Preparation

Prepare the ritual space, cleaning the room or altar. Set up the altar. Prepare yourself by cleansing your body and clearing your mind. Put on your robe and/or cord and jewels. Light the Red candle and the incense.

Attunement

All sit quietly in the circle and center.
After a few minutes the Summoner says:

All who lie in darkness, within the sound of my voice,
breathe deeply and close your eyes.

Imagine that you have journeyed to an ancient oak grove that stands tall in the stillness of winter. Snow covers the ground and the bark of the tree appears black from the saturation of rainwater and snow.

Stand at the base of the tree and think of a situation in which you need guidance. Imagine that you project this situation like a movie onto the trunk of the tree.

Once the scene has finished and faded from the tree trunk, notice the sprig of mistletoe that has grown from the spot. A word is written on one of the leaves. This word is the key to the resolution of your situation. Once you have read it you may open your eyes.

And now the time has come to move from the darkness into the light.
All stand and heed the words of The High Priest.

Asperging

Purify the ritual area with salt and water. HP athame at each in turn, visualizing them glowing with a pure light and saying:

I exorcise thee, Spirit of salt,
casting out all impurities which may lie within.
Likewise do I exorcise thee, Spirit of water,
casting out all impurities which may lie within.

Place three athame-tips worth of salt in the water and mix them deosil (sunwise, clockwise). Asperge (sprinkle the salt water) the area and participants, walking deosil around the circle.

Casting the Circle

HPs casts the circle, walking deosil around the circle with her athame, visualizing a line of blue fire growing at the edge, and saying:

I conjure thee, Circle of power,
to form a boundary between the material world of humanity
and the realms of the spirit,
a guardian and a protection
to preserve and contain
the power we will raise within.
I bless and consecrate this circle.

Calling the Quarters

Four volunteers from the Grove call the Quarters. They light the appropriate altar candle, turn toward the direction of their Quarter, draw an invoking pentagram in the air and say:

Feather:
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East,
Powers of Air, mind and imagination.
I call upon you: the breezes, winds and zephyrs ...
grace our circle with your Presence this night.
Great Eagle of the Eastern Skies,
I summon, stir, and call Thee up!

Sharkie:
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South,
Powers of Fire, passion and energy.
I call upon you: the fiery rays of the sun,
the dancing flames of the hearthfire,
and the deep heat within the Earth's core...
grace our circle with Your Presence this night.
Red Lion of the Southern Desert,
I summon, stir, and call Thee up!

Nonnie
Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West,
Powers of Water, intuition, and emotion.
I call upon you: the mountain streamlets,
the mighty rivers,
and the vast oceans ...
grace our circle with Your Presence this night.
Sweet Dolphin of the Western Seas,
I summon, stir, and call Thee up!

Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North,
Powers of Earth, sensation, and all things material.
I call upon you: the towering mountains,
the fertile plains,
and the enduring bedrock...
grace our circle with Your Presence this night.
Black Wolf of the Northern Forest,
I summon, stir, and call Thee up!

C.J.
Invoking the God

HP lights the green candle and invokes the God saying:

You whose promise carries the hope of the future.
You whose hope carries us forward with your waxing light.
Brilliant Sun Child, we thank you for joining us on this holy night.
Blessed be!

Bodecia
Invoking the Goddess

HPs lights the red candle and invokes the Goddess saying:

You who gives birth to our dreams
You whose mantle of love protects us all.
Sparkling White Goddess, we thank you for joining us on this holy night.
Blessed be!

C.J.
Stating the Purpose

HP says:

In sacred space, we all invite.
To welcome Yule, this longest night.

Song:Moon of Silver

CHORUS: Oh, Moon of Silver, Sun of Gold,
Gentle Lady, Lord so bold!
Guide us ever, failing never,
Lead us in ways of old.

Maiden, Mother, Ancient Crone,
Queen of Heaven on your throne,
Praise we sing Thee, Love we bring Thee,
For all that you have shown.

Lord of Darkness, Lord of Light,
Gentle Brother, King of Might,
Praise we sing thee, Love we bring Thee
On this Solstice night.

