcome Lakshmi and to drive out misfortune from the house.
Holika DahanThe bonfire on the eve of Holi, burned in memory of Holika, and a night when ash and the fire are used as protection.
Raksha Bandhan, the protective threadA sister ties a thread on a brother's wrist, which is believed to protect him, and he promises his protection in return.
Tsagaan Sar, the White MoonThe Mongolian new year, with debts cleared, lamps lit and elders greeted by a ritual exchange of blue scarves.
Gnawa and World Music Festival, EssaouiraA June festival in a Moroccan port town that brings the Gnawa, descendants of enslaved West Africans, to a wide audience.
Osun-Osogbo FestivalThe August festival at Osogbo in Nigeria that honours the river goddess Osun, with offerings carried to the sacred grove.
HalloweenThe eve of All Saints, now a children's festival of costume and sweets, with older beliefs about spirits, witches and love divination under it.
LupercaliaThe ancient Roman rite of purification and fertility, in which young men ran through the city with strips of goat hide.
CarnivalThe days before Lent, when masks, disguise and reversal of order were said to loosen the hold of the dead and the spirits.
Kukeri and SurvaMen in huge furred masks and clanging bells walk the villages of Bulgaria to drive away evil spirits and bring fertility to the year.
Epiphany and La BefanaIn Italy a kindly old witch, the Befana, flies on a broom on Epiphany Eve and fills children's stockings with sweets.
Dia de los Reyes MagosThe Feast of the Three Kings, the Magi whose name gives magic its word, when children in Spain and Latin America receive their gifts.
The Twelve Nights and the RauhnächteThe twelve nights from Christmas to Epiphany, when in German-speaking lands the Wild Hunt rides, animals are said to speak, and houses are smoked.
KrampusnachtThe eve of St Nicholas, when horned, furred Krampus figures run through the streets of the Alps, rattling chains and chasing the unwary.
St Lucy's Day and Lussi NightOnce thought of as the longest night, when in Scandinavian belief the troll-woman Lussi rides and animals must be guarded.
Walpurgis Night and the BrockenThe eve of May, when in German tradition witches were thought to gather on the Brocken and bonfires and noise were used to drive them away.
May DayThe first of May, with the maypole, garlands and washing the face in dew, and in some places protective greenery set at the door.
'Obby 'Oss DayOn May Day in Padstow, Cornwall, a masked dancer in a black frame circles the town while the crowd sings, in a custom whose roots are unrecorded.
Easter firesOn Holy Saturday and Easter night, large bonfires are lit in northern Europe to drive out winter, with older claims of warding off witches.
Burning of JudasFigures of Judas, often stuffed with fireworks and made to look like local politicians, are hanged and burned in Holy Week.
Noche de San JuanOn the night of 23 June, Spaniards light beach bonfires, jump the flames and write wishes to be burned, in a rite of cleansing at midsummer.
Ivan Kupala NightThe Slavic midsummer night, when girls float wreaths on rivers, couples leap fires, and a fern is said to flower for a moment with a treasure.
Hogmanay and first-footingThe Scottish New Year, in which the first person over the threshold after midnight is believed to set the luck of the house.
Up Helly AaA fire festival in Lerwick, Shetland, in which hundreds of costumed Vikings drag a replica longship through the town and burn it.
Burning of the ClavieA burning tar barrel carried round Burghead on the old new-year night, said to cleanse the town of evil spirits and bring luck.
The brujos of CatemacoA gathering of healers and sorcerers at Lake Catemaco, Veracruz, on the first Friday of March, with cleansings for the coming year.
The Wheel of the YearThe modern Pagan calendar of eight sabbats, from Samhain to Mabon, assembled in the mid twentieth century from older festivals.
Solstices and seasons
Shab-e Yalda and fal-e HafezThe longest night of the year, kept awake with fruit, poetry and a question put to the poems of Hafez.
SetsubunThe eve of spring in the old calendar, when roasted soybeans are thrown to drive out demons and bring in luck.
Makar SankrantiThe day the Sun turns north, marked with river bathing, kites and sweets of sesame and jaggery.
