Winter Solstice Holiday of Light’s Return & Rebirth

Winter Solstice has arrived!  It marks the night of the year.  But those days are coming to an end and the sunlight will be returning!  Yule (pronounced EWE-el or EWE-elle) (also known as Jól) is a Pagan festival that celebrates this time of year and the upcoming longer days by Pagans, Neo-Pagans, Wiccans, those who practice magic, and many others!   In 2022, it falls on December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and June 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.  In 2023, it will fall on December 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and June 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.  Now let’s enjoy diving into this wonderful holiday that celebrates pushing away the sky-filled darkness and welcoming the arriving sunlight!  Here we go!

What is Yule?

Back on Samhain, the Sun King God sacrificed himself, died, and traveled through the Underworld while the Crone Goddess was pregnant.  Between then and now, one was to let go of what was no longer needed and to look forward to the new year with hope and an open mind to the upcoming new beginning.  On Yule night, in the Goddess’s embrace, the Sun King is reborn from her as the Child of Light.  It is also during Yule when the God transforms from being the Oak King into the Holly King, and on Litha, the Summer Solstice, he’ll turn back into the Oak King.  Like the Earth during Winter, the Goddess (as her Mother self) after giving birth will rest.  From now on, the nights will grow shorter, and the light will extend into longer days.  It’s an uncomplicated celebration of rebirth and the cycle of life continuing forward.  The new year’s energy is still rising and is the prime time to look inward, do some self-contemplation, and set any intentions or ideas for this new year.

Many traditions have taken shape for this time of year, which are suggested to promote abundance, protection, and fertility.  As a symbol of the life cycle, an evergreen tree would be picked to never be cut down as it encompassed the notion of immortality due to its green leaves never changing with the winter season.  Evergreen boughs would be brought into homes and Yule logs would be harvested or given as a gift from others for the festivities.  A Yule log was huge in size, traditionally made of ash, would be decorated with Yule-themed plants (such as ivy or holly), covered with ale or cider (apples represented the Sun), and then powdered with flour (which represented light, life, and accomplishments).  Then it will be placed in a fire that would be set by the previous year’s Yule log and burn for 12 days.  The burning of a Yule log is said to bring good luck and protection for the home.  Afterwards, this Yule log would be set aside to light the next year’s Yule log.

From Yule to Christmas

One may notice that the traditions and imagery used for modern-day Christmas celebrations are similar to those of Yule/Jól.  That’s because there is a connection!  “Tide,” which can be found in words “Yuletide” and “Christmastide,” typically references a “period of time or season.”  Long ago, Yuletide referred only to the Pagan festivities that took place over Winter Solstice.  Nowadays, the term Yuletide is used synonymously with Christmastide, with both referencing the time surrounding Christmas Eve.  But it’s important to note the history. Yule came first and then, according to reports, Christianity made an appearance and wanted to encourage/force conversions to their belief system.  Pagans were reluctant to give up their traditions, so Christianity made them a part of theirs.  For example, there are many examples of Celt and Viking traditions that were originally for Yule celebrations and have been adopted by Christianity for Christmas celebrations.  Here are some of them:

Symbolism

Many symbols and imagery that are nowadays associated with Christmas can be traced back to Yule.  This includes the colors of red and green, plants including holly and mistletoe, and animals such as deer and mice.  Below is a list of more symbolism for you to look through for your amusement!

How to Celebrate

There are tons of ways you can celebrate Yule and the Winter Solstice!  Here is a list of just some of them.  Check them out and see if any sound fun that you might even want to try sometime!

• Decorate your home with Yule greenery, such as holly, ivy, and mistletoe.

• Send Yule holiday greeting cards.

• Purchase something nature-themed or nature-based.  Maybe there’s a naturally scented candle that you’d enjoy.  Maybe there’s a nature-themed door wreath or even some delicious-looking cake or pie that catches your eye.  You could even buy a Yule-themed Crystal for your magic practice.  Maybe there’s a beautiful plant or flower that would bring life into your home.

• Connect with and express gratitude to nature.  Plant some seeds that may blossom for the upcoming Spring.  Purchase a plant for your home or workplace.  You can also help nature buy shopping sustainably, such as sustainably-sourced foods/products and being sure to recycle responsibly.  

• Light a Yule log.  If you have an oak log, decorate it with pine cones, mistletoe, holly, dried berries, and cinnamon sticks.  If you have a fireplace, please it in that.  If you don’t, you could use an outdoor fire pit outside to make a bonfire.  Don’t have a fireplace or able to light a fire outside?  No problem!  There are many YouTube videos, programs on Netflix, and even apps that show videos of Yule log burning.  So enjoy watching from wherever!  Burning a Yule log symbolizes letting go of the past and to “burn” away stagnant, unwanted energy that you don’t want to carry with you into the new year.  Not only that, but you are also welcoming the Sun back with the now growing daylight hours. 

• Or make your own Yule log!  There are cakes you can purchase or bake yourself.  There may even be artificial ones that you can buy and decorate yourself with Yule-themed greenery.  You can place candles on the Yule log and light them for 12 nights.

• Hold a Yule log ceremony.  If you get a Yule log (whether an actual oak log, a cake, an artificial one, or watching a Yule log burning video), you can do a small ceremony.  Basically, you welcome back the Sun and the light that will return through the lengthening of daylight hours.

• Sing some traditional Yule wassails (a.k.a. carols).  Popular ones include “The Holly and the Ivy,” “Gloucestershire Wassail,” and “This Endris Night.”  To build a connection a further connection, you can sing outside, especially places where there’s fields or trees, like a park! 

