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I hope you are are ready for your holiday traditions whatever they may be! Me and my family being Pagan celebrate Yule and with it the tradition of the Oak king and the Holly King and the battle to bring back the light. The Yule Solstice is the day when the we have longer days and shorter nights.
The Holly King (also known as Santa) and the Oak King are twin brothers one light, one dark. They battle two times a year to keep the light in balance at Yule it is the Oak king who wins and the light returns and the Holly king retreats till the battle in the midsummer solstice where he will win and we will have longer nights and shorter days.
When the battle is won the Oak king wins the hand of the Maiden Goddess and the Sun God is Born. So I hope you all have a have plenty of light in your lives and many many blessings this Yule! (the photos were taken by me and are my children reenacting the Yule time battle.)
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My apologies for not posting more often this month. It's December. I run a shop and make jewelry. 'Nuff said.
To make up for it, here is my take on Yule, the Winter Solstice, as found in my second book, EVERYDAY WITCH A TO Z. Today is Yule, so I hope you find this entertaining and educational. Happy holidays!
Yule is another name for the Winter Solstice, which falls every year on or around December 21st. Yule is the longest night of the year, and it marks the point on the Wheel of the Year when the Goddess gives birth to her son, the infant Sun God.
It is a time of great rejoicing and merriment and is often observed with family and friends. Pagans bring in evergreen trees and boughs to symbolize life in the midst of the death of winter, and exchange gifts to celebrate the holiday. They often sing traditional songs and feast on the hearty foods that will sustain them through the cold months ahead. Sometimes they hang up holly or mistletoe, which was sacred to the Druids.
Is any of this starting to sound strangely familiar?
If so, there is a good reason: the holiday currently known as Christmas was taken in great part from the pagan traditions of Yule. Even the colors, green and red, were taken from the colors of the berries and evergreens that early pagans used to decorate their homes, and if you listen to Christmas carols you will hear the words "Yuletide" or "Yule" pop up from time to time.
There is even a theory that the origins of Santa Claus can be traced back to the Oak King, who regains his throne at Yule from his counterpart the Holly King, who reigns from midsummer until midwinter. And that star on the top of the Christmas tree? Yup, you got it-that comes from the Witch's five-pointed star that symbolizes the five elements.
So why did the Christians take so many pagan traditions and adopt them for their own? Historians theorize that when the Christians moved into Europe they tried to force the Pagans who already lived there to change their beliefs and practices to Christian ones. When that didn't work (stubborn folk, us Pagans) they simply put a Christian twist to the holidays that were already celebrated in the region and called them their own. Pretty clever, when you think about it!
Yule was, at least in those days, a pretty raucous holiday, involving a great deal of drinking, carousing and dancing in the streets from home to home (the origins of caroling, by the way)-so much so that the Pilgrims made Christmas illegal for a while once they moved here. Big party poopers, those Pilgrims.
Yule is a little calmer these days, but still a time for celebration and joy. And one of the benefits of having so many traditions in common with those observed by our Christian friends is that we can use the Winter Solstice as an opportunity to merge our two worlds in shared gratitude and appreciation for the light of friendship and family on the darkest day of the year.
"Yule Wassail"
Wassail comes from a toast that translates as "be in good health" and can be made with (traditional) or without alcohol. It is usually made for Yule, but can be served at any of the harvest festival holidays.
Combine: A gallon of apple cider, a bottle of red wine, and a bunch of spices (usually in whole form, such as allspice berries, cinnamon sticks, cloves and a slice or two of ginger) with maple syrup to sweeten (how much you use will depend on personal taste). Warm on stovetop or in a crock-pot, top with slices of orange or an apple sliced crosswise to show its pentacle shape. Then shout "wassail!" and share with those you love.
Reference: http://my-spiritual-path.blogspot.com
The season of Yule approaches: for Wiccans and other Pagans all over the world, Winter Solstice marks the rebirth of the solar deity. The event is celebrated by giving honor and recognition to the birth of the Sun God and the Magick and mystery of death and rebirth. It is also the longest night of the year with an annual date falling circa December 20 to 23. In contrast, in the southern hemisphere, the dating of Yule occurs circa June 20 to 23. To Witches, the Winter Solstice or Yule signifies the rebirth of hope and vitality. In the darkest part of the year comes the pivotal moment when the Mother Goddess gives birth to the Sun God; the rebirth rekindles hopes, dreams, and simultaneously strengthens all living things in both a symbolic and literal sense as we all look to the Sun to rise in power once more.
Yule is a festive time: it is a lesser sabbat that is best celebrated with loved ones, family, and friends. We seek comfort and warmth from those we love in the cold nights of winter, and on this longest night of the year, we look within to find hope and vitality to carry out our dreams in the coming season, strengthened by the turning from darkness to light. Yule celebrations may be held at any time of day on the Solstice, but many prefer to honor the returning of the Sun by celebrating in the evening. Decorations for Yule include objects representative of the God aspect of the Divine.
Consider embellishments that have a gold color for the affiliation with both the God and Sun. Also a fire festival, candles not only offer a source of illumination, but they can serve as a symbolic representation of the Sun God, as well as the promise of the continued increase of sunlight in the coming season. It is not hard to find remnants of the ancient Yule festivals still prevalent in some of the more secular or commercial trappings of the holiday season. The Yule log for example, has its origins in Pagan celebrations of the Solstice. They can be obtained in stores or made with relative ease. Other decorations can include seasonally prevalent gifts of the Earth such as Mistletoe, Holly, Evergreens, pine cones, and other beautiful accents found in nature.
Yule festivals are a great time to enjoy comforting foods as well. Hot ciders, stews and other types of hearty foods can make your Yule celebration nurturing for body and soul. Consider sharing the joy of cooking by hosting a Pot Luck Yule celebration. A theme can even be selected to make the preparation for feasting fun. Consider a Solar theme with foods on the yellow, orange, and red spectrum. Other ideas could include a theme harkening back to heritage honored in your coven such as a Celtic, Italian, American Indian or Egyptian themes with foods stemming from these traditions.
Yule rituals are invigorating, but the fun does not have to stop there. Consider games or activities for young and old to continue the festivities outside of circle. These can include games that challenge participants to use their psychic abilities, telepathy or psychometry games, story telling or re-enactments of the birth of the Sun God. Be as creative and festive as you like, but also remember the reason for the celebration itself and do not forget to give honor, thanks, and blessings to Mother Earth and the Solar God and leave appropriate libation after the ceremony is held.
Article by Angela Kaufman. Angela is the coauthor of Wicca: What's the Real Deal? Breaking Through the Misconceptions, along with Dayna Winters and Patricia Gardner.
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