This can be a great way to honor your deities and your Pagan community, as well as help others recognize what an important occasion it is. The Twelve Days of Yule in Modern Practice While we do not have clear historical evidence pointing to how each day of Yule was celebrated, that hasnt stopped modern practitioners of the Northern Tradition from creating their own customs and practices. Similar to the energy that we experience during Christmas, the Winter Solstice reminds us that peace comes from darkness and stillness. [48] The tractate De solstitia et aequinoctia conceptionis et nativitatis Domini nostri Iesu Christi et Iohannis Baptistae falsely attributed to John Chrysostom also argued that Jesus was conceived and crucified on the same day of the year and calculated this as 25 March. Similarly, some Wiccans project a parallel ever-shifting nature onto the masculine deity. Winter Solstice rituals almost always center around fire, so this is one element Imake sure to incorporate into my festivities. Remember, you can adjust the wording in this ritual as necessary, to accommodate the needs and requirements of your groups purpose. You dont have to be a musician. Yule is a time to reflect on the past year and to look forward to the new year ahead. Scrub toilets, wipe down countertops, and spray out your bathtub. If you haven't worn it, used it, played with it, listened to it or eaten it in the past year, pitch it. Some people believe that the Yule log must smolder for twelve days and nights to bring happiness and abundance into the following twelve months. December 21 is for self reflection and rebirth. Today Yule is still an important holiday. Yule is a time to celebrate the winter solstice and the return of the sun. If your windows have mini-blinds, dust them and wipe them down. Haakon became Christian after a visit to England, and after his return to Norway he put into law that Yule should be celebrated at the same time as Christmas. The Philocalian calendar of AD 354 gives a festival of "Natalis Invicti" on 25 December. Yule traditions came later; Yule is technically a twelve-day feast, beginning on the Winter Solstice, which centers around the worship of each traditions major deities. For Wiccans, Yule is the second sabbat of the Wheel of the Year, marked with rituals to welcome the return of the Sun. There are many traditions that are associated with Yule. As Christianity began to spread in the 4th century, the Christmas feast day was set on December 25 by Pope Julius I to align with the Roman pagan holidayDies natalis solis invicti, the birthday of the invincible Sun. The rest ishistory. TEA & ROSEMARY LLC, Check out my favorite money jar spell here, Crow Symbolism: Spiritual Meaning Of The Crow, 6 Effective Studying Spells For Exams, Class, & Enhanced Focus. The Winter Solstice was celebrated as early as the Stone Age, when Newgrange in Ireland and Maeshowe in Scotland were constructed. The person standing at the north should take their bowl of earth or stones, and begin walking around the outside of the circle. Yule, the winter solstice, is a time of great symbolism and power. If you feel like youre holding onto something or someone that no longer serves you, consider a cord cutting spell or other type of dissolution spell. If you choose to open gifts one at a time, you can either do it on the second day of yule or save it for christmas day. I do believe that there is some truth to the hunt. Candles can also be a good source of fire for Winter Solstice rituals. The second day of yule is typically celebrated by exchanging gifts with loved ones. Learn Religions. The altar should be in the center of the room and should be facing the east. I recommend baking with apples or cloves. If you can't stand the smell of vinegar, toss some lemon verbena or lemon balm in the mixture. Want to learn more about familiars, spells, dreams, tarot, crystals, herbs, and much more?Become a student of Wicca Academy today! You could also have a potluck dinner and ask everyone to bring a dish to share. Or maybe its time for a local harvest celebration, and youd like to contribute something to celebrate the season of abundance. Each culture may associate a different color with Yule, depending on their own traditions and customs. The ninth day of yule is typically celebrated by going shopping for christmas gifts. Ultimately, there is no one answer to this question. Newspapers? The twelfth day of yule is typically celebrated by eating christmas dinner. Earth Mother is calling her children home. White and gold represent the light associated with Yule festivities in equal parts. If you're really into ceremony and symbolism, have the Maiden wear a white robe and stand in the east. If you want to join the carolers, ask someone whos been to the local Yuletide festival which songs they usually sing. Then get into the habit of only keeping the last two issues of each. We do so with no expectation of reward or celebration, but simply because it needs to be done. The ashes of Yule logs were said to be very good for plants. 