The Pagan holiday calendar for 2022 is filled with various celebrations and rituals that hold deep significance in Pagan traditions. These holidays are based on the natural cycles of the Earth, honoring the changing seasons and the connection between humans and nature. The year begins with Imbolc, which is observed on February 1st or 2nd, marking the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is a time to honor the growing light and the awakening of the Earth after the long winter months. Next comes Ostara, celebrated on March 20th or 21st, which coincides with the vernal equinox. This holiday signifies the official start of spring and symbolizes balance and fertility.
This holiday signifies the official start of spring and symbolizes balance and fertility. It is a time to welcome the return of longer days and the blossoming of new life in nature. Following Ostara is Beltane, observed on May 1st, which celebrates the height of spring and the beginning of summer.
The Genii Forum
Several decades ago, around the very early 1980s or late 1970s, I invented what has become known as, “The Little Hand.” It’s been made famous in recent years by Michael Ammar, who has an exclusive written license from me to sell it as a standalone magic trick. The only other licensee, is the Hanky Panky Toy Company—they have an exclusive license to include the trick in magic sets.
I kept the trick to myself, but around 1984, I was in Tannen’s magic shop and I showed the trick to some magicians there. I returned to Toronto, and within a month, the trick was everywhere. It spread like a virus. A version ended up in the 1984 book, The New York Magic Symposium Collection Three (see “Hands Off,” p. 40).
At the time, I found this amusing, but as long as people were just going out and buying little dolls hands for 50 cents, I didn’t see any problem, but shortly thereafter some guy in Las Vegas began advertising the trick as his and selling little hands for $5 (see Genii, Vol. 48, #12, p.912). He even printed a copyright notice.
I sent this entrepreneur a letter and like most black sheep who get caught ripping something off, he was most indignant and accused me of being too aggressive or as he put it, I was guilty of “unnecessary roughness.”
Then to add insult to injury he claimed some guy at a toy company had invented the trick.
His ads disappeared and maybe he did too.
Time passed and along came Michael Ammar who asked me if he could include the trick in his lecture. He had seen it in Magic For Dummies, credited to me (and it’s also in The Idiot’s Guide To Magic, also credited to me and in the September 1992, Genii, also credited to me).
I’ve known Michael for a long time, so I agreed and we entered into an exclusive agreement as noted above. He also decided to go to a great deal of expense to manufacture specially designed little hands.
Michael is the single person who has made this trick popular and he deserves all the credit and the money if it’s to be sold as a commercial item.
A friend of mine was at the last Blackpool convention and he tells me there’s a guy selling the little hand. It’s this guy, Dave Bonsall:
Note that my name appears nowhere, it’s now “Dave Bonsall’s Tiny Hand Prop.”
Dave says he’s just selling the prop, he’s not selling the instructions.
Of course, without my idea, Dave’s prop has no value. He does want about $40 for the little hand and nobody would pay that unless they would be doing my trick.
Common courtesy would dictate that if Dave wanted to sell a prop for my trick, he would contact me and ask my permission. He didn’t do that—like the miscreant in Las Vegas, he just decided he could make a few bucks from someone else’s idea (mine) and he could maximize that return by not telling anyone (i.e., me).
So I sent Dave a notice explaining that if he wanted to profit from my trick, he had to talk to me. Like the Las Vegas knave before him, his replies accused me of being too aggressive and paraphrased the Vegas varlet’s claim of “unnecessary roughness.”
In my other life as an intellectual property lawyer, one of the things I do is go after bootleggers and counterfeiters of merchandise. When caught, they always exhibit the same reaction: “Jeez! I didn’t know! You’re being too aggressive! I was just making a few bucks!”
At this point, a friend of mine aware of the situation, offered to mediate. He came up with a great proposal. I would receive credit on the site for inventing the trick. For each sale of the prop, £1 per unit would be donated to this children’s charity in Dave’s hometown:
The credit would appear on the site along the lines of:
“Bob Farmer is the creator of the little hand trick, which in recent years has been popularized by Michael Ammar.”
