A Yule wreath is a traditional pagan decoration that is used to celebrate the winter solstice or Yule festival. It is typically made from evergreen branches and adorned with various items such as ribbons, berries, pinecones, and ornaments. The wreath holds great significance in pagan beliefs and is often hung on doors or walls to bring good luck and protection during the holiday season. In pagan traditions, the Yule wreath symbolizes the cyclical nature of the seasons and the eternal circle of life. It represents the wheel of the year turning and the rebirth of the sun as the days start to lengthen after the winter solstice. The evergreen branches used in the wreath are a symbol of life and fertility, as they remain green and vibrant even during the cold winter months.
The history of Wreath Making
Wreaths can be found in the home throughout the year but for many are most well known as festive decorations. They can be made of almost anything and are generally either placed on a flat surface (advent wreath) or hung on a wall or front door (like those we’re making today).
What many don’t know is that wreath making has a rich tapestry of meaning that dates back as far as the 7th Century BC!
Prevalent in the ancient traditions of the Greek, Roman and Persian empires wreaths were often worn as headresses and symbolized power, authority or an award of honor to warriors, emperors and victorious athletes. They were made of a variety of materials including flowers, olive leaves, laurel, even fabric and jewels.
In ancient pagan, german and scandanavian cultures, wreaths have also symbolized nature and have been used to honour the return of the sun and the promise of spring. The wreaths held candles that were lit in hopes of the return of the warmth and the sunlight.
Christian congregations have adorned their churches for many years with festive decorations such as the ever popular traditional evergreen wreath during the advent period. Candles and specific foilage are chosen to represent their beliefs.
We see wreaths across many other modern religious traditions such as the Christian harvest or maypole festivities. Or the 3 day Muslim celebration of Eid, throughout which door wreaths are often displayed to celebreate the end of the holy month of ramadan.
Over the last century, wreaths have become very popular as head dresses for brides looking for the natural touch.
A common theme across many of the interpretations of the wreath is the circle or ring shape being symbolic of eternity or eternal life, because the shape has no beginning or end.
Some of the most commonly used wreath making materials such as evergreen and holly also carry the meaning of eternal life to some cultures. In fact, the ancient Druids are the first society in known history to have worn sprigs of holly. They believed that holly remained green all year due to having magical properties. Many speculate the holly berries have given us our green and red colors of Christmas.
Later on, winter greenery, particularly mistletoe, started to be considered pagan because of it’s mytical properties. This was because of it’s particular association with magic & winter solstice.
In fact, in 575 A.D., a German Catholic Bishop forbode all Christmas greens and condemned them as "dangerous and heathen". Churches did not see their likeness again for centuries.
In the 16th century, the word "Holly" appeared in writing for the first time, used by Shakespeare. By the 17th century, holly had become a grander part of Christmas celebrations, the Christmas Wreath, and holiday decorations once again.
All Natural Yule Wreath
Today I’m making a big wreath to hang on the front of our house for Yule. First of all, I want to complain a little about my husband B teasing me for often saying “reef” because my Arizona drawl comes out now and then. He’s just a butt.
Anyhow, not content with a normal, store bought wreath, I went a bit wild and collected all kinds of plants, dried fruits, and spices for this project. I’ll go into the spiritual meanings behind all these supplies, and show you how to make your own! Feel free to jump ahead if you want to get right to the crafting
Many of these items I found online, often on Etsy. Some from local craft stores. A few things, like fresh fir boughs, I could get from my local garden shop (Branches in Federal Way), or my own backyard. The fruit I dried myself. I did pick up some fake red holly berries and some dried lavender, but I ended up not using them.
So much to choose from!
Juniper has been part of a purification incense for homes in preparation for Beltane. It is an herb of health and healing, a ward against disease and negative energies.
Fir is a sacred tree of life and can grant access to great wisdom.
Another tree of life is Cedar, which has been used to scent sacrifices and fumigate temples. It is connected to Odin and sanctifies magical objects. It is said to attract fortune and drive away negativity.
