Winter solstice festivals in viking age scandinavia as well as before were marked by many. Yule is the name of the old winter solstice festivals in scandinavia and other parts of northern europe, such as germany. Image via here are some popular ways in which the pagan holiday of yule is still celebrated today. A yule ritual for the winter solstice winter solstice. See more ideas about winter solstice, winter solstice traditions and pagan yule. Winter solstice and yule musings of a scottish hearth druid. One of the best parts about celebrating the winter solstice is knowing that each day after it, the sun climbs just a little bit higher and stays in the sky just a little bit longer. Yule marks the moment in the year when the suns steady decline, with days growing shorter and shorter, comes to a halt, and the days begin to become. Holly and mistletoe have remained symbols of christmas as has the yule log and the yule boar or christmas ham as its now known. For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, when the sun is at its lowest daily. Yule symbols such as poinsettias, pine cones, and even a decorated yule log nearby if too big for altar adds to the ambiance. Welcome the winter solstice with this special yule ritual for wiccan and pagan celebrations. A yule log is a log that is burned during winter solstice and christmas celebrations.
Singing wassail around the yule log or the christmas tree with a cider made of oranges, apples and holiday spices cinnamon, cloves. Let the yule log burn down to a few chunks of charred wood and ashes. The familiar custom of burning the yule log dates back to earlier solstice celebrations and the tradition of bonfires. Yule log, or small yule log with 3 candles, evergreen boughs or wreaths, holly, mistletoe hung in doorways, gold pillar candles, baskets of clove studded fruit, a simmering pot of wassail, poinsettias, christmas cactus. Its the astronomical moment when the sun reaches the tropic of capricorn, we have our shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere in terms of daylight. The yule loga winter solstice ritual atheopaganism. Yule marks the coldest, darkest, and harshest part of the year. Magick spells free download for book of shadows witchcraft supplies. Most celebrations of the winter solstice in europe involved merriment and feasting. Yule or yuletide is the pagan holiday that takes place on the day of the winter solstice that usually falls on the 21st day of december in the northern hemisphere. This year, the longest night of the year winter solstice, or yule takes place on thursday, december 21st.
The yule log christmas customs and traditions whychristmas. Like wassail, twelfth night, and mistletoe, the holiday tradition of the yule log derives from ancient european customs. See more ideas about winter solstice, winter and yule. In pre16th century northern europe, feasts were a big part of the festivities, particularly because locals had just killed their cattle to. Yule marks the moment in the year when the suns steady decline, with days growing shorter. Yule log ritual for winter solstice magick heron michelle. A keltelven guide for celebrating the winter solstice. Today, yule takes place on the day of winter solstice in the northern hemisphere june 21. Burning a yule log candles traditionally a yule log would be lit on the winter solstice and kept burning for 12 days. Yule, the winter solstice, is a time of great symbolism and power. The yule logs history, from pagan ritual to youtube phenomenon. Winter solstice lore and 7 yule traditions for the modern. The custom of burning the yule log goes back to, and before, medieval times.
It is often celebrated with a yule or juul log placed in the fireplace. The yule log may be prepared early in the season as a centerpiece to your household altar, or perhaps as decoration on the mantel, until winter solstice. Familiar customs and traditions yule log, wassail, and the decorated tree stem from yule, named for a norse merrymaking midwinter festival called jul. Whatever path you follow, theres a big chance that one of your traditions superstitions, rituals, gods or goddesses has a yule connection. Midwinter, book of shadows, printable witchcraft, bos digital download, spell. The rituals associated with the winter solstice relate closely to the traditions of christmas. You can try our super simple paper cup luminaries or these swedish snowball lanterns.
Yule traditions and the magic of the winter solstice. Winter solstice for kids little bins for little hands. The yule log, usually made from a piece of wood saved from the previous year is burned in the fire to symbolize the newborn sunson. My winter solstice yule traditions and missing home. The basic purpose of yule is to mark the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year and the longest night of the year.
The yule period begins with the arra geola moon, which grows full in late november or the first few weeks of december, and the season then continues for two lunar months. For those of you celebrating yule, cardenas said that its imperative to research all of the different ways that the winter solstice is observed around the world and to do work to spiritually. It marks the return of the sun, when the days finally begin to get a little longer. The winter solstice is usually around the 2022 december in the northern hemisphere in the southern hemisphere this would be the summer solstice and it is the centre point of the winter. Rebirth of the sun, the longest night of the year, the winter solstice, introspect, planning for the future. Facts about pagan yule holidays, wicca traditions, ties to christmas. Many celebrations in the northern hemisphere focus on this sacred time in nature, when the promise of light and life returns. Try white paper bags and cut out designs, add a batteryoperated tea light. Yule begins on winter solstice and goes for 12 days.
