Celebrating Yule: A Guide for Pagan Families 

Yule: The Winter Solstice

By Kerrilyn Bachler-Connor

While working in the Special Orders department at a Borders Book Store, I often came

across requests for Pagan themed books for children, or at least, for the entire family to

enjoy together. Books detailing the Sabbats were especially popular, and incredibly hard to find. People who are just learning about Paganism themselves, and want to share this

information with their children, have very few resources they can use. Very few Pagan

books for children exist at all, and the demand for these are not being met.

The books on Sabbats that do exist are geared toward adults practicing without children

present. As Paganism grows stronger, more families are practicing together, and parents

are looking for activities that are children safe and friendly. They also want books that do not give a prescribed path that the author tells them “must” be followed.

One of the highly regarded aspects of Paganism, is the freedom to worship as we choose,

however, too many authors are falling into the trap of telling how exactly things must be

done instead of giving suggestions and letting the practitioner choose what feels right for them.

Through the research I have done with interviewing families on what it is they are looking for, I have found a common feeling of alienation created by authors “telling” instead of “suggesting”. One mother told me, “I want ideas, not a rigid, step by step manual. I want to decide how, what and when – I just need a place to start.” (Michelle Collins – Kenosha, WI). This article on Yule, is designed to give Pagan parents that starting point they are searching for. Articles for the other Sabbats will also be available to get parents on their way to celebrating their beliefs with their children.

Yule, also known as the Winter Solstice and the longest night of the year is on December 21st and celebrated as the rebirth of the sun. The Christians turned this holiday into their Christmas, but many of the sentiments and traditions remain the same whether celebrated by Pagans or Christians. Dorothy Morrison described this feeling perfectly in her book Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth:

These holidays provide us with a time for reflection, resolutions, and renewal. A time for gift-giving, good will and kindness. Most important though, they provide us with rituals to celebrate the balance of light and dark – rituals for welcoming the healing powers of warmth back into our world – and that gives us a common ground that draws us together as a people.

The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year, and the beginning of winter. It begins the new solar year, and ends the old. The Goddess manifests as the Great Mother and the God becomes the born again Sun Child, continuing the never ending cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Fires are lit to give strength to the sun and to encourage it to return. Yule is a time to celebrate with family and friends cherishing the past and welcoming the future. The Roman holiday for Yule was known as Saturnalia the purpose of the celebration was to end the old year and begin the new year.

Nature Spirits

The Snow Queen, storm faeries and winter tree faeries are all nature spirits associated with December and the Yule

season.

In her book The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fairies, Anna Franklin describes the Snow Queen as:

…a beautiful but cruel Danish fairy that brings the winter

snows. She lives in a white winter palace and has no

children of her own. To be loved by her means death. She

may be the later form of a winter Hag Goddess.

Storm faeries are attracted to storms, and winter tree faeries are attracted to winter trees – such as evergreens. You might want to consider a family project of building winter shelters for these faeries to place in the trees or at the bottom of the trunk if you happen to own any. It never hurts to give the faeries a gift.

Remember however, that although fairies may seem like a lot of fun, they can be sneaky and spiteful. Trying to see or catch them is never a good idea.

Colors

Green is for abundance, growth, healing, prosperity, fertility, employment, luck, jealousy, personal appearance, neutralizes

Red is for love, passion, fire, willpower, courage, energy, strength, anger, blood, life cycle, desire and war.

White symbolizes cleansing, peace, protection, healing, truth, divination, tranquility, purification, childhood and innocence.

Flowers

Holly is used for protection, anti-lightning, luck, and dream magick.

The poinsettia is for rebirth, and rejuvenation.

Scents

Violet is for protection, luck, love, wishes, peace, and healing.

Patchouli is for money, fertility, protection, divination and physical energy.

Rose Geranium invites protection, fertility, love, and health.

Frankincense is for protection and spirituality.

Myrrh is also for protection, along with healing and spirituality.

Lilac also is used for protection, and beauty, love, purification and to help see past lives

Stones

Serpentine is for psychic energy.

Jacinth is for love, and to induce a change of heart

Peridot symbolizes protection, prosperity, sleep, health, emotional balance and intuition.

Incense, Herbs, Trees and Woods

Pine invokes healing, protection, fertility, money, knowledge, fire magick, illumination, purification, physical energy, and magickal energy, while banishing negative entities.

Holly summons protection, anti-lightning, luck, and dream magick.

