Sonnocingos Nouios (New Year)

As we follow the Coligny Calendar in Bessus Nouiogalation to determine our holidays, having a calendar at all means the year must start at some point. As the start of a new year is a cause for celebration nearly universally, we are no different in that regard. So the next questions are: When? And how to observe it? To whom and why?

When: Referring to the app linked above, the new year normally starts on 1 Samonios. However, whenever the intercalary month of Quimonios appears, it is 1 Quimonios that we celebrate it. This occurs once every five years, three times in a row. On the fourth cycle, there’s no Quimonios. After that, the cycles start again. At the time of writing this article –17 May, 2020 –, the year starts on 1 Samonios. Which will be 29 May, 2020. Festivities start the evening before that.

How: New Year festivities in this case involve feasting and partying as New Year observances often do. To bring in good luck for the new year, we have a few suggested offerings: mead, honey, coins. Any or all will do.

Mead and the honey that make it carry three important properties. There is the sweetness of it, which we can associate with goodness. There is its incredibly long shelf life, which signifies longevity, the hope for many years to come. And its golden colour, signifying prosperity.

For these things, an offering of coin can do the same thing. And hey, metal doesn’t decompose easily so a longevity association could be concluded from that as well.

Other potential offerings could include antlers, bones or acorns. Which speak to the nature of regeneration.

To whom and why: The first deity that comes to mind here is Carnonos. For whom, Ceisiwr Serith in ‘Cernunnos: Looking Every Which Way‘ makes a strong case of His associations with bi-directionality and prosperity. Carnonos simply being a different spelling.

Also, there’s a thought here that He stands guard between worlds. Protecting our own from creatures of Dubnos, the Underworld. One which has come from observing Him on the Gundestrup Cauldron.

And so, if you are reading this at the right time: Nouiobledanîn dagin tê! (A good New Year to you!)


A big thanks to Canabirix Sapouaððion for mentioning the idea of tying the New Year observances to Carnonos.

Taranis etic Uiducauarix

Ion donicâ bûar iouincon
Sueionon bitus bûe londos
Temellos rîxti anarecomuâde

Sioxti Dêuoi rodîssont
Etic toutâ diuolcâssont
Dû elus ratobo rodâtoi senti

Ambipellon caitoi bûar litanos
Eni bitû io eiobi bebiuar
Dunnon etic anmadâtus

Eni caitê bebiuar Uiducauaroi
Arduos etic caletos carboi uidus
Ducaris etic temenos… Gorgos

Bebanar do toutâs
Comarcîssont adbertâ
Isse eiâ orxont ollon

Elus bledaniâs gegniiar
Toutiâ readdâsset
Nâuinon croudion beborbar

Papos bledani rix tegegousar
Rix uixît Uiducauarix ad basson
Uiducauarix aiui delxtet boudin

Priton tumîsset papos catus
Leius biuotâ caxtoi senti
Toutâ iâssont do uelitin

Siopesî au abertâ uer brigî
Etic segos exalbû
Tassus etic leucos

Uelitâ iâssont con gutuatîr
Sioponî noibouoxtloi
Uâdarî Taranin

Eni Albiê uediâ clutos essi
Berti uer Suauelê
Sindos uoxtloi aditâsset Taranin

Eni rixtû tarui bebaneîs
Reroute aua brigâ ûxelâ
Trê trebâ, entra caitin

Iâssetîs brogilin Uiducuarîgos
Dâmâ rîgos bûont andon
Taranis aremerti catus

Uiducauarix gresiîs dantes
Tetarueîs concacus uiduous
Eni brigê etic latê

Taranis areuâde lorgâ suesonâ
Ericecuteiis Uiducauarix Taranisc
Bêmman urexti muccus

Catus iâsset trê diun
Ion rasson bûe suallis
Boudi bebronne eni tennê!

Carbos Uiducauarigos bebronne
Tennos, mârotennos, ueuase
Taranis delxtetîs boudin

Nitigon Uiducauarix râdîssetîs
Ion sueson toutâ bebronne
Sin tennos brenset Bitus

Sioxti sindiû, berti boudi
Sedon semiti, berton bassos
Sladiâ slattiâs, bruuon bratû

Texton teni, eiore ollon
Anu Taranî, do toutin
Biuos nouios do aissun bratun