Preparation

Prepare the ritual space, cleaning the room and setting up a Yule Tree in one corner under which covenar's gifts are placed. Set up the altar with a large white candle in the center flanked by large red and green candles, four quarter candles, incense, candle holders for each of the covenars, cakes & ale, a Book of Shadows, and appropriate decorations for the season. Prepare yourself by cleansing your body and clearing your mind. Light the incense and turn out all lights including the Yule Tree. Russell leads the covenars in and seat them in a circle around the altar.

Attunement

After a few minutes of silence, Blade begins:
Darkness... Total... Complete... Enfolding...
Black as a raven's wing.
Soft as wool.
Hard as the edge of a sword blade.
Only one faint glimmer of light shines in hope and promise.

Casting the Circle

Russell: lights the white candle and says:
As this candle casts about us a circle of light
I cast about us a circle of power and magick
In the names of Herne and Bridget.
So mote it be.

Invocations

Beginning with TJ who calls the North Quarter and ending with LunaC who invokes the Lady, each lights the appropriate candle saying:

TJ: Wolf spirit of the North, welcome, as we celebrate the return of the Sun.
Feather:,/i> Fox spirit of the East, welcome, as we celebrate the return of the Sun.
Sharky Badger spirit of the South, welcome, as we celebrate the return of the Sun.
Nonnie:Stag spirit of the West, welcome, as we celebrate the return of the Sun.
Russell: Lord Herne, welcome, as we celebrate the return of the Sun.
LunaC: Lady Brigid, welcome, as we celebrate the return of the Sun.

Stating Purpose

Russell: The Wheel that holds the seasons of the year has turned to the Dark Time. The land lies asleep under it's blanket of ice and snow. Fox and badger prowl the ragged edges of the forest. The stag shakes the frozen breath from his lips and starts at the call of the wolf. All await the returning light. For now the Great Mother does give birth to the Sun King. And he, in his light and splendor, will turn the Great Wheel and start the lengthening of the days that will return the spring and the warmth. Join now with the badger and the fox, the stag and the wolf, the Crone and the Hunter, as the Wheel is turned.

Raising Power

LunaC takes her candle and lights it from the white candle then lights the candle of the person to her left and so the flame passes clockwise around the circle. As the candles are lit, Dan steps inside the circle of covanars and begins to drum and chant:

Brigid of shining fire,
Lady of flickering flame,
Grant us our hearts' desire,
Be with us, we call your name.

Lord Herne of forest and bower,
Hunter of widest fame,
The Dance calls with love and power,
Join with us, we call your name.

Once all the candles are lit, holding the candle in their right hands and extending toward the center with the left hand on the shoulder of the covenar to the left, the covenars began to move clockwise around the altar while continuing to chant. After circling three times around the chant stops and covenars place their candles in the holders on the altar.

Gift Exchange

As the lights of the Yule Tree are turned on Russell says:
A gift from Herne, the Horned Lord of the Forests, Master of the Greenwood. May it remind you that though the days be dark and the nights be long the Wheel of the Year does turn and the gifts of light and life shall return again. Be ready to accept those gifts and be willing to give them up to someone else knowing that other gifts will surely come your way.

Beginning to Russell's left, each covenar rises in turn and chooses one of the gifts from under the Yule Tree or one of the gifts already chosen, in which case that covenar may choose again.

Cakes and Ale

Russell takes the plate of cakes and raises it high saying:
May Herne protect you from hunger during the remaining time of cold and frost.
The plate is passed to the left with each taking some before passing it on.

LunaC takes the chalice and raises it high saying:
My Brigid protect you from thirst during the remaining time of cold and frost.

The chalice is passed to the left with each drinking before passing it on.

Devocations

Russell raises his athame high and says:
Lord and Lady,
Spirits of the Four Quarters.
Thank you for your presence here tonight
As we celebrated the rebirth of the Sun.
Go if you must
Stay if you will
Go in peace.

LunaC raise her wand high and says:
As we close our ritual tonight
May the energy we raised
Spread outward as a ripple on calm water
To heal the Earth.

The circle is open yet ever unbroken
So mote it be.