This was to ensure the return of the sun, that the. Pdf the fires of yule download full pdf book download. Yule or yuletide yule time or yule season is a festival historically observed by the germanic peoples. The winter solstice played a very important role in prechristian cultures throughout europe, especially in scandinavia, where winter makes the days short and the nights very long. How to make a yule log on yule, the sun stops its decline into the south. What christmas traditions are actually winter solstice traditions. When the yule log is blazing, the facilitator urges the group to ponder the upcoming year. Traditional customs, such as the yule log, wassailing, and tree decorating are of norse origin. In prechristian scandinavia, the feast of juul, or yule, lasted for 12 days celebrating the rebirth of the sun and giving rise to the custom of burning a yule log. As it has spread throughout the world, each country has made its own little changes throughout the centuries. Yule is germanic in origin but seems to have made its way west to the englishspeaking lands over the centuries and been absorbed by christian culture. Yule, the winter solstice is the perfect time for rituals and spellwork for new beginnings and rebi. The magical history of yule, the pagan winter solstice celebration. Yule winter solstice history and traditions youtube.
Light your diy pagan yule log and celebrate the winter solstice with a simple yule ritual from the witch at oneandseventys book of shadows. The winter solstice, or yule, is associated with a number of plants for spiritual purposes. Yule log celebrates winter solstice crozet gazette. Yule is an occasion of many celebrations and merrymaking, a time to put yourself in. As a modern pagan or witch, celebrate yule by joining festivals, feasting, singing, dancing, and spending time with loved ones. Here are ten ways to celebrate the winter solstice with your family. My family winter solstice yule traditions jessica jewett. The next winter solstice for the northern hemisphere occurs on saturday, december 21, 2020 at 5. Tomorrow is the winter solstice and yule the first day of winter. Pagan yule samhain pagan witch sea witch yule traditions winter solstice traditions winter solstice quotes family.
Put one together and include it as part of your yule ritual. Yule, the winter solstice yule traditions, winter solstice traditions, winter solstice 2018. Yule is an ancient pagan festival celebrating the rebirth of the sun god and takes place on the winter solstice. Winter solstice celebrations for families and households. What christmas traditions are actually winter solstice. Some celebrate yule only at the winter solstice while others stretch the festivities through january 6th. See more ideas about winter solstice, yule and pagan yule.
Take time selecting your yule log, finding a dry piece of wood that has fallen. If youre a singing family, end with a seasonal song or two. Yule, the winter solstice is the perfect time for rituals and spellwork for new beginnings and rebi yule, the winter solstice is the perfect time for rituals and spell work for new beginnings and rebirth. Free magick spells download for your book of shadows. Yule is many peoples favourite sabbat in the wheel of the year, its a wonderful solstice event that celebrates the changing of the seasons and the calling back of the sun into the world. See more ideas about winter solstice, yule and winter. Yule log enjoying a simple winter solstice tradition. Yule is known to pagans as the time of great darkness.
The yule log is an old winter solstice tradition and often the highlight of solstice night. It is is celebrated by wiccans, pagans and many others this time of year. Fire and winter solstice traditions old world stoneworks. The winter solstice and yule traditions go hippie chic. In this video, i talk about my personal traditions for winter solstice or yule, as well as the things ive enjoyed with pagan community. Winter solstice rituals winter solstice traditions what is winter solstice winter solstice 2018 december solstice happy winter solstice winter magic winter 2017 yule traditions how to celebrate the winter solstice like the ancients herbal academy the winter solstice is an astronomical event that has been celebrated since ancient times. The magical history of yule, the pagan winter solstice. On the night of the winter solstice, an old tradition that we have adapted for atheopagan purposes is the burning of the yule log. The tradition of making luminaries and lanterns for the winter solstice can be very fun for kids to light up the dark day. Following an ancient tradition, save remnants of the fire and use them to. A holiday celebration that began in norway, on the night of the winter solstice it was common to hoist a giant log onto the hearth to celebrate the.
If you decorate your home with a yule tree, holly or candles, you are following some of these old traditions. Everybody gets to throw an acorn or twig into the fire as a symbol of the year ahead. The concept of the yule log makes its presence known in some parts of the world with regional and individual variations. Click on the image above or here to download the pdf. Where there is a feast in ancient time there would often be a fire and there are many variants of yule log traditions, not something we do as much now. This year, the longest night of the yearwinter solstice, or yuletakes place on thursday, december 21st. These pagan winter solstice traditions were part of a bigger celebration called yule, and differed depending on where you lived. Yule christmas hanukkah solstice traditions from around. Grab a few batteryoperated tea lights and mason jars. Cultural appropriation of european culture winter solstice. Scholars have connected the original celebrations of yule to the wild hunt, the god odin, and the pagan anglosaxon modraniht later departing from its pagan roots, yule underwent christianised reformulation, resulting in the term christmastide. Yule is primarily the celebration of the rebirth of the sun. The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year this year it falls on 21st dec. Make a yule log to celebrate winter solstice the yule log is an ancient tradition you can make for your own holiday celebrations.
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