Yule

Yule

(December 21-25)

Also Known as: Winter Solstice, Jul, Midwinter, Saturnalia, Solar New Year, Yuletide and Alban Arthan

Yule was from the Anglo-Saxon "Yula" their word for wheel. This longest night of the year celebrates the return of the Sun and the birthday of the Sun God. This lesser Sabbat usually occurs around the 21st of December, but the actual date and time fluctuate from year to year. By the old Julian calendar, the Winter Solstice was celebrated on December 25th.

Customs

The actual day of Yule, like the other Sabbats, began on the Eve before the day itself. This tradition came from the Celtic view of the day, which was from dusk to dusk. This festival, though, was a twelve day celebration ( where the "Twelve Days of Christmas" came from). This festival was also a fire festival. Fires from huge bonfires to candles were lit everywhere. Christmas lights evolved from this use of candles.

Yule was often the quietest Sabbat. The cold kept many indoors and made Yule a private holiday to be spent at home with family. Greenery was brought in to decorate the house and to symbolize the promise of life on this darkest night.

Since many people had no food during this darkest time of the year, Yule celebrated a huge feast from the remaining of the Summer's bounty. Hunters would bring game animals to be roasted and eaten with large quantities of liquor. From the last grain harvested, the Scandinavians would make a loaf of bread in the shape of a boar. They ate half on Midwinter and kept the other half until Spring, when they ground it and added it to the animal feed as a blessing.

The Celts lit a Yule log, often Oak, for twelve days and nights. They saved the remains to light the next year's Yule log. The log was kept near the hearth and protected the house for the following year. Wishes for the coming seasons were made on the Yule log. These traditions were common from Celtic North to Roman South.

Another tradition was to open all the doors at midnight to let the evil spirits out. The Celts thought that you would have a lucky month for each Yule pudding you sampled and unless you took your tree down by the twelfth night, bad luck would ensue. Mistletoe was then used for more than a kiss. It was a powerful fertility amulet if a couple made love underneath it.

Wassailing was also a Yule time tradition. Groups of people would wander from house to house singing songs in return for glasses of wassail (the alcoholic kind). The wassail carols date back to the Viking era and was a greeting, "ves heill". It evolved into Anglo-Saxon to "waes thu hal," which meant be whole or good health.

Mythology that corresponds to this Sabbat

This day celebrates the rebirth of the Sun in many different cultures.

In the North, the months of December and January were called Freyja's Nights of Darkness. On Midwinter, She gives birth to Freyr, the Lord of the Sun, rain and agricultural fertility. In Egypt, Isis gives birth to Horus, whose sign is the winged Sun. Kore gives birth to Aeon, the new year. Juno Lucina, Goddess of the Moon and Midwinter Sun, is born on Midwinter night. Lucia is honored from Italy to Sweden by crowns of candles. The Persians held December 25 as sacred to Mithra, the Sun God.

Kwanzaa, the Swahili first fruits festival, is celebrated during this time. The Chinese Kitchen God is also honored during this time.

The Lord of Light celebrates his victory over the Lord of Darkness. The Goddess, the Great Mother, gives birth once again and recovers from her labor during the rest of the cold months. The Holly King, who has been ruling since Samhain, is defeated by the Oak King.

Mundane things to do during this season

Strengthen the bonds between your family members by celebrating together and exchanging gifts. It is not necessary to make a fuss over their "Christmas" gifts or your "Yule" gifts, since the spirit of the season is one of renewal and light. Take turns telling stories to the little ones or to each other. Place birdseed out for the birds to feast upon, and remember that they have had a long Winter too. Greet the Sun at dawn by ringing bells or lighting a fire.

What spells and Magick correspond to this Sabbat

Cast major waxing spells on this day. Any theme that needs growth (love, success, strength, closeness, etc) is great to begin on the Solstice. Spells to bless any new endeavour are also appropriate.

What you can include in your rituals

Perform rituals to raise the spirits out of the Winter blues. Yule celebrates rebirth from death, light from darkness---change. Rituals dedicated to causing changes are appropriate. For assistance in designing rituals refer to the Book of Shadows files: blessings, prayers, invocations and verses.

Other correspondences

Color: red, green, white, gold, silver

Tools: Yule log, fire, bells, drums

Food: nuts, meat, wine, dried fruit

Herbs: (oils and scents as appropriate): pine, cedar, fir, spruce, sandalwood, myrrh, wintergreen, bayberry

Decorations: evergreen boughs, holly, mistletoe, ivy, pine cones

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