As August draws to a close, I always feel the subtle shift in the air. The light lingers a little less each evening, the shadows stretch longer, and there’s a quiet whisper of change carried on the late-summer breeze. For me, this is the moment I begin preparing for Mabon, the Pagan festival of the Autumn Equinox. It’s a time of balance, of gathering the fruits of our labour, and of looking ahead to the darker months with gratitude and intention.

Of course, as a Gothic soul, I can’t help but feel the enchantment of this season. The evenings carry a romance all their own, a sense that magic lies just beyond the veil of twilight.

🌾 What is Mabon?

Mabon falls around the 21st–23rd of September, marking the Autumn Equinox when day and night are of equal length. In Pagan tradition, it is the second of the harvest festivals, a time to give thanks for abundance, share with others, and prepare for the colder months.

This celebration honours balance: light and dark, life and death, beginnings and endings. The energy of Mabon reminds us that everything exists in cycles. For those of us drawn to the Gothic, it feels like a liminal time when the veil between light and shadow grows thinner, inviting us to embrace both beauty and decay.

🔮 Witchy Ways to Celebrate Mabon

There are so many simple ways to honour this seasonal shift. Here are a few ideas to inspire you:

✨ Candle magic – Light a candle at dusk and reflect on what you’re grateful for. As the flame burns, let it illuminate your intentions for the coming months.

✨ Nature walks – Collect fallen leaves, conkers, or berries to create a natural altar at home. These tokens carry the energy of the season and remind us of nature’s cycles.

✨ Kitchen witchery – Bake bread, apple pies, or blackberry crumbles using the fruits of the harvest. Infuse your cooking with love, gratitude, and intention.

✨ Home energy – Decorate your space with autumnal colours—deep reds, burnt oranges, golden yellows—and welcome that cosy, protective energy into your home.

And if you’re like me, you may also call upon your spiritual companions—whether that’s guides, haunted objects, or ancestral energies—for protection and insight as we step into the darker half of the year.

🦇 Gothic Reads for Autumn Nights

For me, Mabon isn’t just about seasonal rituals—it’s also the perfect excuse to curl up with a haunting story as the nights draw in. If you’re looking to capture that Gothic mood, here are some recommendations:

📖 The Redcliffe Novels – My own series of vampires, werewolves, and Cornish seaside secrets. Perfect if you want passion, danger, and a hint of magic beneath the cliffs.

📖 The Darkness of Love – My Victorian vampire romance filled with lust, power, and Gothic decadence.

📖 Dracula by Bram Stoker – The classic that started it all, best revisited with candlelight and a storm outside.

📖 Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu – A Gothic vampire tale with sapphic undertones, deliciously atmospheric.

This is the season for Gothic reading—let the candlelight flicker, pour yourself a glass of something rich and dark, and surrender to the shadows.

🌙 Closing Thoughts

Mabon invites us to pause, to breathe, and to acknowledge both the light and the darkness in our lives. It is a festival of gratitude and preparation, a reminder that every ending carries the seed of a new beginning.

As I ready myself for the turning of the year, I find comfort in both the rituals of the season and the Gothic stories that mirror life’s eternal cycles.

✨ Will you welcome Mabon with gratitude, mystery, and a little Gothic magic of your own? Share your rituals and favourite autumn reads in the comments—I’d love to hear how you celebrate the equinox.

Did you enjoy this article? Support your favourite paranormal author by shopping through my affiliate link. Click here. 

Note: This article may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you shop using the links I share, I receive a small income at no extra cost to yourself. Thank you for supporting SpookyMrsGreen!