Lemon leaves (and rind) are often used in love spells; particularly of a sort to help people get over a past relationship and find new love. The leaves are noted for reflecting back the evil eye.
Boxwood (or Box) is particularly powerful for animal magic. Adding this herb extends your spell’s workings to include any pets and livestock.
Magnolia has a special affinity for the Wheel of Fortune tarot card. The scent of magnolia flowers or oil can help one when studying that particular card. The leaves are a symbol of lasting health and permanence.
The lotus is associated with The Hanged Man tarot card, and is sacred to beings that move between the worlds. It protects, it purifies, and consecrates any place it is set, especially as incense. It is well revered throughout the Middle and Far East.
Pomegranates have a sacred magical history of both Hebrew and pagan origins. It is considered a symbol of fertility in the Far East, particularly feminine. You can find them on the High Priestess and Empress tarot cards, and they are also associated with the Judgement card. As a gift, they are a wish for abundance and creative fertility. Opened and eaten, it connects you to the feminine goddesses, and may open you to contemplation of the more profound and deep mysteries. Drying whole pomegranates takes time and a dry space to leave them be while they do so.
I talked about oranges in my last post about garlands, mentioning that they were “made using an electric dehydrator, though you can also use an oven at a very low temp with the door cracked open. They are a fruit of love and fertility, and a just reward for victories. They strengthen seekers of quests.” Slice them thinly or they will remain sticky.
I also mentioned cinnamon, “a symbol of love, and tied to The Lovers tarot card, as well as being a visionary and purifying substance. It has been used as incense in temples even in ancient China. Wearing cinnamon can inspire good fortune, concentration, and correct mindset for ritual work.”
Star Anise is “also used as a temple incense. It is excellent for invoking your chosen deities while dispelling negative energies. It is connected to the tarot card of The Fool, in his joyous trust of the now. This can even bring peace to those nearing death.”
So let’s get started finally!
Begin by gathering your materials and trimming them into usable small-medium branches, and stacking them in as tidy of piles as you can. Having everything prepped ahead of time helps a lot, but if you want to dive right in, just expect lots of pausing to cut.
For the base I’m using fir, cedar, boxwood, and lemon leaves.
Take your form, and attach some floral wire sturdily (I used a thin gauge for ease of movement). There’s no special art or technique to this. You will be placing small bundles on the form, wrapping wire around it, then moving to the next overlapping bundle. The wire doesn’t get cut till the very end. It’s a pretty streamlined process.
So gather up your first artistic bundle. As you can see, my arrangement is not overly large for the size of my form, but will cover it. Don’t worry about being too big, as you can trim it later. Here I have layered fir branches with juniper and cedar.
Wrap the wire a couple times around for security, tucking underneath the bit you want above the wire to hide it, then on to the next bundle. My next bundle adds the lemon leaves. There isn’t a special method, you really just go with what appeals to you and feel balanced.
You can choose to make each bundle identical, or mix up the pattern in a way that pleases you aesthetically. I plan on making an asymmetrical arrangement, with the pomegranates, oranges, and lotus pods clustered to one side.
You can always go back and add more after you’ve completed the circle, if you think an area is lacking.
Connecting the ends together is easier than it looks, and by the time you’ve reached it, you will have a good sense of how to tuck the ends under the first bundle neatly. Cut the wire leaving a few inches, and secure it well.
Take the time now to tidy up your workstation. Put away the plants you are done with, clean up the space, and then bring out the decorations. In my case, I am using pomegranates, oranges, lotus pods, magnolia leaves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise.
You will want a hot glue gun to attach your decorations. Again, you may be entirely symmetrical, you can go minimalist, load it up wildly, or do something asymmetrical (my choice). It’s your darn wreath and you get to do whatever appeals to your aesthetic!
Don’t glue right away. Lay them out in their places, take a picture, study it a bit and rearrange to your taste before you heat up the glue gun.