2021 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Yule is a time to celebrate the hope of returning light and life. Wood ashes do indeed have beneficial uses in the garden! The Yule log is another one of those pagan customs that have inexplicably found their way into Christian traditions. Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. Another common tradition is to exchange gifts. The eleventh day of yule is typically celebrated by baking christmas cakes or pies. Other possible explanations include the fact that many Christmas traditions originated in Ireland and Scotland. Its known as a kissing plant, but its great for protection as well! Without even doing anything beyond what you would probably normally do, you can make each of the twelve days a holiday for your kids. The candles are also important. Amen.". The winter holidays, Samhain and Yuletide, are perhaps the most important Wiccan festivals on that cycle, though the rest of them are meaningful in other ways. The 12 days of Yule are celebrated from December 21 to January 1. If you normally cast a circle, do so now. In essence, it is the symbolic end of the cold and dark winter and the return of light. Its also a good time to whip up warding for the coming winter. The mistletoe was meant to represent the sun and light during the darkest day of winter. Yule is an important holiday celebrated by many people around the world. The Roman feast of Sol Invictus. Since you shouldnt disturb living plants, try to only gather pine cones and evergreen twigs you find on the ground. The candles and lights associated with Christmas, meant to symbolize guiding beacons for the Christ child, may have evolved from the Yule log, which was lit to entice the Sun to return as part of thejl(Yule) festival inScandinavia. Thank you for everything you all do in honor of those of us who are Pagan and celebrate Yule. 11 Ways to Reuse or Recycle a Christmas Tree. Red is also the manifestation of prosperity, which is also the reason Wiccans decorate their homes with red ribbons. Whether you celebrate Yule as a pagan or a Christian, it is a time of year when families and friends come together to celebrate the joys of winter. Firefox doesnt know how to open this address, because one of the following protocols (applewebdata) isnt associated with any program or is not allowed in this context. Perhaps someone in this group will benefit from what others have contributed. The 12 days of Christmas are also a time for reflection. The idea that Christians chose to celebrate the birth of Jesus on 25 December because this was the date of an already existing festival of the Sol Invictus was expressed in an annotation to a manuscript of a work by 12th-century Syrian bishop Jacob Bar-Salibi. They have more meaning when you make the gift yourself or the gift can be used in magickal practice. However, rather than having a cycle of courting, impregnation, and birth, the beliefs surrounding the two kings usually center on their battle for dominance. There are so many different traditional Yule recipes from various cultures. The 12 days of Christmas are the days between Christmas and Epiphany. This color roots the festival in nature and also symbolizes abundance since it is the color of money. Yuletide is the greatest holiday festival of the year. Yule is expected to last for twelve days which represents the twelve months of the year. As the sun returns to the earth, life begins once moreit's a time to bid the Crone farewell, and invite the Maiden back into our lives. The annual festival at Stonehenge is incredibly lively, attracting crowds of Wiccans, Druids, and pagans from all over the place. Although winter is here, life lies dormant beneath the soil. Donations are then presented to local aid groups, food pantries, libraries, and shelters. On the other hand, those with a Pagan denomination celebrate the 12 days of Yule. Yule is a time to celebrate the winter solstice and the return of the sun. The first step is to gather your supplies. If you need more ideas, I like the one from Giggles Galore. It is traditional to give gifts to family and friends during Yule. A wish spell can also work well if cast on the Winter Solstice. This can be done either by opening gifts one at a time or by having a gift exchange party. The 12 days of Yule may have been based on the 12 days of Christmas. Before you drop them off, why notinvoke the elementsto do a formal blessing of the donated items? You'd be amazed what a good window washing can do for your house, to say nothing of the way you feel. However, the idea of bringing evergreen twigs and trees into the home obviously didnt stop with the Norsemen. Later, each town would host a public banquet and sacrifice animals in the name of the feast, which lasted formany days and was one of the biggest festivals of the year. In many modern Pagan communities, an emphasis is