Seater’s Day
Sattrdagr (Old Norse)
Laugardagr (Old Norse)
Saturday
“Seater’s Day” is usually attributed to Roman Mythology and the God, Saturnus. His name in German is Seater. Seater was honored representing a time when no one was a slave, a subordinate or a superior. He also represented a time when age, wisdom, and maturity were respected.
Seater’s wife was much younger than him. To keep her happy and entertained, he threw many parties and dinners. Seater also enjoyed wine, an import from the Roman empire. Grapes were being introduced to northern climates and had begun to grow well. The Northerners now had two choices of beverages to choose from in addition to Mead which made from honey and a hops grain made into ale. Introduced was a sweet wine made from grapes. Seater is not mentioned in any of the Eddas and was never worshipped as a Norse God.
Although an etymological dictionary (like Skeat) will point out that Saturday comes from Saeterdag, Saternes dag or Saturn’s day, the origin is considerably different than the above. Another view is that Saturday comes from Old Norse “sattr dagr.” Satt means settlement, covenant, agreement, and sattr means reconciled, at peace. So “Sattrdagr” would mean day of rest, day of peace, and a day of reconciliation. This then could be a post-Christian interpolation meaning Sabbath day! This meaning actually makes more sense to me because the calendar today is different. We are on Solar time instead of Lunar/Solar time as our ancestors were. A moon cycle is usually about 28+ days from New Moon to Full Moon. Half of 28 days is 14 days (a fortnight) and half of that is 7 days (a week).
This day was known as “Laugardagr” in Old Norse and means “bathing or wash day!”
Saturday is a day of gifts, relationships, and the interactions of individuals wanting to break free from the drudges of the week day! A good Rune to use on this day, the “X” Rune, Gifu (OE) , Gipt (ON) or Gebo (G). Use this Rune remembering that what you take, you must give back as a gift. A kiss is a gift that must be returned! Happy Saturday!
Saturday used be the universal payday. Payday is a gift that was well earned. Few get paid on Saturdays now because the week as well as the work day is shorter and with computerized pay systems it’s just as easy to pay different times of the week rather than pay everyone on the same day as was the custom before computers.
MORE TRIVIA ABOUT SEATER’S DAY:
“Saturn gave his name to Saturday, the sabbath of the week’s end, before the coming of the new sun on Sun-day (Latin dies solis).” “Saturn,” The Woman’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, Barbara G. Walker, Harper Collins, San Francisco, 1983, p 895.
“The seven-day week comes our way from holy books, but the days themselves bear almost uniformly what are called pagan names derived from Old Scandinavian languages: Sunday, after the sun; Monday, after the moon; Tuesday, for the god Tiw (also known as Mars); Wednesday, for the God Woden; Thursday for the god Thor; Friday, for the goddess Freya; and Saturday for the god Saturn.” Off the Clock, A Lexicon of Time Words and Expressions, by Kimberly Olson Fakih, Ticknor & Fields, NY, 1995, p 103-104.
“Saturday is dedicated to Saetere or Seater, equivalent to the god Saturn, and is a day also associated with the Norns, the Three Fates, and the trickster-god Loki.” Practical Magic in the Northern Tradition, by Nigel Pinnick, The Aquarian Press, Hammersmith, London, 1989, p 26.
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