The magnolia leaves (dark green and waxy) get tucked in here and there to add fullness, and fill in any gaps. It’s easier to use the smaller ones, cause they get really big. I have a bunch of large ones left over, so we’re going to have to do some spellwork or something with those!
Finally, I added some star anise in random spots that felt a little unadorned and bare, as well as the center of the most prominent orange slice.
If you make a wreath, please show me! I’d love to see what other people come up with.
Traditions and Symbols of Yule
Note: This is an updated version of our very popular post about Yule traditions, “Traditions and Symbols of Yule”. We have spared the original title. Photos and information herein have been updated for educational purposes. Happy Yule and enjoy your holiday!
Yule is a traditional holiday holding roots in various northern European traditions, particularly that of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples. When the days grew colder and the nights grew longer, people of ancient times would light candles and gather round fires to lure back the sun. They would bring out their stores of food and enjoy feasting and festivities. Dances were danced and songs were sung and all would delight in decorating their homes. Such were the Yule traditions of those times—traditions similar to what we call Christmas (Yule eventually underwent Christianised reformulation).
Evergreens for Yule: Symbols of Renewal
Evergreens were cut and brought indoors to symbolize life, rebirth and renewal. They were thought to have power over death because their green never faded, and they were used to defeat winter demons and hold back death and destruction. Because of their strength and tenacity, they were also believed to encourage the Sun’s return.
Yule Symbol of Hope: Holly
Holly, which represents the masculine element, was often used to decorate doors, windows and fireplaces. Because of its prickliness it was thought to capture or ward off evil spirits before they could enter a home and cause harm. The holly leaves, symbolic of the Holly King, represent hope, while the red berries represent potency.
Yule Traditions: Mistletoe
Mistletoe, which represents the female element, also holds much importance as it was used by Druid priests in special ceremonies during the Winter Solstice. They believed that its green leaves represented the fertility of the Mother Goddess, and its white berries, the seed of the Forest God or Oak King. Druids would harvest the mistletoe from sacred oak trees with golden scythes and maidens would gather underneath the trees to catch the falling branches, preventing them from falling to the ground; for if this happened, it was believed that all sacred energy in the plant would pour back into the earth. The branches and sprigs were then divided and distributed to be hung over doorways as protection against thunder, lightning and other evils. Mistletoe was also worn as an amulet for fertility, or hung above the headboard.
Yule Tree: An Important Pagan Symbol
The Yule Tree was also another important symbol in pagan tradition. Originally, it represented the Tree of Life or the World Tree among early pagans. In ancient times it was decorated with gifts people wanted to receive from the gods. It was adorned with natural ornaments such as pinecones, berries and other fruit, as well as symbols sacred to the gods and goddess. In some holiday traditions, garlands of popcorn and berries were strung around the tree so that visiting birds could feed off the tree as well.
To Honour and Protect: The Yule Log
The custom of burning the Yule Log began with the ancient Scandinavians who burned a huge log, felled from and Ash tree, to honour their god Thor. In the Celtic tradition, a continual hearth fire was kept to prevent spirits from entering the home. In order for the fire to keep burning, a large Oak tree was felled and brought into the home where the tree was placed trunk first into the hearth, with the last remnants set aside to burn with next year’s fire. It was also believed that the longer the Yule log burned, the faster the sun would come to warm the earth.
Other Yule Traditions and Symbols
Candles were another way to have an eternal flame within the home. They symbolized the light and warmth of the sun and were used to chase away evils and lure back the returning sun/son.
Wreaths were also traditional in ancient times for they symbolized the wheel of the year and the completion of another cycle. They were made of evergreens and adorned with cones and berries and hung as decoration throughout the home. They were also given as gifts to symbolize the infinity of goodwill, friendship and joyfulness.
Bells were often rung during the Winter Solstice to drive away demons that surfaced during the dark time of the year. They were rung in the morning as everyone began to wake to chase away the dark days and herald in the warmer, brighter days following the solstice.
