Yule is one of the four minor Sabbats; it celebrates the rebirth of the Sun and the Sun God and honors the Horned God. It is celebrated between December 20 and 22; the exact date varies from year to year depending on when the Sun reaches the southern most point in its yearly cycle. The longest night of the year falls on Yule; it is when we celebrate the coming light and thank the Gods for seeing us through the darkness. It is a time to look on the past year's achievements and to celebrate with family and friends.
This day is the official first day of winter. The Goddess gives birth to the Sun Child and hope for new light is born. Yule is also known as the Winter Solstice, Alban Arthan, Finn's Day, Festival of Sol, Yuletide, Great Day of the Cauldron, and Festival of Growth. The origins of most of the Christian Christmas traditions are in the Pagan Yule celebration, such as the Christmas tree, the colors red and green and gift-giving.
Whether you're designing a pagan or Wiccan ritual, want to incorporate some truly traditional elements into your holiday celebrations, or are just curious, the following are natural elements associated with Yule for many years.
Symbols used to represent Yule are evergreen trees, yule logs, holly, eight-spoked wheels, wreaths, and spinning wheels.
Traditional foods for the Yule feast are roasted turkey, caraway rolls, mulled wine, dried fruit, egg nog, pork, beans, and gingerbread people.
The plants and herbs associated with Yule are holly, mistletoe, evergreens, poinsettia, tropical flowers, bay, pine, ginger, myrrh, valerian.
For Yule incense and oil, you can use any of the following scents, either blended together or alone: rosemary, myrrh, nutmeg, saffron, cedar/pine, wintergreen, ginger, bayberry.
Colors associated with Yule are red, green, white, gold.
Stones associated with Yule are bloodstone, ruby, garnet, cat's eye.
Animals and mythical beasts associated with Yule are stags, squirrels, wrens/robins, phoenix, trolls, memecolion.
Appropriate Yule Goddesses are all Spinning Goddesses. Some Yule Goddesses are: Angerona (Roman), Eve (Hebraic), Pandora (Greek), Zvezda (Slavic), Metzli (Aztec), Yachimato-Hime (Japanese), Tiamat (Babylonian), NuKua (Chinese).
Appropriate Yule Gods are all Re-Born Sun Gods. Some Yule Gods are: Apollo (Greco-Roman), Balder (Norse), Oak/Holly King (Anglo-Celtic), Ra (Egyptian), Saturn (Roma), Jesus (Christian-Gnostic), Helios (Greek), Ukko (Finnish-Yugoritic).
Altar decorations may include mistletoe, holly, a small Yule log, strings of colored lights, Yule/Christmas cards, a candle in the shape of Kris Kringle, a homemade wreath, presents wrapped in colorful paper.
Traditional activities during Yule are decorating the Yule tree, exchanging gifts, storytelling, making wreaths, throwing holiday parties, sending greetings.
Taboos on Yule are extinguishing fire and traveling.
Spell work can be for divination, a healthier planet, peace, joy.
Submitted by Winterwren
The Yule Log
by Raven Grimassi
copyright 2002
December is marked by the Winter
Solstice, a sacred season
venerated in the religion of Wicca
and in Witchcraft. One time-
honored tradition that is still
observed today is the celebration
associated with the Yule log.
Traditionally, the Yule log is a
sacred oak or evergreen pine log
used to call for the return of the
Sun's warmth and light on Winter
Solstice. The tradition itself may
have evolved from the ancient ritual
known as Yuletide, a Pagan festival of fire that was once celebrated throughout Europe on Winter Solstice. This is evidenced by the many quaint superstitions attached to the Yule log that have no apparent connection to Christianity.
With the rise of Christianity, the log was renamed the Christmas Yule log. In the fourth century, Pope Julias 1 designated the Christmas celebration to fall around Winter Solstice, and the Yule log tradition continued, but the fire came to represent the light of Jesus Christ instead of the light of the Sun. Some commentators believe that due to the inclement weather of the season, the Yule log ceremony was eventually moved indoors instead of being held in the open air.
Tradition called for the burning of the Yule log, on the eve of Winter Solstice to usher in the power of the Sun. The ashes were saved and dispersed over the plowed fields in spring. As part of the Yule tradition, a piece of the log was saved and used to start the fire for the next year's log. Dried holly was placed under the log to help kindle the new fire, and people gathered around the fire would toss in a sprig of holly, which symbolized the troubles of the past year. These acts removed the old connections and purified the coming year.
In modern times, instead of burning the Yule log, the log is often drilled to fit one or more candles that are lighted for ritual use. The lights of the candles symbolize the waxing force of nature.
Placing three candles on the Yule log symbolizes the principle of manifestation. Lighting the Yule candles and reciting a chant can serve as a simple spell for prosperity and abundance. For increased symbolism, place a green candle in the holes at each end of the log, and a red candle in the center. Fourteen days prior to Winter Solstice, light one green candle for a few minutes each day. Seven days later, also light a the second green candle. Light the red candle on the morning of Winter Solstice and allow all three to burn down together.
For Witches, the light of the Yule log represents the Child of Promise, a mythical figure linked to the rebirth of the Sun. The principle of the Child of Promise enters into both ritual and magic. On one level the Child of Promise is the assurance of the coming year and the renewal associated with new beginnings. On another level, the Child of Promise is the manifestation of one's wishes and desires. But at the core essence lies the ancient spirit of the plant kingdom.
Tree worship appears to be among the earliest formal religious acts performed by humans. Elements of tree worship include the Green Man, spirits known as dryads, and various deities connected to the oak and other sacred trees. Eventually, the spirits and deities of the forest and woodlands of our hunter-gatherer ancestors were venerated in the seasonal crops by agrarian society. Some examples of this are John Barley Corn, the Corn Mother, and the Harvest Lord.
In northern Europe, figures known as the Holly King and the Oak King arose as personifications of the forces of nature and the spirits of the plant kingdom. The Oak King, whose reign begins on the Winter Solstice, represents the waxing forces of nature. This is accomplished by defeating his brother, the Holly King, in ritual combat. The Holly King symbolizes the waning forces of nature. On Summer Solstice the Holly King defeats the Oak King, and he reigns until Winter Solstice.
The evergreen plants associated with Yule season are symbols of the Child of Promise, the future Green Man, and the Sun god. The Yule wreath symbolizes the unbroken wheel of the year, the promise of life's endless cycle. The holly bough and its red berries speak of the vitality and tenacity of life. Mistletoe, as a symbol of freedom and liberation, announces the end of the waning darkness and the return of the waxing powers of light. The pine cone, as the seed bearer, perhaps best symbolizes the Child of Promise in its potential form.
Submitted by Hazel Eye Gazer
