I feel I should apologize for my lack of updates as my life has gotten exceedingly hectic as of late. I even missed Stikklestad I was so busy. However, I am aware of Litha’s approach (thanks to Eksagthi’s reminding).

July 29th: Stikklestad Symbel

While the day is in remembrance to Olaf Tryggvason (Lawbreaker) death, it is more a celebration of faith. Olaf killed, maimed and exiled many who would not convert to the Christian faith. You can find plenty of information here: Olaf Tryggvason This day is important to us as a recognition against those who would choose forceful conversion over the freedom of choice. Religion is a matter of individual expression, not a tool for organized control over the masses.

August 9th: Lithasblot

The harvest festival; giving thanks to Urda (Earth) for her bounty. At this time it is wise to give sacrifices to the earth mother (in all her forms) of milk, honey, and grain (or beer). These are things the Vana take life and energy from, along with our blessings for a fertile earth come spring.
Donnarfisk: At this holiday we have a tradition of an “apple bob” in which we take a trough and throw apples and ice within and call it Donnarfisk (or Thor’s Fishing). Two apples have symbols. One is that of Moljnir (the Thors Hammer), and the other is that of Jormungundr (the Midgard Serpent). We take turns, each individual bobbing for an apple until the two special apples are retrieved from the trough. After these two apples are retrieved, the one who got the Thor’s Hammer is given the title of Hammer Thane, and the one who retried the Serpent is named Veltwyrm, and we take these to our hallow stone. The Hammer Thane smashs the wyrm apple with a hammer that has been blessed as Moljnir for the celebration; while the Veltwyrm eats the apple with the Moljnir symbol.
The Explanation: First, the trough has the same representation as a well in that it is a connection to the land of the dead (this is why we put ice into it. This ice also preserves the apples and the symbols on the Moljnir and Wyrm symbols). Second, the apples represent two distinct idea’s. The hammer is our faith and the action of drawing the hammer from the well is a symbol of us as Erulians (or Asatru if you prefer) taking back our faith from the river of the dead into which Olaf threw it. The wyrm is a representation and acknowledgment of the inevitable cycle into which all things must pass. Even the gods were knowledgeable of their fates and did nothing to prevent them, except simply to live as brightly and with as much might as any Skald could afford them.

Happy Symbel!
~Spaerunn Helgardar