There would be no sale of the instructions, just the prop.
I also suggested that I could put him in touch with Michael Ammar about doing a deal to sell the instructions. This was not a requirement, just a suggestion.
Well, guess what: the children at the charity are going to have to get donations elsewhere because Dave refused to agree to any of this.
He claims he’s just selling a prop. On his site he shows how to attach the little hand to your finger. Gee, where’d he get that idea? My name appears nowhere.
There are legal remedies available to me, but what’s the point? They are expensive and time consuming. I prefer something I call creative revenge. This is where you do something positive but at the same time show the benighted rogue for what he really is.
So here’s what I suggest you do if this makes you as angry as it makes me: donate a few bucks to the charity, that’s what I’m doing. That way something good will come out of this pathetic rip-off.
At the time, I found this amusing, but as long as people were just going out and buying little dolls hands for 50 cents, I didn’t see any problem, but shortly thereafter some guy in Las Vegas began advertising the trick as his and selling little hands for $5 (see Genii, Vol. 48, #12, p.912). He even printed a copyright notice.
It is a time of joy and fertility, often marked by bonfires, dances, and rituals to honor growth and abundance. Litha, also known as Midsummer or the summer solstice, takes place on June 20th or 21st. It is the longest day of the year, emphasizing the power of the sun and the bounty of nature. Pagans celebrate this holiday by lighting fires, singing, and dancing to honor the energy and vitality of the sun. Lammas, occurring on August 1st, is a harvest festival that represents the first fruits of the Earth. It is a time to give thanks for the abundance and reflect on the sacrifices made in order to cultivate and grow our own lives. Mabon, also called the autumn equinox, falls on September 22nd or 23rd. This holiday marks the second harvest and symbolizes reflection, balance, and gratitude. Pagans use this time to honor the changing seasons and express gratitude for the blessings in their lives. Finally, the year ends with Samhain on October 31st, which is often associated with Halloween. It is a time when the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds is thinnest, allowing for communication with ancestors and departed souls. Samhain is a time of introspection, remembrance, and honoring the cycles of life and death. These Pagan holidays offer an opportunity for individuals to reconnect with nature, celebrate the changing seasons, and honor the cyclical nature of life. Each holiday carries its own unique rituals, traditions, and symbols, allowing practitioners to deepen their spiritual connection with the Earth and honor ancient Pagan traditions..
Reviews for "The Wheel of the Year: A Guide to Pagan Holidays in the 2022 Calendar"
1. Emily - 2 stars - As someone who enjoys traditional holiday calendars, I was really disappointed with the "Pagan holiday calendar 2022". While I appreciate the effort to include pagan holidays and celebrations, the overall design and execution of the calendar fell flat for me. The layout felt cluttered and disorganized, making it difficult to find specific dates or events. Additionally, I found the information provided for each holiday to be lacking and sometimes inaccurate. Overall, I felt that this calendar missed the mark in terms of usability and accuracy.
2. John - 1 star - I had high hopes for the "Pagan holiday calendar 2022", but unfortunately, it was a complete letdown. Firstly, the size of the calendar was much smaller than I expected, making it difficult to read the dates and details. Secondly, the printing quality was subpar, with fuzzy images and poorly aligned text. Lastly, the selection of pagan holidays included in the calendar was limited and seemed to be missing some important dates. Overall, I was highly disappointed with the quality and content of this calendar, and I would not recommend it to others.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I bought the "Pagan holiday calendar 2022" hoping to learn more about pagan celebrations and traditions, but I was left feeling underwhelmed. The information provided for each holiday was brief and lacking in depth, leaving me with more questions than answers. Additionally, the artwork featured in the calendar was not to my personal taste, and I found it distracting rather than visually appealing. Overall, I was disappointed with the lack of detailed information and the overall aesthetic of this calendar.