SongJoy to the World!

Joy to the World! The Lord is come!
Let Earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room
And Heaven and Nature sing, etc.

Welcome our King who brings us life.
Our lady gives him birth!
His living light returneth
to warm the seeds within us
And wake the sleeping Earth, etc.

Light we the fires to greet our Lord,
Our Light! Our Life! Our King!
Let every voice sing His holy praises
As Heaven and Nature sing, etc.

Gift Exchange

Summoner stands and makes a brief invitation to the gift exchange.

Each has prepared one wrapped gift which are laid to the North of the altar. Each in turn may rise and choose one of the gifts or may choose one from a member who has already chosen a gift. If a member's gift is chosen then that member may choose another either from the pile or from another member. And so around the circle.

SongThe Holly King

When the Holly King looked out
on the Yuletide Season,
and the snow lay round about,
deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shown the moon that night,
though the frost was cruel,
when a poor man came in sight,
gathering winter fuel.

Hither, page, and stand by me.
If thou know it telling:
yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
underneath the mountain,
right against the forest fence
by Lady Bridgid's fountain.

Bring me flesh, and bring me wine.
Bring me pine logs hither.
Thou and I will see him dine
when we bear the thither.
Page and monarch, forth they went,
forth they went together
through the rude wind's wild lament
and the bitter weather.

Sire, the night is darker now,
and the wind blows stronger.
Fails my heart, I know not how.
I can go no longer.
Hark my footsteps my good page,
tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
freeze thy blood less coldly.

In his master's step he trod,
where the snow lay dented.
Heat was in the very sod
which the king had printed.
Therefore, Paganfolk, be sure,
wealth or rank possessing,
ye who now will bless the poor
shall yourselves find blessing.

C.J. & Bodecia
Cakes and Wine

HP blesses the beverage saying:

We thank the gods of wine for the nourishment and pleasure
which flows from the fruits of the Earth.
Blessed be this wine.

Likewise the HPs blesses the cakes, saying:
We thank the goddesses of the grain for the nourishment and strength
which comes from the harvest of the Earth.
Blessed be these cakes.

Following this, the chalice and platter are passed deosil around the circle, with each offering it to the next saying:
May you drink deep of life.
May the bounty of the earth fill your table.

Song Have Yourself a Merry Little Solstice

Have yourself a merry little Solstice.
Let your heart be light,
From now on our troubles
Will be out of sight.

Have yourself a merry little Solstice,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on our troubles
Will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore,
Faithful friends who are dear to us,
Gather near to us once more.

Through the years,
We all will be together
If the Fates allow,
Hang a shining star
On the highest bough,
And have yourself
A merry little Solstice now.

Bodecia
Farewell to the Goddess

Lady of Rebirth, we thank you for joining our Circle on this longest night.
We have stood before the sacred Cauldron of Rebirth, knowing that one day we too must pass through the Cauldron to be reborn.
We ask your Yule Tide Blessings. We have come together in love and peace.
Let us depart the same way.

C.J.
Farewell to the God

Lord of the Sun, we thank you for joining our Circle on this longest night.
We ask your Yule Tide Blessings.
We have come together in love and peace.
Let us depart the same way.

Dismissing the Quarters

Feather
Powers of the East and Air,
we thank you for joining our Circle.
We ask your blessing as you part.
May there be peace between us, now and forever.

Sharkie
Powers of the South and Fire,
we thank you for joining our Circle.
We ask your blessing as you part.
May there be peace between us, now and forever.

Nonnie
Powers of the West and Water,
we thank you for joining our Circle.
We ask your blessing as you part.
May there be peace between us, now and forever.

Powers of the North and Earth,
we thank you for joining our Circle.
We ask your blessing as you part.
May there be peace between us, now and forever.

C.J. HPs says:

As a ripple on the still surface of a pond,
ever expanding until it vanishes into the stillness
may our circle expand outward, as we feast
ever expanding and though it vanish from our sight
may it be ever unbroken.
Blessed Be.