placed on the idea of helping those in need. It is a time for giving thanks I recommend casting a defensive protection spell during the Winter Solstice rather than an offensive spell. So basically, all these colors invite good luck into the upcoming year. Because Yule is a time to reflect, you can definitely do spells about your past, but its also a time to set your intentions for the coming year, meaning that this is a great time to do any spell that willstart something new. However, today many people celebrate both Yule and Christmas in conjunction. April 12, 2023 at 7:00 a.m. EDT. Go ahead and cast those celebratory spells! If it's warm enough outside, take them outdoors and spray them with your garden hose. Whatever your reason may be, if youre gathering up some sort of donations, good for you! So in addition to filling your stomach, these foods should also invite good luck and abundance. This can include a christmas tree, ornaments, lights, and other festive decorations. Even if youre new to the world of Yule traditions, youre sure to recognize some of them! The Crone removes her veil and hands it to the Mother, who places it on the Maiden's head. You can wish for just about anything and use you energy (and your spells ingredients) to set your wish in motion. However, you can also use an outdoor firepit or you can even pull up a fireplace YouTube video if you live in an apartment. Mardi Gras 2023 (Fat Tuesday): Why Do We Celebrate Mardi Gras? Any sort of reflection spell feels good around the Winter Solstice. The Fae can be a bit more provocative and aggressive than humans, so its hard for us to understand what a celebration looks like. Thank you for the wisdom of your years,and for seeing the season through to its end.You have stepped aside that the new season may begin,and for this we give you honor. I like to bless my ornaments with good energy. Practitioners celebrate both the longest night of the year and the return of the sun and the lengthening of the days to come. I love doing money spells during the Winter Solstice. For pagans, Yule is a time to celebrate the god of the sun, while for Christians, it is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. They can be used in fireplaces or as decor. The Saga of Hakon the Good also speaks that the Yule was to be kept holy. Some modern celebrations of Yule attempt to re-create ancient traditions, while others have been adapted or reimagined to suit contemporary personal and religious practices. So lets talk about Yuletide! Whatever you decide to do, make sure to enjoy spending time with loved ones and celebrate the joys of the holiday season. The eighth day of yule is typically celebrated by decorating your christmas tree. Traditionally, green has been the color most commonly associated with Yule. The word Yule comes fromOld Englishgeol, which shares a history with the equivalent word from Old Norse, jl. If youre just looking for easy ways to celebrate Yule and the Winter Solstice, scroll down a few sections. Bells are commonly used as decoration to ward off negative energy. According to that way of thinking, a tree is at the very core of the universe. Download some shadow work prompts and dig deep into who you became during the last year, then cleanse yourself thoroughly. [44][46] A passage of the Commentary on the prophet Daniel by Hippolytus of Rome, written in about 204, has also been appealed to. At the same time, the Triple Goddess restarts her own cycle, this time in her maiden form. Of the other women present, one represents the aspect of the Maiden, another the Mother, and a third the Crone. Many people also celebrate Yule by attending parties or by gathering with family and friends. Its a day to pull out preferred divination sets and use them for the coming year. Since Yule is the festival of birth the birth of light and the Horned God thats what the red symbolizes. Ask a participant at each directional point to hold the item. Thewinter solstice is a time of reflection, during the darkest and longest night of the year. We pray that you will bless us during the coming year and bring us happiness and prosperity. Light a log on one end and let it burn; feast until the log burns itself out. I was told that birch is endangered. Use your pendulum, scry, or do a Winter Solstice tarot spread. The Mother can wear a red robe and stand to the south, while the Crone dresses in a black robe and veil, and takes her place to the west of the altar. Yule isnt a great time for aggressive action, but it works well for self-care, which protection spells fall under. Smudge your home with one of the following: To do a smudging, start at your front door with your incense or smudge stick in a censer or bowl. St. Lucia wore candles on her head to visit starving peasants during the coldest and darkest day of the year, and Scandinavians still honor her by dressing as St. Lucia and lighting candles around the home. 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