English Ivy is for protection and healing.

Mistletoe calls for protection, love, fertility, health, luck, and good fortune.

Peppermint is for love, psychic awareness, mental stimulant, energy and purification.

Cedar is for healing, courage, purification, protection, money, hexbreaking, spirituality and self control.

Juniper is for protection, love, health, banishing of negative entities and purification.

Evergreens provide power over death and destruction.

Bayberry calls for money, good luck, peace, harmony and well being.

Cinnamon provides love, success, power, psychic awareness, physical energy and prosperity.

Frankincense increases spirituality, and protection, banishes negative entities, and is used for consecration and

meditation.

Spruce is used for cleansing, drawing happiness, keeping away depression and fighting illness.

Birch is used for fertility, purification, and the banishment of negativity.

Ash provides protection, prosperity, and health.

Animals and Birds

The mouse symbolizes attention to details.

A deer symbolizes gentleness and innocence, a gentle luring to new adventures.

The horse stands for travel, power and freedom.

The bear symbolizes the awakening of the power of the unconscious mind.

The rook is associated with death, bad news, fear, and unconscious feelings.

A robin celebrates the spread of new growth.

The Snowy Owl stands for silent wisdom and nocturnal vision, healing and magical powers.

The reindeer is connected to two important deities. First it represents the Celtic horned God Cernunnos, and second it represents the stags that drew the chariot of the Norse Goddess Freya.

Other Symbols

Bells were originally rang throughout the dark and cold time of the year to chase away demons.

Candles are an important aspect of Yule as the fire melts away the chill of winter and encourages the sun to come back again.

Elves are from the land of Alfaheimer, which was also inhabited by the spirits who created the sun. When elves are included in your festivities, it encourage them to encourage the sun to shine again.

Lights have been used for years to frighten away negative energies and to encourage the sun to shine.

The sleigh represents the chariot used by Freyja, the Norse Goddess who delivered gifts to her friends during the 12 days

following the Winter Solstice.

The snowflake is a winter symbol of love.

Wassail was originally a fertility ritual for apple orchards used to increase the yield of apples for the coming year. The ritual included sprinkling trees with a mixture of eggs and apples with either wine, ale or cider. Today wassail is a drink used to celebrate the festivities.

The wreath, in the shape of the circle represents everlasting life – the eternal cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. It is also

used to represent the sun.

The Yule Log is lit on the Winter Solstice and burnt continuously for 12 days. A portion of the wood is saved to start the fire at the next Winter Solstice. Some people save several pieces of the log to light different festival fires throughout the year.

The Yule Log is a symbol of the Celtic Oak King and it decorated with evergreen (which represent the Holly King). It signifies the death of darkness and the return of the sun, light and warmth.

Energy and Power Flows

At this time of the year, energy is best used for regeneration and renewal.

Power flow shifts from endurance to death to rebirth. The Earth’s tides are turning as darkness prevails. Work on personal alchemy and spiritual paths. Reach out to friends and family along with the lonely and needy.

Traditions

Cold winter days can be spent indoors preparing for your Yule celebration by making decorations and costumes. You can also make gifts to give to your family and loved ones at Yule.

When decorating for Yule, make sure to include lots of greenery such as ivy, holly and the boughs of evergreens either through the use of wreaths or garlands. These can also be decorated with red ribbons or sprinkled with red glitter.

Decorate an outdoor Yule tree for the wildlife. Include strings of popcorn and cranberries, orange slices, and stale bread cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Cover pine cones in peanut butter and roll in bird seed and hang in the tree.

Decorate an indoor Yule tree with Pagan symbols, lights, glitter and ribbons. If you use a live potted tree, save it to plant outdoors when the weather becomes warmer. If you use a cut live tree, it should be burned on Twelfth Night. Save your other greenery to burn on Imbolc.

Take a nature walk! Nature walks are perfect for all kinds of seasons for all kinds of reasons. Each season we will discuss different things to do on your nature walks and different items to watch for and document. If it snows where you live, winter

is the perfect time to go looking for animal tracks. Find a book that shows different animal tracks and take it, along with your journal so you can record what kind of tracks you found where. This will show you what kind of animals you have living in your environment and just how close they are to your home. You can even leave out food in the winter for the different kinds of animals you discover are nearby. Winter always makes it harder for animals to feed themselves – they will appreciate the extra help!

Hang mistletoe over your doorway.  Although this is a common practice today among non-Pagans, it definitely has Pagan roots!

