Celebrating Yule A Short Guide
By Rev. Thomas D. - Origins of Yule - The origin of the word Yule, has several suggested origins from the Old English word, geõla, the Old Norse word jõl, a pagan festival celebrated at the winter solstice, or the Anglo-Saxon word for the festival of the Winter Solstice, 'Iul' meaning 'wheel'. In old almanacs Yule was represented by the symbol of a wheel, conveying the idea of the year turning like a wheel, The Great Wheel of the Zodiac, Also known as The Wheel of Life.
The spokes of the wheel, were the old festivals of the year, the solstices and equinoxes.The winter solstice, the rebirth of the Sun, is an important turning point, as it marks the shortest day, when the hours of daylight are at their least. It also the start of the increase in the hours of daylight, until the Summer Solstice, when darkness becomes ascendant once more.
Many cultures have winter festivals that are in fact celebrations of light. In addition to Christmas, there's Hanukkah with its brightly lit menorahs, Kwanzaa, and any number of other holidays. The Pagan holiday called Yule takes place on the day of the winter solstice, around December 21 in the northern hemisphere (below the equator, the winter solstice falls around June 21). On that day (or close to it), an amazing thing happens in the sky. The earth's axis tilts away from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere, and the sun reaches its greatest distance from the equatorial plane. As a festival of the Sun, the most important part of any Yule celebration is light -- candles, bonfires, and more.
In the Northern hemisphere, the winter solstice has been celebrated for millennia. The Norse peoples viewed it as a time for much feasting, merrymaking, and, if the Icelandic sagas are to be believed, a time of sacrifice as well. The Celts also viewed it this way as well with The Oak King, representing the light of the new year, trying each year to usurp the old Holly King, who is the symbol of darkness. Re-enactment of the battle is popular in some rituals.
Fire Festival - That Yule is another fire festival, should come as no surprise, however unlike the more public outdoor festival of the summer solstice, Yule lends itself to a more private and domestic celebration. Yet like its midsummer counterpart, is strongly associated with fertility and the continuation of life. Here the Goddess is in her dark aspect, as 'She Who Cuts The Thread' or 'Our Lady in Darkness', calling back the Sun God. Yet, at the same time, she is in the process of giving birth to Son-Lover who will re-fertilize her and the earth, bringing back light and warmth to the world.
Yule Log - The Yule Log Played an important role in the celebrations of the winter solstice and later Christmas, a large oak log was ceremoniously brought into the house and kindled at dusk, using a brand from the previous years Yule Log. It was deemed essential that the log, once lit, should burn until it was deliberately extinguished. The length of time, varied from region to region, from 12 hours to several days and it was considered ill-omen if the fire burnt itself out. It was never allowed to burn away completely, as some would be needed for the following year. In most traditions, it was considered unlucky for the Yule log to be bought, and had to be acquired using other means, as long as no money changed hands. Often it was given as a gift by landowners, and sometimes decorated with evergreens. Also a figure of a man was sometimes chalked on the surface of the log. The ashes from the Yule log were often used to make protective, healing or fertilizing charms, or scattered over the fields. In Brittany, the ashes were thrown into wells to purify the water, and in Italy as charms against hailstones.
In some parts of the Scottish Highlands, a variation of the Yule log was observed, here a figure of an old woman, the Cailleach Nollaich, was carved from a withered tree stump. At dusk, the figure was brought into the house and laid upon the burning peat of the house fire. The family would gather round the hearth and watch the figure consumed into ashes, the rest of the evening was spent in games and merriment. The figure represented, not fertility and life, but of the evils of winter and death. The figure had to be totally consumed if misfortune and death were to be averted in the coming year.
Mistletoe - Mistletoe, from the Old English misteltãn, is a parasitic plant that grows on various trees, particularly the apple tree, it is held in great veneration when found on Oak trees. The winter solstice, called 'Alban Arthan' by the Druids, was according to Bardic Tradition, the time when the Chief Druid would cut the sacred mistletoe from the Oak. The mistletoe is cut using a golden sickle on the sixth day of the moon. It is often associated with thunder, and regarded as a protection against fire and lighting. In Scandinavian mythology, Balder the Beautiful was killed from an arrow made of mistletoe and wielded by the blind god Hoder. Shakespeare, in Titus Andronicus II, calls it 'the baleful mistletoe'. It is interesting to note that mistletoe was excluded from church decorations, probably due to its connection with the Druids and pagan and magickal associations. This ancient ban on mistletoe is still widely observed.
Yule Candle - This was an ornamental candle of great size, once widely used at Yule throughout Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia. It was often colored red, green or blue and decorated with sprigs of holly or some other evergreen. The candle was lit either on Christmas Eve, its light shedding on the festival supper and left to burn throughout the night or early Christmas morning, to burn throughout the day. It was rekindled on each successive night of the twelve day festival, and finally extinguished on the Twelfth Night. While the candle burnt, it was believed to shed a blessing on the household, it was considered a sign of ill omen or misfortune for the candle to go out, be moved, or blown out. When the time came to extinguish it, it was done by pressing the wick with a pair of tongs, a snuffer, or your fingers. In some households only the head of the family could perform this task, it being considered unlucky for anyone else to touch it while it is lit. Up until the middle of the last century, candle makers used to present regular customers, with Yule Candles of various sizes, as a gift.
