Mabon is a modern invention. As a harvest festival, at least. The name itself is old, of Celtic origin. And of course there have been Autumnal Equinoxes for as long as the Earth has gone around the Sun, though the Celts did not celebrate them. The first time the name and the occasion were put together seems to have been in the early 70s by that industrious reformer, Aidan Kelly.
Dr. Kelly, to the best of my knowledge, never really provided a mythopoetic explanation for linking the name of that particular figure from Celtic mythology and that particular seasonal transition*. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Arbitrary choices can produce meaningful patterns, too.
For example, Mabon is syncretically linked with the Greek God Apollo, who does a bit of seasonal wandering. Apollo is traditionally believed to spend the winter months far to the north of His Grecian homelands, past the lands of the Celts, in a country called Hyperborea. Since ancient times, the mythic Hyperborea has been connected with the historical Britain. So, if winter marks the epiphany of Apollo to the Hyperboreans/Britons, then Autumn could be seen as marking His procession through the Celtic domains. It would be possible, therefore, to cast Mabon as a celebration of Apollo’s travels. But that’s only one possible pattern, of course.
Another way to look at it is to parse the name’s etymology and literal meaning. “Mabon” is likely to have been derived from “Maponos” which means “Divine Child.” The Divine Child, like the Slain and Risen God, or the Horned God, is a recurring mytheme of the Divine Masculine principle. It can be found in the narratives of various historical Deities. Apollo, Hermes, Osiris, and even Zeus, have appeared in the aspect of the Divine Child. My favorite, of course, is Dionysos. Coincidentally, Dionysos also took over Apollo’s temple at Delphi each year while His brother was away in Hyperborea.
And Mabon is a great time of year to honor Dionysos. Here in North Carolina, the muscadine harvest is coming in, sending restless flutters through the hearts of amateur vintners like myself. For me, the second harvest is the wine (and cider) harvest. With Dionysos as the youthful Lord giving himself over as the sacrifice to the presses, it’s a poignant time of industry and reflection.
Regardless of what Myths or Deities we associate with it, Mabon is an excellent occasion to share a glass of wine and a grateful toast with friends and family. This is exactly how I spent my mine, and how I hope to spend many more.
*Apparently, he did. Here’s a blog Kelly wrote in 2017 that provides some insight into his reasoning for the names he chose.