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Yule
by: Amber S.
Yule/Winter Solstice
December 21 or Winter Solstice. Alban Arthuan. Festival of
lights.
The first day of winter and the longest day of the year.
This day is celebrated as the death and birth of the Sun God - the Divine
Child. The full moon after Yule is considered the most powerful of the whole
year. Yule is the celebration of the death of the Holly king and the rebirth and
renewed reign of the Oak king.
We celebrate Yule nearly exactly as you would Christmas. When the
pagans of old were taken over by Christian rule, the Christians found it
impossible to convert the pagans. They eventually allowed the pagan peoples to
keep their holidays as long as they did them in the name of their Lord, Jesus
Christ. This is why Christians celebrate the birth of their lord on this night,
even though (even stated in the bible for those bible thumpers out there) Christ
was born in the spring with the lambs. The Yule log, made of oak, is burned as
sacrifice of the old dead Holly king. This day is a light festival, with as many lights on the tree
and altar as possible to celebrate the coming of the new child. Mistletoe is
hung because in the ancient days couples would play out their trial marriages on
this day. ceremonies were held beneath Oak trees strung with garlands of
mistletoe.
Yule is known to Pagans as the "Time of
Great Darkness." The nights grow long and the days grow short and the Sun before
Yule seems to wither and die. Yule marks the coldest, darkest and harshest part
of the year. Yule is always celebrated on the Winter Solstice. The Christian
holiday Christmas was adapted from the ancient pagan tradition of celebrating
the coming of the newborn Sun/Son to light the world. In the Pagan traditions he
is born unto the Mother Goddess and in the Christian religions he is born to the
Mother Mary.
"The first written record for this
holiday's occurrence on December 25th was in 354 AD in Rome when one scholar
wrote: 'It was customary for Pagans to celebrate the birth of the Sun...when the
doctors of the church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this
festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be
solemnized on that day.'" (From "You Call it Christmas, We Call it Yule" by Peg
Aloi - Witches' Voice writer)
Pagans celebrate Yule by blessing their
crop plants and animals. A common Yule practice is Wassailing. Apples from the
fall harvest are made into a cider known as wassail. To ensure the fertility of
their apple trees for the coming years, bits of cider-soaked bread were placed
in the branches of the trees and libations of cider were poured over their
roots. Later in history, guns were fired up through the branches to ward off
evil spirits. In the same way, cider was often poured on livestock to ensure
their fertility and good health for the next year.
Kissing under the mistletoe also stems from ancient Celtic
traditions. The Winter Solstice was a time for marriage ceremonies. There was
feasting and games and couples who wished to marry would come together at this
time. Mistletoe was considered a very sacred plant and was thought to grow
between the worlds symbolically because it grew on trees and not out of the
ground. It was considered especially lucky when mistletoe grew on oaks because
oaks have antibiotic properties which prevent fungi from growing on them.
Mistletoe on oak was a symbol of harmony in unity and became an important symbol
for marriage. Garlands of mistletoe were strung between trees and couples would
dance or pass under the boughs and kiss, thus sealing their marriage for 1 year
and 1 day. After this time if they no longer wished to be married, they could go
their separate ways. This began the modern tradition of kissing under the
mistletoe.
Holly is used in Yule decorations to symbolize the Holly King
who dies at Yule to make way for the Oak King. The Yule log stems from this
tradition. Some say that the log should be oak, some say ash and others say
holly. Burning the Yule log symbolizes the sacrificial death of the Holly King
and the reign of the Oak King over the second half of the year. The Yule log is
decorated with paper decorations and plants such as holly, mistletoe, and
evergreen sprigs. Red ribbons and tinsel are tied to the top of the log
before it is burned in the fire. The Yule log must be lit on the first try and
must remain burning for 12 hours for good luck. a piece of the log is saved to
use to light the next year's fire.
There are many ideas on where Christmas trees originally came
from. Some say that the practice originated in ancient Egypt. Others say that it
stems from ancient tree-worshiping practices. Today many Pagans refuse to cut
down trees and use fake trees instead. Those who still cut down trees every year
say that you must cut your own instead of buying one and afterward, the tree
should be burned.
During this night, the longest night of the year, Pagans
light as many candles as can be found both to symbolically wait out the death of
the Lord and to celebrate the coming of new light. At no other time of the year
is light more sacred. Many believe that it is taboo to extinguish any flame or
to travel at Yuletide.
Feasting has always been a Yule tradition. These meals
celebrate the harvest that was gathered in the autumn and to celebrate the
passing of winter. It is the time when the days begin to grow longer as the Lord
grows stronger and climbs further and further up the sky. Tables, altars, and
Yule trees are covered in lights and candles. As many lights as possible lie
strewn about in anticipation of the birth of the new child Sun King from the
womb of the Mother.
Wiccan Yule Carols
Songs of Yuletide Joy for Pagans
Yule Children's Crafts
How to Make Recycled Yule Decorations
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