Witches follow the old Celtic agricultural calendar and the sabbats are seasonal celebrations.
They are the holy days of a nature religion when we express our gratitude for the beauty and bounty of the earth. They have nothing to do with the devil or evil-doing. By association it became a time to honour departed loved ones and also the ancestors who have gone before us. The New Year then begins on November 1. This marks the lambing time and the growing strength of the sunshine that will soon bring the summer.