Wiccan Christmas Name In the world of Wicca, a modern pagan witchcraft tradition, there is a different approach to the holiday traditionally known as Christmas. Wiccans celebrate the winter solstice, which typically occurs around December 21st, marking the longest night of the year and the beginning of winter. Rather than referring to this celebration as Christmas, Wiccans often use the term Yule. Yule is derived from the Old English word "geol" or "giuli" and has roots in Germanic paganism. It was a festival celebrated by pre-Christian Germanic peoples during the winter solstice. Yule is seen as a time of rebirth and renewal, where the days begin to lengthen again after the longest night.
Yule is seen as a time of rebirth and renewal, where the days begin to lengthen again after the longest night. It is a time to reflect on the darkness and embrace the returning light. Many Wiccans celebrate Yule by lighting a Yule log, which represents the returning sun, and engaging in rituals and ceremonies that focus on transformation and personal growth.
Winter Solstice Names: Odin, Demeter and Ivy
Since Nameberry has done its Christmas post, I thought it would be nice to do one to represent Yule and all the pagans on this site.
Yule, or The Winter Solstice, marks the death and rebirth of the Sun-god. It also marks the vanquishing of the Holly King, the god of the Waning Year, by the Oak King, the God of the Waxing Year. The Goddess, who was Death-in-Life at Midsummer, now shows her Life-in-Death aspect. Modern Christmas celebrations are full of pagan symbology. Santa Claus is the Holly King, the sleigh is the solar chariot, the eight reindeer are the eight Sabbats– their horns representing the Horned God– the North Pole symbolizes the Land of Shadows and the dying solar year, and the gifts are meant both to welcome the Oak King as the sun reborn and as a reminder of the gift of the Holly King, who must depart for the Oak King to rule.
There are several herbs that are used to decorate the Pagan household at this time of year. We adorn doorways and mantles with evergreen boughs and bunches of dried summer herbs. Our ancient ancestors brought an evergreen tree inside to ensure that there would be light all year round. The evergreen retains sunlight, staying green all year, and reminds us that life is forever present and renewable.
These Yule herbs and plants would make good names:
Holly — Holly symbolizes the old year, protection, and good luck.
Oak — Symbolizes life, strength, wisdom, nobility, loyalty, longevity
Ivy — Symbolizes fidelity, protection, healing, marriage, victory, honor, good luck
Ash — Symbolizes healing and enchantment. The World Tree or Yggdrasil was made of Ash
Here are some deities associated with the Winter Solstice:
Alcyone — al-KEE-oh-nee — the Kingfisher goddess. She nests every winter for two weeks, and while she does, the wild seas become calm and peaceful.
Baldur — Baldur is associated with the legend of the mistletoe. His mother, Frigga, honored Baldur and asked all of nature to promise not to harm him. Unfortunately, in her haste, Frigga overlooked the mistletoe plant, so Loki took advantage of the opportunity and fooled Baldur’s blind twin, Hod, into killing him with a spear made of mistletoe. Baldur was later restored to life.
Demeter — Through her daughter, Persephone, Demeter is linked strongly to the changing of the seasons. When Persephone was abducted by Hades, Demeter‘s grief caused the earth to die for six months, until her daughter’s return.
Frau Holle — Frau Holle appears in many different forms in Scandinavian mythology and legend. She is associated with both the evergreen plants of the Yule season, and with snowfall, which is said to be Frau Holle shaking out her feathery mattresses.
Frigga — As seen above, Frigga honored her son, Baldur, by asking all of nature not to harm him, but in her haste overlooked the mistletoe plant. Loki fooled Baldur’s blind twin, Hod, into killing him with a spear made of mistletoe but Odin later restored him to life. As thanks, Frigga declared that mistletoe must be regarded as a plant of love, rather than death.
La Befana — This character from Italian Folklore is similar to St. Nicholas, in that she flies around delivering candy to well-behaved children in early January. She is depicted as an old woman on a broomstick, wearing a black shawl.
Mithras — Mithras was celebrated as part of a mystery religion in ancient Rome. He was a god of the sun, who was born around the time of the winter solstice and then experienced a resurrection around the spring equinox.
Odin — In some legends, Odin bestowed gifts at Yuletide upon his people, riding a magical flying horse across the sky. This legend may have combined with that of St. Nicholas to create the modern Santa Claus.
Saturn — Every December, the Romans threw a week-long celebration of debauchery and fun, called Saturnalia in honor of their agricultural god, Saturn. Roles were reversed, and enslaved people became the enslavers, at least temporarily.
I hope you were able to find a name that means something to you and that you might consider using. If not, I hope you had an interesting read and learned something. Merry Christmas, Happy Yule, Happy Saturnalia, Blessed Solstice, Happy Hanukka, Merry Kwanza and anything else I’m missing!
Angel Thomas, better known on Nameberry as Dantea, is a stay-at-home mom with a passion for onomastics who writes fantasy novels in her spare time. Her knowledge of Greek names stems from her ancestry and her religion.
Modern Christmas can trace its roots back to winter holidays of the Roman Empire, like Saturnalia and Kalends, holidays filled with merriment, decorations and exchanging of gifts. Over the centuries, more and more pagan and folk practices became mainstays of Christmas, like Christmas trees, mistletoe and Christmas carolling, or wassailing.
The use of the term Yule instead of Christmas reflects the Wiccan belief in a connection to nature and the cycles of the earth. It honors the pagan roots of the winter solstice celebration and allows Wiccans to maintain their spiritual practices while also acknowledging the holiday season. While Wiccans may recognize and participate in some aspects of the traditional Christmas festivities, such as exchanging gifts or spending time with loved ones, they put emphasis on the spiritual significance of Yule and the symbolism behind it. In conclusion, the Wiccan Christmas name, Yule, represents the pagan roots of the winter solstice celebration and the focus on rebirth and renewal. It allows Wiccans to honor their spiritual beliefs while also participating in the holiday season..
Reviews for "Channeling the Magic: Wiccan Christmas Names for Your Little Witch or Wizard"
1. Stephanie - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Wiccan Christmas Name". The plot was all over the place and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. The writing style felt forced and the dialogue was cringe-worthy. Overall, I found it to be a poorly executed attempt at a holiday-themed book.
2. Michael - 1 star - I couldn't even finish reading "Wiccan Christmas Name". The story was confusing and lacked any depth. The characters were one-dimensional and I couldn't bring myself to care about their journey. The concept had potential, but the execution was incredibly underwhelming. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - "Wiccan Christmas Name" left a lot to be desired. The pacing was off, with the story dragging in some parts and rushing through others. The magical elements seemed forced and didn't blend well with the Christmas theme. The romance felt forced and lacked chemistry. Overall, it was a forgettable read that had potential but fell short.
4. Jason - 1 star - I'm not sure what I was expecting from "Wiccan Christmas Name", but it definitely wasn't this mess. The writing was sloppy, with grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures. The characters were shallow and the plot lacked originality. It felt like a cheap attempt at cashing in on the holiday season without putting any effort into creating a compelling story. Save your time and skip this one.
5. Emily - 2 stars - I found "Wiccan Christmas Name" to be underwhelming. The storyline was predictable and lacked any surprises. The dialogue was stilted and the character development was minimal. It felt like a generic Christmas romance novel with a sprinkle of witchcraft thrown in to make it slightly different. There are better books out there for the holiday season.