Elves first became associated with Yule because the ancients knew that the Spirits that created the Sun inhabited the land of Elves. By including elves in the Yule celebrations, the ancients believed they were assuring the elves assistance in the coercion of the Sun to return.
Gingerbread was considered to be a specialty bread during this time since ginger had not been available until the Crusaders brought it back in the 11th century. There were strict laws regarding specialty breads in that time, so gingerbread was only allowed to be produced during the holidays and thus, it became associated with winter and Yule.
Wassail derives from the Old English words waes hael, which means “be well”, “be hale” or “good health”. It is a strong drink, usually a mixture of ale, honey and spices or mulled apple cider. When pagans went into the forest to fell the great oak for the Yule log, they would anoint the tree with wassail and bedeck them with wassail-soaked cakes, thus the ritual of wassailing was born. At home, the wassail would be poured into a large bowl during feast time and the host, when greeting his or her guests, would lift a drink and wish them “waes hael”, to which they would reply “drinc hael”, which meant “drink and be well”.
Carolling was also a popular Yule tradition when young children honoured the Winter Solstice with song. They would go through the villages, singing door to door. The villagers, in return, would reward them with tokens and sweets and small gifts which symbolized the food and prosperity given by the Mother Goddess to all her Earthly children.
Nature Symbols of Yule: Holly, Oak, Mistletoe, Ivy, Evergreens, Laurel, Bayberry, Blessed Thistle, Frankincense, Pine, Sage, Yellow Cedar.
Food and Drink of Yule: Yule Log Cake, Gingerbread, Fruits, Berries, Nuts, Pork dishes, Turkey, Eggnog, Ginger Tea, Spiced Cider, Wassail
Colours of Yule: Red, Green, White, Silver, Gold
Red represents the waning Holly King. Green represents the waxing Oak King. White represents the purity and hope of new Light. Silver represents the Moon. Gold represents the Sun/Son.
Stones of Yule: Rubies, Bloodstones, Garnets, Emeralds, Diamonds
Activities of Yule: Carolling ~ Wassailing the Trees ~ Burning the Yule Log ~ Decorating the Yule Tree ~ Exchanging Gifts ~ Kissing under the Mistletoe
Deities of Yule:
Goddesses: The Great Mother and Earth Goddess, Freyja, Gaia, Diana, Bona-Dea, Isis, Demeter
Gods: Mabon, The Sun God, The Star (Divine) Child, The Oak King, The Holly King, The Green Man, The Red Man, The Horned One, Odin, Lugh, Apollo, Ra
What Yule traditions and symbols still appear in your Holiday celebrations? Did you know the origin of some of these Yule traditions or did they surprise you? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
~ Originally written by Daniela Masaro. Updated/edited by Jacob Lopez Dec, 2020
The evergreen branches used in the wreath are a symbol of life and fertility, as they remain green and vibrant even during the cold winter months. Each element of the Yule wreath holds its own symbolic meaning. The red berries represent the promise of renewal and the life force that will burst forth in the coming spring.
Pinecones symbolize growth and regeneration, as they contain the seeds of future life. Ribbons and ornaments are often added to represent blessings, wishes, or personal intentions for the coming year. Many pagan rituals and traditions are associated with the Yule wreath. One common practice is to hang the wreath on the front door or in a central location in the home. This is believed to invite positive energies and protect the household from negative influences. It is also common to light candles on the wreath during Yule celebrations, symbolizing the return of the light and the warmth of the sun. The Yule wreath is not only a decorative item but also a powerful spiritual symbol in pagan beliefs. It connects individuals to the natural cycles of the earth and the changing seasons. It serves as a reminder of the importance of honoring and celebrating the natural world and its cycles. Whether used in a religious or secular context, the Yule wreath brings beauty, joy, and a sense of connection to nature to the holiday season..
Reviews for "The Role of the Yule Wreath in Honoring Pagan Ancestors"
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