Editing Imbolc (section)

===Welcoming Brigid===
[[File:St. Brigid Painting.jpg|thumb|Painting of Saint Brigid with a bowl of fire, a spindle, and a cow in [[St. Patrick's Chapel, Glastonbury]].]]
On St Brigid's Eve, Brigid was said to visit virtuous households and bless the inhabitants.<ref name="stations" /> As Brigid represented the light half of the year and the power that will bring people from the dark season of winter into spring, her presence was vital at this time of year.<ref name="McNeill">McNeill, F. Marian (1959) ''The Silver Bough'', Vol. 1,2,4. William MacLellan, Glasgow</ref><ref name="Carmina5">{{Cite web |title=Carmina Gadelica Vol. 1: II. Aimsire: Seasons: 70 (notes). Genealogy of Bride. Sloinntireachd Bhride |url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg1/cg1074.htm |access-date=15 January 2018 |website=Sacred-texts.com}}</ref>

Before going to bed, people would leave items of clothing or strips of cloth outside for Brigid to bless.<ref name="stations" /> The next morning, they would be brought inside and believed to have powers of healing and protection.<ref name="McNeill" /><ref name="Carmina5" />

Brigid would be symbolically invited into the house and a bed would often be made for her. In Ulster, a family member representing Brigid would circle the home three times carrying [[Juncus|rushes]]. They would knock the door three times, asking to be let in. On the third attempt, they are welcomed in, a meal is had, and the rushes are then made into crosses or a bed for Brigid.<ref>{{harvnb|Danaher|1972|pp=20–21, 97–98}}</ref> In 18th-century [[Isle of Man|Mann]], the custom was to stand at the door with a bundle of rushes and say "Brede, Brede, come to my house tonight. Open the door for Brede and let Brede come in". Similarly, in [[County Donegal]], the family member who was sent to fetch the rushes knelt on the front step and repeated three times, "Go on your knees, open your eyes, and let in St Brigid". Those inside the house answered three times, "She's welcome".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ray (2) {{!}} The Schools' Collection |url=https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4493669/4409429 |access-date=13 February 2022 |website=dúchas.ie |language=en}}</ref> The rushes were then strewn on the floor as a carpet or bed for Brigid. In the 19th century, some old Manx women would make a bed for Brigid in the barn with food, ale, and a candle on a table.<ref name="stations" /> The custom of making Brigid's bed was prevalent in the [[Hebrides]] of Scotland, where it was recorded as far back as the 17th century. A bed of hay or a basket-like cradle would be made for Brigid. Someone would then call out three times: "''{{lang|gd|a Bhríd, a Bhríd, thig a stigh as gabh do leabaidh}}''" ("{{lang|gd|Bríd Bríd}}, come in; thy bed is ready").<ref name=stations/> A corn dolly called the ''dealbh Bríde'' (icon of Brigid) would be laid in the bed and a white wand, usually made of birch, would be laid beside it.<ref name=stations/> It represented the wand that Brigid was said to use to make the vegetation start growing again.<ref>Carmichael, ''Carmina Gadelica'', p. 582</ref> Women in some parts of the Hebrides would also dance while holding a large cloth and calling out "''{{lang|gd|Bridean, Bridean, thig an nall 's dean do leabaidh}}''" ("{{lang|gd|Bríd, Bríd}}, come over and make your bed").<ref name=stations/>

In the Outer Hebrides, ashes from the fire would be raked smooth, and, in the morning, people would look for some mark on the ashes as a sign that Brigid had visited.<ref name="stations" /><ref name="monaghan256">Monaghan, Patricia. ''The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore''. Infobase Publishing, 2004. p. 256.</ref> If there was no mark, they believed bad fortune would come unless they [[Animal sacrifice|buried a cockerel]] at the meeting of three streams as an offering and burned incense on their fire that night.<ref name=stations/>