Historical Germanic Heathenry had three major blots, which lasted for three days. Historical Heathens also had a minor celebration which was not a public blot: Disting. At the bottom of this article, I will give the 2021 dates for these historical Heathen holidays for modern practice for Old Ways Heathens. First, some brief background: The Ynglinga Saga (chapter 8), from the year 1225, lists the three great blots of the year: “Odin established the same law in his land that had been in force in Asaland… On winter day (first day of winter) there should be blot for a good year, and in the middle of winter for a good crop; and the third blot should be on summer day, a Victory-blot.” In Old Norse, “Sigurblot” means “Victory-Blot.” Therefore, we have three major Norse blots a year, that appear in the context of Ynglinga Saga (and other references) that were done publicly at Uppsala. In Heimskringla, the saga of Hakon the Good, section 15 (circa 1230 AD) it says the following: “The first night of Yule was hǫkunótt, that is midwinter night, and Yule was held for three nights.” Heimskringla Saga, Magnus the Blind, Chapter 6: “ Yule was kept holy for only three days, when no work was done.”

The Poettic Edda states Yule was three nights. HELGAKVITHA HJORVARTHSSONAR The Lay of Helgi the Son of Hjorvarth, Chapter 4. This passage is too long for this blog, but I encourage you all to look it up. Hethin came home alone on the evening of Yule, and after a stay of three days, a battle commenced. Like the Heimskringla Saga above written by Snorri, the Poettic Edda agrees that battles were not fought during the three days of Yule. Therefore, Yule was too holy to desecrate with bloodshed.

Bede states in De Temporum Ratione,Ch 15 (725 AD): "Thus, the moon by which they began their winter season was called “Winterfylleth”, a name compounded of the terms for winter and full moon, because from the full moon of that moon winter was thought to begin." Andreas Nordberg, the world’s foremost scholar on Norse Holidays, makes clear in his book on the dating of Yule that “The pre-Christian Yule feast occurs at the first full moon after the first new moon following the winter solstice, while the disting took place at the third full moon according to the same method of calculation.” (Jul, disting och förkyrklig tideräkning Kalendrar och kalendariska riter i det förkristna Norden Uppsala 2006, P.4) At Yule it was determined if a thirteenth moon would be added to the year. To keep the following year’s Yule as the first full moon after the first new moon after the solstice, it would be determined if a 13th moon would be needed or not. You can see Nordberg's book, in PDF form, with a one page English Abstract (Introduction) and twenty page summary in English (the rest is in Swedish) here: https://www.academia.edu/1366945/Jul_disting_och_f%C3%B6rkyrklig_tider%C3%A4kning While many "pagans" argue that the church holidays were the Heathen Holidays, Dr. Nordberg states otherwise, that Heathen holy days were replaced by those of the church, just like Heathenry was replaced by Chrsitianity: Nordberg states, “Icelandic sources from the 13th century mention two months called Ylir or Jólmánuthr.” (p.147). This matches Bede in De Temporum Ratione, who mentions two moons of Giuli (Yule) in the Anglish Calendar. Nordberg also states that the Norse (like the Anglish) divided the year into quarters. “This division into quarters is not recorded in Nordic ecclesiastical calendars, but is evident in folktales, sagas, provincial laws, on rune-staffs and calendar rods and in other everyday contexts. The sources also hint at a process, during which this older system of dividing up the year was gradually replaced by a division based on important dates in the Church’s liturgical year.

2021-2022 Norse Heathen Calendar

HaustManuðr 2021 (Harvest Moon)- New Moon: October 6 Full Moon: October 20

GorManuðr 2021 (Blood Moon)- New Moon: November 4 Full Moon: November 19

Yulir Tungl 2021 (Yule Constellation)- New Moon: December 4 Full Moon: December 19

JolManuðr 2022 (Yule Moon) - New Moon: January 2 2022 Full Moon: January 17 2022

SunManuðr (Sun Moon)- New Moon: January 31 Full Moon: February 16

DistingsTungl (Disting Constellation)- New Moon: March 2 Full Moon: March 18

GoaManuðr (Goa's Moon)- New Moon: April 1 Full Moon: April 16

EinMánuður (First Moon)- New Moon: April 30 Full Moon: May 15

HarpaMánuður (Harpa's Moon)- New Moon: May 30 Full Moon: June 14

SkerplaMánuður (Skerpla's Moon)- New Moon: June 28 Full Moon: July 13

Heyannir (Hey Moon)- New Moon: July 28 Full Moon: August 11

Tvímánuður (Second Moon)- New Moon: August 27 Full Moon: September 10

HaustManuðr (Harvest Moon)- New Moon: September 25 Full Moon: October 9

GorManuðr (Blood Moon)- New Moon: October 25 Full Moon: November 8

Yulir Tungl (Yule Constellation)- New Moon: November 23 Full Moon: December 7

JolManuðr (Yule Moon) 2023- New Moon: December 23 2022 Full Moon: January 6 2023

Winter Nights 2021 (Three Nights): October 20th. Two more nights: October 21st-22nd. Yule 2022 (Three nights): January 17th 2022 will be the first night, followed by two more nights.