• Drink a lot of or make wassail!  There are many recipes out there for this cider.  This traditional drink 

• Feast!  Like most Pagan holidays, one can make or host a large meal for loved ones.  It’s a Winter Solstice tradition to have people gather and celebrate life that persists through the long hours of darkness, which can be found in our personal connections with others and feeling safe by having each other’s support.  You can add local winter produce or simply make a meal that you and your loved ones will enjoy.  Traditional Yule foods include mulled apple cider (wassail), plum pudding, hot buttered rum, and bûche de noël (a cake that represents a Yule log).  As a fun side event, you can take items you no longer need or wish to own and wrap them up as presents.  Then leave the pile of wrapped gifts on the floor for your feast guests to choose from at random!  It reflects the Yule message of starting the new year fresh by both decluttering your home of the items plus bringing new joy to others.

• Recite prayers to welcome the Sun’s return.  If praying is not your thing, you can take a mental note of expressing gratitude towards the lengthening of daylight hours.

• Declutter!  Yule is a time to move aside old things you that no longer serve a purpose to make room for the new things the upcoming year will bring.  So it’s a great time to clean up your home or work space.

• Do some cleansing, purification rituals and tree blessings!  You can do some purification by burning winter seasonal plants (such as cedar, juniper, mistletoe, pine, rosemary, frankincense, etc.) and using the smoke to cleanse your home or space.  As a bonus, it may smell quite good, too!

• Perform a wishing ritual.  Think about your intensions, goals, ambitions, or resolutions you have for this coming new year.  Take a candle and as you light it, speak out loud what goals you have in mind.  Then sit with the candle.  As it burns, visualize your intentions coming true.  What does it look like?  How does it feel?  Imagine the positive outcomes and rewards.  Daydream what your life would look like.  As the candle continues to burn, write down your next steps (mini-goals) in order to make your ambitions a reality for the new year.

• Make a Yule wreath!  To express the notions of prosperity, protection, and everlasting life, you can tie together evergreens, such as pine (holds healing properties), mistletoe (welcomes abundance, fertility), yew (symbolizes eternity, reincarnation), and holly and ivy (wards off negative energy).  You could even go a step further and make a larger Solstice bush!  Take a pot of damp soil and push stalks of these evergreen plants into it.

• Make a Yule Altar!  Decorate it with Yule-themed plants, such as mistletoe, holly, and ivy.  You can add white-, red- and green-colored Crystals, such as Garnet, Ruby, Bloodstone, and Emerald.  You can even add images or figures of Yule-themed animals, including deer, owls, mice, or squirrels.  Traditionally, a Yule log is decorated and placed on an Altar before being burned on Winter Solstice evening.

Do you do anything special for the Winter Solstice?  If so, how do you celebrate the increase in daylight hours?  The Winter season is full of holidays and festivities from all over the world.  What is popular where you live or where you’re from?  What are your thoughts on Yule?  Please share in the comments so I can learn from you!  As always, thank you, my dear friends, for reading this post.  May you all have a Blessed Yule!

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.  Happiness never decreases by being shared.” 

– Buddha

• Image Captions (in order of appearance):
• Symbols of the Celtic calendar, names in Celtic of the solstices. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user robin.ph; not for commercial use.  Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
• Young beautiful brown-haired girl dressed like a witch in a black gown, with long hair, looks like a north priest and wizard, with ritual makeup holding candle in dark winter forest. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user Nadiia Kalameiets; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
• Homemade christmas chocolate yule log. Shallow dof.  Image courtesy of Shutterstock user AGfoto; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
• interior christmas. magic glowing tree, fireplace and gifts. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user Evgeny Atamanenko; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
• traditional Wiccan altar for Yule sabbath on wooden table. Wheel of the year, candle, cinnamon sticks, nuts, cones, dry orange slices. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user ju_see; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
• Christmas is here, learn how to cook the Bûche de Noël (Chocolate Hazelnut Yule Log) a traditional French Christmas dessert shaped and decorated like a log. Image courtesy of Unsplash user Kisoulou; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Unsplash Inc.
• Elegant Table Set-Up for Christmas. Image courtesy of Pexels user Nicole Michalou; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Pexels GmbH.

• References (in alphabetical order):
• Bierma, Michelle, and Tim Reese. “Winter Solstice: Stories and Traditions From Around the World.” Home, 9 Dec. 2019, https://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/winter-solstice-stories-and-traditions-around-world. 
• Bollinger, Sydney. “Flowers & the Meaning of Winter Solstice.” Earth Within Flowers, https://earthwithin.com/winter-solstice-meaning/. 
• Jaten, Amanda. “6 Crystals for Celebrating Winter Solstice.” MeraKalpa Malas, MeraKalpa Malas, 16 Dec. 2019, https://merakalpamalas.com/blogs/news/6-crystals-for-celebrating-winter-solstice.
• Skinner, Penny. “Popular Christmas Animals (History, Myths, and Biblical Origins).” Holidappy, Holidappy, 11 Sept. 2019, https://holidappy.com/holidays/The-animals-of-Christmas. 
• The pagan grimoire. The Pagan Grimoire. (2021). Retrieved 2022, from https://www.pagangrimoire.com/
• Van de Car, Nikki. Practical Magic: A Beginner’s Guide to Crystals, Horoscopes, Psychics, and Spells. Running Press, 2017. 
• Ward, Kerry. “How to Celebrate Yule.” Cosmopolitan, Cosmopolitan, 22 Oct. 2022, https://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/a38039639/how-to-celebrate-yule/. 
• Wigington, Patti. “Sacred Plants of the Winter Solstice.” Learn Religions, Learn Religions, 3 July 2019, https://www.learnreligions.com/sacred-plants-of-the-winter-solstice-2562958. 
• “Winter Solstice.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice.