Yule

Yule, or the Winter Solstice, is a Sabbat (i.e. Pagan/Wiccan Solar festival) usually celebrated on or about December 21st in the northern hemisphere, and on or about June 21st in the southern hemisphere. It honors the longest night of the year, and, concurrently the return of the Sun’s strength & light to the earth. For our ancestors, Spring would not arrive for many weeks. Yet they celebrated, daring to feast on a bit of the precious food stuffs set aside to get them through the Winter, and were confident that the Earth would eventually turn green with the return of Spring. There are many ways in which Pagans and Wiccans celebrate this joyous return of the light, and a few of them are described here.

Yule lights & tree: Many folks decorate their homes with lights and a beautiful Yule tree. Evergreens are symbols of the survival of life, a means of connection with the Spirit of Growth and Fertility, which has been threatened by the absence of Light. In the past, the tree would be decorated with candles, dried fruits, cinnamon sticks, holly, hand-made ornaments and perhaps a five-point star on top. Today, the tree can be decorated with the same things or more modern electric lights and ornaments. And so, the tree is traditionally evergreen in acknowledgment of the hope that life will continue even as the earth is cold and barren with the beginning of winter.

The Yule Log: The log can be either oak or pine, decorated with symbols of the Sun, and corn, bread crumbs or coins can be scattered on it as a way of ensuring prosperity for the coming year. The log is burned during the celebration, and a small portion of it can be saved to light next year’s log. If one is short of a wood stove or hearth, a Yule Log Cake can be made, and there are many recipes available for a Yule Cake.

Wassail: This is a traditional drink made with cider and spices. The name is thought to come from the traditional Anglo-Saxon toast “Waes Hael” which can be translated to “Be Well” or “Be Healthy”. Traditionally, carolers went from door to door, singing and bearing their "Wassail Cups", and were often rewarded with wassail and sweets.

Wreaths: Typically made of holly, ivy or evergreen boughs, the wreath symbolizes and honors the fact that another wheel of the year has been completed. Both holly and ivy are considered a sacred symbol and promise of the return of the “life force” since they produce berries in the winter when all else is seemingly lifeless.

Mistletoe: There is much folklore surrounding this plant! It was held sacred by the ancient Celts and Norsemen for its healing and protective properties. The Celts used very specific ritual to gather the plant, it was blessed and then distributed to the people to use as protection from evil spirits. Legend has it that ancient warring Norsemen would lay down arms and maintain a truce until the next day, if they, perchance, met under the mistletoe! This is said to have led to the custom of “kissing under the mistletoe”.

These are just a few of the traditions that Pagans and Wiccans utilize to celebrate this most wonderful & magickal of Sabbats! This Sabbat is also very much a part of every Pagan or Wiccan person’s spiritual journey through life as symbolized by the ever-turning Wheel of the Year. This Sabbat is the spoke of that wheel where the Oak King (representing the light half of the year) overpowers the Holly King (representing the dark half of the year), thus ensuring the gradual increase of light and warmth to the Earth. In many cultures, this is also the Sabbat at which the Goddess symbolically gives birth to the Sun knowing he will grow stronger each successive day. It is also an appropriate time of year for self-examination and meditation on our spiritual connection with Nature, each other, and the Universe. And so Yule celebrates Nature's cycle of renewal, and affirms our connections to the energy and power of the Earth and the Cosmos.

This article was written by Blue Fire Circle, member of the Chamisa Local Council Covenant of the Goddess.
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