Disting: March 18th Sigurblot (Three Nights): April 16th. April 17th-18th, two more days of Sigurblot.

Winter Nights (Three Nights): October 9th. Two more nights: October 10th-11th. Alfablot (Sweden): November 8th Yule 2023 (Three nights): January 6th 2023 will be the first night, followed by two more nights.

2021-2022 Aldsidu (Old Saxon) Heathen Calendar

Uuintar Manoð (Winter Moon)- New Moon: October 6 Full Moon: October 20

Blod Manoð (Blood Moon)- New Moon: November 4 Full Moon: November 19

Iul Tungl (Yule Constellation)- New Moon: December 4 Full Moon: December 19

Iul Manoð (Yule Moon) 2022- New Moon: January 2 2022 Full Moon: January 17 2022 Sune Manoð (Sun Moon)- New Moon: January 31 Full Moon: February 16

ThingTungl (Althing Constellation)- New Moon: March 2 Full Moon: March 18

Summar Manoð (Summer Moon)- New Moon: April 1 Full Moon: April 16

Fifto Manoð (Fifth Moon)- New Moon: April 30 Full Moon: May 15

Sehsi Manoð (Sixth Moon)- New Moon: May 30 Full Moon: June 14

Sivendo Manoð (Seventh Moon)- New Moon: June 28 Full Moon: July 13 Ahtodo Manoð (Eighth Moon)- New Moon: July 28 Full Moon: August 11

Haleg Manoð (Holy Moon)- New Moon: August 27 Full Moon: September 10

Uuintar Manoð (Winter Moon)- New Moon: September 25 Full Moon: October 9

Blod Manoð (Blood Moon)- New Moon: October 25 Full Moon: November 8

Iul Tungl (Yule Constellation)- New Moon: November 23 Full Moon: December 7

Iul Manoð (Yule Moon) 2023- New Moon: December 23 2022 Full Moon: January 6 2023

Winter Full Moon 2021 (Three Nights): October 20th. Two more nights: October 21st-22nd.

Yule 2022 (Three nights): January 17th 2022 will be the first night, followed by two more nights.

All-Thing: March 18th Sigurblot (Three Nights): April 16th. April 17th-18th, two more days of Sigurblot. Winter Full Moon (Three Nights): October 9th. Two more nights: October 10th-11th. Yule 2023 (Three nights): January 6th 2023 will be the first night, followed by two more nights.

2021-2022 Anglish/Old English Heathen Calendar

Months (Moons): The word “month” literally means “cycle of the moon.” The words “moon” and “month” are related in Old Saxon and Old Anglish (English), and all Old Norse/Icelandic languages.

Moons (Months):

2021 Wintar Manod Uuintar Manoð (Winter Moon)- New Moon: October 6 Full Moon: October 20

Blod Manoð (Blood Moon)- New Moon: November 4 Full Moon: November 19

Giuli Manoð (Yule Moon)- New Moon: December 4 Full Moon: December 19

2022: Giuli Manoð New Moon: January 2 2022 Full Moon: January 17 2022

Sol Manoð (Sun/Cake Moon)- New Moon: January 31 Full Moon: February 16

Hreða Manoð (Hretha's Moon)- New Moon: March 2 Full Moon: March 18

Eostar Manoð (Eostre Moon)- New Moon: April 1 Full Moon: April 16

Threa Milki Manoð (Three Milkings Moon)- New Moon: April 30 Full Moon: May 15

Liða Manoð (First Litha Moon)- New Moon: May 30 Full Moon: June 14 Liða Manoð (First Litha Moon)- New Moon: June 28 Full Moon: July 13

Weod-Manoð (Weed Moon)- New Moon: Aug 18 Full Moon: Sept 2

Haleg Manoð (Holy Moon)- ew Moon: August 27 Full Moon: September 10

Uuintarfylleð (Winter Full Moon)- ew Moon: September 25 Full Moon: October 9

Blod Manoð (Blood Moon)- New Moon: October 25 Full Moon: November 8

Giuli Manoð (Yule Moon)- New Moon: November 23 Full Moon: December 7

Giuli Manoð (Yule Moon) 2023- New Moon: December 23 2022 Full Moon: January 6 2023

2021-2022 Old English Holy Days

Winterfylleð 2021 (Three Nights): October 20th.

Blood Moon Full Moon: Night of November 19th into November 20th. Yule 2022 (Three nights): January 17th 2022 will be the first night, followed by two more nights.

Cake Month Full Moon: February 16th at night, into February 17th. Hreða Full Moon: Night of March 18th into March 19th. Eostreblot: April 16th. Winterfylleð 2022: October 9th. Blood Moon Full Moon: Night of November 8th into November 9th. Yule 2023 (Three nights): January 6th 2023 will be the first night, followed by two more nights.