|
Home
Wicca Holy Days Correspondences Sacred Space Book of Shadows Angels Webweaving Contact |
Yule means wheel, for now the wheel of the year has reached a turning point, with the longest night of the year. This is the time of greatest darkness when we seek within ourselves to comprehend our true nature. In virtually all Pagan religions, this is the night the Great Mother Goddess gives birth to the baby Sun God and from this day forward, the days begin to lengthen, light is waxing. The ancient Pagans lit fires or candles to welcome the Sun's returning light and the onset of nature and the earth beginning to awaken although the Goddess was believed to be resting after her delivery since this is the shortest day of the year... 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. Modern Pagans celebrate Yule as a reminder that the ultimate product of death is rebirth, a comforting thought in these days of unrest. Traditional Foods Fruits such as Pears, Apples and Oranges are served as well as Ginger tea, Cider and Pork. These items can be prepared and served in many different ways. Herbs and Flowers Holly, Mistletoe, Ivy, Cedar, Bay, Juniper, Rosemary, Pine. Incense Lilac, Bayberry, Cedar, Pine, Rosemary. Woods and Herbs Burned: Cedar, Rosemary, Pine, Rosemary. Sacred Gemstone Topaz Special Activities - Decorate a Yule Tree. For ornaments, use natural items such as pine cones, acorns, string popcorn, berries, or suns and crescent moons. Also, white lights are sometime strung around the tree to help welcome back the Sun God's return. Green lights and bells are also tied onto the tree for the Fae.
|