Sham el-NessimThe Egyptian spring day on the Monday after Coptic Easter, with onions, salted fish and coloured eggs.
Imbolc and St Brigid's DayThe start of spring in the Gaelic year, tied to the goddess and saint Brigid, with rush crosses hung over doors and cloths left out for her blessing.
Yule and MidwinterThe midwinter feast of the Germanic peoples, now a Pagan sabbat for the longest night, with the Yule log, evergreens and the return of the sun.
BeltaneThe Gaelic fire festival of the start of summer, when cattle were driven between bonfires and doors were hung with flowers.
Midsummer and St John's EveThe night around the summer solstice, when plants are said to be at their strongest, bonfires are lit, and girls try to see their future husbands.
Spring equinoxThe day of equal day and night in March, kept by modern Pagans as Ostara, and watched at ancient sites such as Loughcrew in Ireland.
Summer solstice at StonehengeThousands gather at Stonehenge to greet the longest day, among them Druids, Pagans and visitors, as the sun rises over the Heel Stone.
Winter solstice at NewgrangeThe rising sun lights the inner chamber of the Irish passage tomb at Newgrange for a few minutes, and Stonehenge marks the midwinter sunset.
Autumn equinox and MabonDay and night again equal in September, kept in the modern Pagan calendar as Mabon, a thanksgiving for the harvest.
Inti RaymiThe Inca festival of the sun, held at the winter solstice in the south, now re-enacted each 24 June at Cusco and Sacsayhuaman.
Religious days
Kaparot before Yom KippurThe custom of swinging a chicken or money around the head as a symbolic exchange before the Day of Atonement.
VesakThe full-moon day of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, kept with lamps, chanting and the release of animals.
Galungan and KuninganBali's ten days when ancestors are believed to return home, marked with bamboo penjor and offerings.
Nyepi and the ogoh-ogohBali's day of silence, preceded by a night when giant demon effigies are paraded and burned.
Kali PujaThe midnight worship of the goddess Kali on the new-moon night of Diwali, in Bengal, Odisha and Assam.
Maha ShivaratriThe great night of Shiva, kept with fasting, an all-night vigil and the pouring of water and milk over the lingam.
Navratri, the nine nightsNine nights for the goddess in her forms, with fasting, dance and the worship of young girls.
Durga PujaThe five days when Bengal welcomes Durga as a daughter home, with clay images that are given life by painting their eyes.
Ambubachi Mela at KamakhyaThe annual three-day closure of the Kamakhya temple in Assam, when the goddess is believed to menstruate.
Nag PanchamiThe day for honouring snakes, with milk and flowers offered at anthills and snake images.
Thaipusam and the kavadiThe Tamil festival of Murugan, when devotees carry kavadi burdens, some with hooks and skewers through the skin.
The Theyyam season of north KeralaFrom autumn to late spring, men in towering costumes become gods in village shrines and bless the people who kneel before them.
Meskel and the DemeraThe Ethiopian feast of the True Cross, with a great bonfire whose falling pole is read as an omen.
TimkatThe Ethiopian Epiphany, when the tabots, replicas of the Ark, are carried to water that is blessed for baptism renewal.
Festa de Iemanja in SalvadorDevotees of Candomble and many Catholics bring white flowers, perfume and mirrors to the sea at Rio Vermelho, Salvador, for Iemanja, queen of the sea.
Iemanja and New Year in RioOn New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro, millions in white throw flowers and gifts into the sea, and jump seven waves, for Iemanja.
San Lazaro and Babalu-AyeIn Cuba and its diaspora, pilgrims honour St Lazarus, who is also Babalu-Aye, the orisha of disease and healing, on 17 December.
Ancestors and the dead
Qingming, the tomb-sweeping festivalFamilies clean the graves of their dead, make offerings and burn paper goods for use in the next world.
Hungry Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan)The fifteenth night of the seventh lunar month, in a month when the gates of the underworld are said to stand open.
ObonThe midsummer days when the spirits of ancestors are welcomed home with fires, offerings and dancing, then sent back.
