Wiccan Yule is a celebration that is observed by many Wiccans and Neopagans around the world. It typically takes place during the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year and marks the longest night. This festive occasion, also known as Yule or Yuletide, holds great importance in Wiccan traditions as it symbolizes the rebirth of the sun and the return of light. During Wiccan Yule, practitioners gather to honor the cycles of nature and the changing seasons. It is a time of reflection, renewal, and letting go of the old to make way for the new. The focus is on increasing warmth, light, and energy as the days begin to grow longer.
Witchy Ways to Celebrate Yule — The Longest Night of the Year
In Pagan tradition, the Winter Solstice, or Yule, marks the longest night of the year. Since the Summer Solstice, the days have been shrinking, and on Yule, it will be the shortest length of daylight yet. However, the following sunrise, the sun will stay in the sky just a little bit longer each day until we hit the Summer Solstice again. Read on to learn how to celebrate Yule (like a witch) this year.
About Yule
This means quite a bit for the witch. Occurring on December 21st, we can use this time to really sit with what the year has brought us. Hibernation and turning inwards are big themes for the winter. When the cold sets in, we focus on setting intentions for the next season and work on how to gear up for their success. If we think of nature objectively, as the leaves have died and are waiting to be reborn, as the animals hibernate, and as the snow sticks to the ground, it is a period of rest and rejuvenation. This is an important theme to keep in mind during Yule.
As we reflect and rest, we also have more time for self-care. This is the optimal time to take naps, do some extra beauty routines, journal your heart out, and eat some soul food. Bringing in family and friends to your home also increases the energy flow of your space, so bring in some Yuletide cheer!
Capricorn Season kicks off the same day, so you will feel the energy shift transitioning into this nimble Earth sign. Capricorns are known for being ambitious — climbing mountains gracefully, with care, and conquering as they go. This is why you need all the rest you can get to gear up for such a determined season.
You can make a lot of parallels from ancient Yule to modern-day Christmas. The first, as mentioned before, is the Yule log. A Yule log is ceremonially gifted into the household, decorated and dressed with seasonal greens (think Decking the Halls with Boughs of Holly) cider or ale, and flour. It is then burned and left to smolder for 12 days, signifying the growing sun. You will also see similarities in the evergreen wreaths, the significant use of holly, pine, and cedar, and even the baking of cookies. All were ceremonially used to decorate the home during this sacred tradition.
How to Celebrate Yule
Some very simple ways to connect the pagan holiday to today won’t take much of a stretch. When hanging your wreath, say a blessing to anoint the home. Feasting for the holidays is also a tried and true tradition that has stuck through the ages. But one of the most special and sacred ways to celebrate Yule with your loved ones is to have each one dedicate a candle lit with gratitude for the previous year on a Yuletide altar.
Happy Yule and Happy Holidays!
Don’t forget to wish a Pagan a happy Yule and a bright solstice
BOSTON — December brings Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. It’s a month filled with good tidings. The stores are decked out in red, green, silver and gold, and Santa Claus is everywhere you look. It’s the season of giving, and everyone is wishing one another “Happy Holidays.”
However, there is one one winter holiday often gets overlooked – a midwinter festival known as Yule.
Yule is the Pagan and Wiccan celebration of the winter solstice that is celebrated every December. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, and it heralds the daylight hours growing longer again.
It is also a day in which Pagans see the “light and the darkness being in perfect balance,” according to Shelley Holloway of Somerville, Massachusetts.
Photo courtesy Pixabay“Today’s Pagan practitioners have returned to the practical and symbolic meaning of this time of year,” Holloway said. “There isn’t a New Englander out there who isn’t happy to see the growing daylight after what feels like the endless darkness of winter, but for Pagans, this growing daylight also holds spiritual significance.”
Holloway is what she refers to as the “main Witch in charge” of a group called The Cornucopia Collective. The group is what she called a “pluralistic, post-modern Pagan organization intended to facilitate events and education for Pagans, Witches, Wiccans and other magically-oriented folks in urban Boston.”
To celebrate the turning of the season, the Cornucopia Collective will be gathering together for candlelight, song and fellowship. They will be hosting a potluck feast and exchanging “gently used” gifts amongst themselves.