Yule & Wassail - Wassail is derived from the Anglo-Saxon wes hál, meaning 'be whole', or 'be of good health', or Old Norse ves heill, and was a salutation use at Yule, when the wassail bowl was passed around with toasts and singing. Wassail carols would be sung as people would travel from house to house in the village bringing good wishes in return for a small gratuity. The Apple Tree Wassail, sung in hopes of a good crop of cider the following year, other such as the Gower Wassail carol still survive today. Wassail can also be used in reference to a drink enjoyed for this holiday. Recipe for Yule Wassail 3 red apples 3 oz brown sugar 2 pints brown ale, apple cider, or hard cider 1/2 pint dry sherry or dry white wine 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ginger strips or lemon peel Core and heat apples with brown sugar and some of the ale or cider in an oven for 30 minutes. Put in large pan and add rest of spices and lemon peel, simmer on stove top of 5 minutes. Add most of the alcohol at the last minute so it heats up but does not evaporate. Burgundy and brandy can be substituted to the ale and sherry. White sugar and halved oranges may also be added to taste. Makes enough for eight. Wassail!
Pagan Origins of Santa Claus - The legend of Nicholas is an important piece of the puzzle that eventually became Santa Claus, but it’s not the only one. The Santa Claus myth was affected to a large degree by a whole host of Norse myths and gods. The most influential of these are the Norse Odin and Germanic Woden (two similar deities that share a great deal of mythology). One of the most important holidays in Norse and Germanic paganism's was the celebration of Yule, the Winter Solstice. On that day Odin would lead the Wild Hunt, descending from the skies upon the back of a magical horse to punish the wicked. It’s from these myths that St. Nicholas would derive the white horse (Schimmel) he now rides in the Netherlands in order to give gifts. Odin’s horse was also capable of landing on rooftops, an important development. Odin was also a gift-giver like Nicholas, sharing his wisdom with mortals via the runes.
The most important poem ever written about Santa Claus was first published in 1823. Though there is some dispute over the authorship, most people attribute An Account of a Visit From St. Nicholas (The Night Before Christmas) to Clement C. Moore who originally wrote the poem for his children. The following year it was reprinted without his permission and in 1844 Moore made his first public claims of authorship. Once his claim to authorship became public knowledge he tweaked the poem in several places, most notably changing the names of the reindeer formally known as Dunder and Blixem. Santa is instantly recognizable in The Night Before Christmas, yet a closer reading of the poem indicates that the stately figures of Odin and Saint Nicholas have been completely revised. Santa is now a “right jolly old elf” and with a belly like “a bowlful of jelly.” His clothing had changed too. No longer was he in robes, now he was “dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.” Santa’s reindeer have also multiplied since 1821, and due to the influence of Moore’s poem “eight” (nine with Rudolph lol) has become the agreed upon number of sleigh pullers. Even if Santa doesn’t look quite right in Christmas it contains all the other essential Santa elements. While Moore’s Santa became the accepted version after the publication of his poem, several alternate versions of the character persisted over the next few decades. Some writers took the “elf” idea a little too far and made Santa the size of a mouse. Other variants on the character had him riding a broomstick instead of driving a sleigh, there was even a clean-shaven Santa with a turban on top of his head. An African-American representation of Santa also existed, forever putting to bed the stupid theory that “Santa is just white.” Santa was all kinds of things, but the image that resonated most involved a little driver, lively and quick.
Ole Father Yule has had a long and bumpy road on his way to becoming a modern icon, but now that he’s here he doesn’t look likely to leave anytime soon. In a world that so often lacks any magick, Santa provides a doorway into a realm of imagination and wonderment. A world without Santa is a world I don’t want to live in. We share so little myth these days, and what myth we do share rarely transcends religious boundaries, but Santa is different. With his origins in Greek myth, Catholic tradition, Norse paganism, and the wilds of the human imagination, he’s capable of not just magically jumping down chimneys, but of jumping into the hearts of whoever will have him.
There are many ways of celebrating yule depending on your path. it can be as easy as singing the Sun awake at dawn on the 21st, to singing caroles around the Yule Fire and feasting with family and friends to a full on ritual. Do your research, try somthing new, and see what works for you and have fun with it.
From all of us at Triple Moon Ministries & Sanctuary, we wish you all a Joyous Yule, A Merry Solstice, and A Prosperous New Year! )O( /|\ Rev. Thomas Divinny
Be on the look out for our article on Yule/Solstice recipes for your Holiday feasts.
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Text is by Rev. Thomas and from Triple Moons Divinwolff Tradition 1st Degree Course Images Via Google Copyright©2016 Triple Moon Ministries All rights reserved