Chuseok and the rites for ancestorsThe autumn harvest holiday when families set out food for the ancestors and visit their graves.
Pitru PakshaThe fortnight of the ancestors, when water, sesame and rice balls are offered to the dead of the family.
Famadihana, the turning of the bonesIn the dry season, Malagasy families open the family tomb, rewrap their dead in new cloth and dance with them.
SamhainThe Gaelic festival of the turn into winter, when the border with the Otherworld is said to thin and the dead and the fairies move about.
Dia de MuertosMexico's festival of the dead, with altars of marigolds, candles, food and photographs, welcoming the souls of the departed home.
Todos SantosAll Saints in Bolivia, Guatemala and the Andes, with bread dolls for the dead, tables of food at the grave and kites flown to speak to them.
Dia de las NatitasIn La Paz, families bring human skulls, kept as protectors, to the cemetery to be decorated, blessed and given flowers and coca.
Fete GedeThe Vodou festival of the Gede, the family of spirits of the dead, held at the cemeteries of Haiti on 1 and 2 November.
Salem in OctoberThe Massachusetts town of the 1692 witch trials fills each October with a month of Halloween events, tours and memorials.
Moon and stars
Daeboreum, the great full moonKorea's first full moon, with wishes made to the moon, nut-cracking against boils and fire games for the year's fields.
MatarikiThe Māori new year, when the rising of the Pleiades before dawn is read for the year ahead and the dead are remembered.
Solar eclipses and omensThe day a total eclipse darkens the sky, once read as a portent of death or the fall of kings, and still met with rites in many cultures.
Harvest and weather
MakahikiThe Hawaiian season of the god Lono, when war was forbidden and tribute was carried round the island.
Nagol, the land dive of Pentecost IslandA tower-jump with vines tied to the ankles, done each spring in Vanuatu in the belief that it helps the yam crop.
Candlemas weather loreThe old saying that fair weather on 2 February promises a longer winter, and the blessing of candles said to turn away storms and harm.
WassailingOn Old Twelfth Night in English cider counties, orchards are visited with songs, toast and noise to wake the trees and ward off ill luck.
Lughnasadh and LammasThe first-fruits festival at the start of August, a Gaelic assembly tied to the god Lugh, and the English loaf-mass of Lammas.
Pachamama monthAugust in the Andes is the month of offerings to the Earth Mother, when she is said to be hungry and open, and the ground is fed with food and drink.
Lucky and unlucky days
Sinhala and Tamil New Year and its auspicious timesIn Sri Lanka, each act of the new year, from lighting the hearth to the first meal, is done at a time set by astrologers.
Akshaya TritiyaA day held to be auspicious in itself, so that any new venture needs no search for a lucky hour.
Groundhog DayA groundhog is watched on 2 February to see whether it sees its shadow, taken as a forecast of six more weeks of winter.
St Valentine's Day love divinationA day on which, in older custom, the first person you meet or the first bird you see was said to show your future partner.
St Agnes' EveOn 20 January, young women in older English custom fasted and went to bed backwards so as to dream of their future husbands.
St Mark's EveOn 24 April in English folk belief, those who kept watch in the church porch at midnight would see the ghosts of those who would die that year.
Good Friday folk beliefsA day of many small beliefs: bread baked on it said never to go mouldy, eggs laid on it said to keep, and buns hung up as a charm.
St Swithin's DayA weather omen: in English lore, rain on 15 July means rain for forty days after, and fair weather means forty days of dry.
Silvester and lead pouringOn New Year's Eve in Germany and Finland, melted metal dropped into water makes a shape that is read as a sign for the year ahead.
Friday the 13thA day of bad luck in much of the English-speaking world, from the old unluck of Friday and of the number thirteen, studied as a named fear.
Tuesday the 13thIn Greece, Cyprus and Spain, Tuesday rather than Friday is the unlucky day, and Tuesday the 13th the worst.
St Andrew's EvePoland's Andrzejki and the Romanian night of St Andrew, when wax is poured through a key hole and girls try to learn who they will marry.