“This ritual is lighthearted and a nice reprieve from the fallow time of late autumn and early winter,” Holloway said. “It’s a true community favorite!”
Joan Ruland Donnelly, a Blue Star Wiccan, will be celebrating Yule with the Starlight Coven in North Andover. According to Donnelly, the coven will gather before sunset on the night of Yule and begin their festivities then. They have a special yellow candle that will be lit at sunset to “catch the last rays of the sun in.” This candle will then be the coven’s source of fire for all activities throughout the night.
“Since, on the winter solstice, sunset is around 4:15, we gather early, and it will be a long night,” Donnelly said. The Starlight Cover will also celebrate with the old Wiccan tradition of “lighting the sacred fire of the nine woods.” This is a ritual fire that, in their belief system, is lit for certain occasions.
They will burn nine different types of wood, including Holly and Ash, and recite a rhyme. The types of wood can vary depending on the sect of Wiccanism or Paganism that you subscribe to, though many believe that you should never burn Elder wood because it’s “the Lady’s tree,” and burning it will curse you.
After the fire is lit, they will put up garlands and “kissing balls,” made from mistletoe. They will also cook and feast, tell stories and exchange gifts, all while making sure that their fire stays lit until sunset.
Similarly, Charleen Johnson-Craft will also be celebrating the solstice with her own community of Wiccans. Originally taught by a woman from Salem, Johnson-Craft now lives in Rochester, New York and teaches metaphysical anthropology classes at The Gypsy’s Raven, a shop that she owns.
Johnson-Craft and her students gather at dusk the night before the solstice to light their Yule Log, a log with engraved symbols that is usually from pines, which are evergreen throughout the winter. They will then write out their aspirations for the coming year, place them on their Yule tree or wreath and burn them with the flames of the Yule Log when the sun comes up the following morning.
Finally, they’ll join together to say a prayer to the goddess, Gaia, the Mother Earth.
Like the Cornucopia Collective and Starlight Coven, they will also sing, exchange gifts throughout the night and eat a whole lot of food. They will make and share a traditional drink called Wassel, a hot apple cider with spices like nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon that they often mix with bourbon or rum, and they will chow down on ham and Yule Log cakes.
Charleen Johnson-Craft’s Yule Log for the solstice celebration. Photo courtesy of Charleen Johnson-Craft
According to Johnson-Craft and Donnelly, many covens and pagan groups have different interpretations of the same activities. Yule is a time filled with rich traditions for Wiccans and Pagans, just like for Jewish and Christian communities, where they can gather with loved ones, celebrate life and look forward to the coming year.
Music, food, family, friends and presents. Not too much different from what you’d expect at a Christmas party, right?
Share this:
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
How to Celebrate Yule
Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanza aren’t the only holidays celebrated in the winter time. Yule is a midwinter festival celebrated by Germanic people, a celebration to the Norse God, Odin and a Pagan holiday called Modraniht. It revolves around thanking the Gods and Goddesses for what you have as well as celebrating nature and its changes.
Webster’s dictionary has Yule defined as an “archaic term for Christmas.” Yule, also known as Yuletide, does have many commonalities to Christmas. That can probably be attributed to the fact that Yule is the archetype for the popular holiday. Yule is celebrated for twelve days, starting on the Winter Solstice. A holiday celebrated for twelve days, now where have I heard that before? During the twelve days of Yule, crops are harvested to make a meal, trees are decorated with pinecones, foliage, and candles and gifts are exchanged with love ones. The Yule Log is also decorated with candles and berries which gets placed on an altar. Ringing any sleigh bells yet?
When Yule became the Christian holiday Christmas, anyone who didn’t believe in Christ was labeled a Pagan. Taoism, Satanism, Buddhism and Wicca are all considered Pagan religions. Since there is a negative connotation associated with pagans, they were called witches and the centuries old misconception that witches are evil is still prevalent today; even in woke 2017.
After coming to an understanding about what Yule is; I began to ponder something else, “What is Yule like now and how is it celebrated?” To find out, I interviewed two local Wiccans, Amanda W of Germantown, Tiffany P of South Philly, along with a local practitioner of witchcraft, Wendi M, about Yule and what the holiday means to them.
