Yule
S.H. - 21st June
N.H. - 21st December
Yule, the Winter Solstice, at this time of year the Goddess gives birth to a son, the God. This is in no way an adaption of Christianity. The Winter Solstice has long been viewed as a time of divine births. Christians simply adopted it for their use in 273 C.E. (Common Era).
The Goddess turns the Wheel of the Year to its beginning. This is the time of the greatest darkness and is the shortest day of the year. Since the Sun is a symbol of the God, we celebrate the return of the God, as seen in the lengthening of daylight. The Goddess, slumbering through the Winter of Her labour, rests after Her delivery.
Yule is the remnant of early rituals celebrated to hurry the end of Winter and the bounty of Spring, when food was once again readily available.
The Wicca light fires or candles to welcome the Sun's returning light. To Wiccans, it is a reminder that the ultimate product of death is rebirth, a comforting thought in these days of unrest.
Yule Lore:
One traditional Yuletide practice is the creation of a Yule tree. This can be a living, potted tree which can later be planted in the ground, or a cut one.
Appropriate Wiccan decorations are fun to make, from strings of dried rosebuds and cinnamon sticks for garlands, to bags of fragrant spices which are hung from boughs. Quartz crystals can be wrapped with shiny wire and suspended from sturdy branches to resemble icicles. Apples, oranges and lemons hanging from boughs are strikingly beautiful, natural decorations and were customary in ancient times.
Many enjoy the custom of lighting the Yule log. This is a graphic representation of the rebirth of the God within the sacred fire of the Mother Goddess. Carve or chalk a figure of the Sun or the God upon the log with the white-handled knife and set it alight in the fireplace at dusk on Yule. As the log burns, visualize the Sun shining within it and think of the coming warmer days.
As to food, nuts, fruits such as apples and pears, cakes of carraways soaked in cider, and pork are traditional fare. Wassil, lambswool, hibiscus or ginger tea are fine drinks for the Simple Feast or Yule meals.
