Gift Ideas for Pagan Friends

When you have friends or family who are Pagan but know very little about the religion it can be difficult deciding what to give them for Christmas, or for that matter, if it is even appropriate to give a gift.

Pagan holidays, or Sabbats, generally follow what is called the Wheel of the Year. In December, Pagans in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate one of the eight Sabbats at the Winter Solstice which many call Yule. Yule falls between 20 and 22 December and marks the shortest day of the year.

At our house, we celebrate the Sabbat on the night of the Solstice by drinking a toast to welcome the rebirth of the Sun God. Christmas Day we spend time with family. We decorate a Yule tree, hang tinsel and lights, and Father Christmas pays a visit to fill stockings early Christmas morning after all have gone to sleep.

You could also wish them a Happy Yule or a Joyous Solstice.

Whatever way you use to wish someone a joyous holiday season, whether you celebrate Christmas, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Hanukkah, or Saturnalia, use the words you are most comfortable with.

You can find my blog post discussing this very subject at Writings of a Pagan Witch: Can You Wish a Witch a Merry Christmas.

The Wheel of the Year marks the passing of the 8 Pagan Sabbats throughout the year.

Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Oestara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh, and Mabon

This beautiful pendant would make a perfect gift for someone just beginning their journey as a Pagan.

Most Pagans I know really appreciate items of jewellery to wear for ritual purposes. A pentacle such as this one can be worn by a person of any gender. It is small enough to slip unobtrusively beneath a blouse or shirt, or into a pocket, should the wearer not wish their religious beliefs to be on public display.

Should the wearer want it to be seen, the simple design is intricate enough to compliment almost any outfit.

I have not yet met a Pagan who did not like burning candles. When your Pagan friend holds rituals regularly, they are most likely always on the look out for solid coloured tapered candles to use on the ritual Altar.

Even if they aren't holding rituals regularly, chances are good they would appreciate a selection of solid-coloured candles, in any size.

I have 2 main points I look for in my own candles.

1. They need to be a solid colour, I don't want a candle that has an outer layer in one colour and an inner core in another colour
2. They can't be scented. Most scents used in candles (unless they specify otherwise) are synthetic and the smell can be overpowering for me. In addition, if I am wanting to use the candle for spellcasting, the addition of synthetic scents may conflict with whatever herbs or essential oils I am using.

If you're still not sure what to give your Pagan friend for the Holidays, don't despair. Think about it - what would you be getting your friend if you didn't yet know they were Pagan?

They will have interests and hobbies - playing games or sports, reading, computing, knitting or crocheting, cooking, mountain climbing, bungee jumping, ...

If you just can't think of any gift they would want because they already seem to have all they need, why not consider giving a charity donation in their name.

Many different charities are always looking for donations, especially around the holiday season. If you know that your friend supports a particular cause or charity, then a donation in their name could be the ideal gift.

My Chosen Charity

In recent years, I have bought charity gifts for all of the adults on my shopping list from a UK based charity called Send a Cow.

US Link

Their aim is provide poor working farmers and villagers of the poorest regions of Sub-Saharan Africa the means to become self-sufficient through the development of small sustainable businesses. To do this, Send a Cow provides education, tools, seeds, and livestock (sourced from within Africa) and ongoing support.