The focus is on increasing warmth, light, and energy as the days begin to grow longer. Wiccans see Yule as a time of hope and optimism, a celebration of the returning light after the darkness of winter. Rituals and practices during Wiccan Yule vary depending on individual beliefs and traditions.
What are the holidays like for you and your family?
Amanda: I practice alone so holidays are normal with my family. In my own house I plan to do my own rituals and such.
Tiffany: I am the only Wiccan in my family, so I spend it mostly just in my own company. Holidays are peaceful and very meaningful to me. Wiccan holidays have taught me to find beauty and comfort within my own solidarity.
Wendi: My husband is a nurse, so he is usually working on the actual holidays that most Americans celebrate; and since our “Holy Days” can fall on different dates each year, we just go with the flow and try not to get stressed out. So, we use the entire month of December to share with our families and friends. I decorate for the season and listen to Tori Amos’ “Midwinter Graces” and Vince Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas” almost exclusively. I try to remain creative rather than to hibernate. For several years, we hosted a Yule Salon at our home in Jersey City. Each guest would bring a potluck dish and a piece of art or music to share. This year, I’m starting a very small Full Moon Circle in my home, for just a few people I know personally and trust working magick with. Maybe this time next year, there will be a little baby coven!
However, common elements often include the lighting of candles or a Yule log to symbolize the return of the sun's warmth and light. Some practitioners may also decorate an evergreen tree, representing the continuity of life even in the midst of winter. This practice predates the modern custom of decorating Christmas trees and is deeply rooted in pagan traditions. Another essential component of Wiccan Yule celebrations is the offering of gratitude and thanks to the divine forces and deities associated with this time of year. Wiccans typically engage in various activities to honor Yule, such as creating and exchanging handmade gifts, singing songs, and sharing feasts with loved ones. The focus is on fostering a sense of community and connection with nature and one another. Some Wiccans choose to perform magical workings or rituals to manifest their intentions for the upcoming year or to release any negative energies or patterns that no longer serve them. In addition to its spiritual significance, Wiccan Yule also mirrors various cultural and historical customs from around the world. For example, the lighting of candles and the adorning of evergreen trees have been practiced by various cultures for centuries to mark the winter solstice. By incorporating these ancient traditions into their celebrations, Wiccans honor the collective human experience and the interconnectedness of all cultures. Overall, Wiccan Yule is a joyous and meaningful celebration that honors the changing of the seasons and the return of light. It is a time for reflection, renewal, and connection with the natural world. Through rituals, gatherings, and acts of gratitude, Wiccans embrace the rebirth of the sun and the potential for personal growth and transformation..
Reviews for "The Significance of Fire in Wiccan Yule Celebrations"
1. Jennifer - 1 star
I was really disappointed with "Wiccan Yule". As someone who is interested in Wiccan practices, I had high hopes for this book. However, I found it to be extremely basic and lacking in depth. The author only scratched the surface of explaining the concepts and rituals associated with the Yule celebration. It felt more like a superficial overview rather than a comprehensive guide. Additionally, the writing style was quite dry and lacking in engagement. Overall, I felt that I didn't gain any new knowledge or insights from reading this book.
2. Mark - 2 stars
"Wiccan Yule" failed to meet my expectations. While it did provide some information on the Yule celebration, I found it to be disorganized and poorly structured. It jumped between different topics without clear transitions, making it difficult to follow and understand. The lack of cohesiveness made it feel like a jumbled collection of random thoughts and ideas. Furthermore, I was hoping for more in-depth explanations and guidance on the rituals and practices associated with Yule, but this book only provided surface-level information. Overall, I found "Wiccan Yule" to be a disappointing read that left me wanting more.
3. Amanda - 2 stars
I was left uninspired after reading "Wiccan Yule". The book offered very little in terms of creativity and unique ideas for celebrating Yule in a Wiccan context. It simply rehashed common practices and rituals that can easily be found in other resources. I was hoping for fresh perspectives and innovative approaches, but instead, it felt like a regurgitation of information I had already come across. Additionally, the writing style was lackluster and failed to capture my interest. Overall, "Wiccan Yule" is a forgettable book that offers nothing special for those already familiar with Wiccan traditions.