Yule

Other Names: Winter Solstice

Date: December 21 (there about)

Celebration of: The Goddess gives birth to the God

Related Holiday: Christmas

Colors: Purple or Dark Green

Symbols: Holly, mistletoe, pine branches, pine cones, wreath

Notes: Shortest day of the year. Yule log is decorated with evergreen & holly strands before being lit at sunset and is burned until sunrise. Celebration of family and friends. Celebration of peace, love and positive energy.

 

YULE, the Winter Solstice, is the season of Midwinter festivities and the return of the sun and light. The God as Sun Child is reborn of the Virgin Goddess. We honor the birth of Life and the first hopeful glimmer of light that confirms renewal. Participating in the magic of Yule enables us to join in with the potential for rebirth and to be part of the cycle which is central to our existence.  Only the Sabbat of Samhain is as rich in sacred symbolism. The evergreen tree, sacred to the Goddess who never dies, represents the uniting of the Underworld, the world of humankind, and the Gods. The wreath is a symbol of the Wheel of the Year ever changing, never-ending. This time of joyousness is also a time of reverent reflection on the gifts of the Goddess. Significant symbols include the making of the Yule Log and the ritual lighting of it’s candles, the ceremony of lighting Solstice candles, holly and ivy.