Wassailing is a practice similar to caroling but directed at nature instead of at other people. Prepare a wassail drink with ale and apples and pour into bowls to take outside with you as you go from tree to tree (especially fruit and nut trees) “anointing” each with some of the wassail. Wassail, along with wassail songs, are used to help ensure a good crop in the coming year.

Burn Bayberry candles throughout your celebration to bring about wealth and happiness throughout the next year.

Perform a play reenacting the battle of the Holly King and the Oak King, complete with costumes. At Yule, the Holly King is defeated by the Oak King until they rebottle at Midsummer when the Oak King is defeated by the Holly King. Family members can play the role of fairies or woodland creatures. If possible, enjoy a sleigh ride! Bring along a thermos of hot apple cider, lots of blankets and (for the more musically inclined) why not try singing a few Pagan folk or Yule songs along the way?

Yule is also a time to set new goals. Amber K., phrased this rebirth of the mind and soul perfectly in her book, Covencraft: Witchcraft for Three or More: New ideas, dreams, hopes and projects are born, and our thoughts and energies turn to the new season of life ahead. True, there are months of cold ahead for many of us, but

the light grows and warmth will follow.

Crafts

Yule Log

There are several ways to make a Yule Log. The first type of log we will go over is for those who do not have a fireplace to burn a log. With this kind of Yule Log, we will make holes to insert candles to burn instead of burning the log itself.

What you need:

A birch log about twelve to eighteen inches long

Holly

Candles (at least 3) The candle size depends on the size holes you want to cut into the wood. You can cut smaller holes and use tapered candles, or larger holes and use either votive, or tea light candles.

Red Ribbon

Glitter

Any other items you would like to use to decorate the log with.

What you do:

First the log must be prepared – it either needs to be sawed lengthwise to make a flat bottom while the top remains rounded, or it must be nailed to a flat service to prevent it from rolling.

Next the holes must be drilled for the candles – make sure you drill the holes to the size candles you want to use.

Add the candles and any other decorations you would like to use.

This type of Yule log can be used over and over, whereas the second type of log we will talk about is actually burned in a fire while reserving a small, unburned piece to start the fire the following year with a new Yule Log.

Evergreen Wreath

What you need:

A metal ring – to be the size of the wreath you wish to make

Sprigs of pine, spruce, fir, cedar or holly

Pine Cones, dried berries, nuts, or seeds

Floral wire

Ribbon

Hot glue gun and sticks

Wire cutters

What you do:

Separate the greenery sprigs into bunches of three or four. Wrap the bottom of each bunch with floral wire tightly enough to hold them all together while still allowing the other end to fan out some. Next wrap the wire around the metal ring attaching the sprigs tightly to the ring. Place the head of the next bunch over the bottom of the first and wind the wire around the ring. Continue this all the way around the ring making it thick and full. Wrap a ribbon around the wreath or tie it in a bow and hold in place with the hot glue gun. Finally, arrange pine cones, dried berries, seeds or nuts on the wreath

and glue in place.

Evergreen Garlands

What you need:

Sprigs of evergreens – pine, spruce, fir, cedar or holly

Pine cones, dried berries, nuts or seeds

Floral wire

Ribbon

Wire Cutter

Hot glue gun and sticks

What you do:

Combine the sprigs into bunches of three or four pieces of evergreen and wrap the ends with the floral wire, making sure to leave extra floral wire to secure the next bunch to. Place the second bunch over the first so covers the wires of the first

and gives you room to secure the wires together. Each time make sure you leave enough wire to secure the next bunch of greens to the next bunch. Continue adding bunches of evergreens until you reach your desired length. Decorate the garland with ribbons, pine cones, berries, nuts or seeds.

Outdoor Yule Tree decoration/Bird Feeder

You can make colored decorations for the tree and a treat for birds at the same time.

What you need:

2 cups raw suet

2 ¼ cups bread crumbs

1 ½ cup popcorn

1 cup sunflower seeds

Net bags (like those oranges and onions come in)

Double boiler – or a coffee can to place in a large pan of hot water.

Wax paper

What to do:

Melt the suet in the double boiler or coffee can. When it is all melted, remove from heat and let it cool until it begins to harden. Stir in all other ingredients. As you add the ingredients, the suet will cool quicker and begin to harden more. After all the ingredients have been covered in suet, dump it onto the wax paper – make sure it isn’t too hot to handle – and begin rolling it into balls to fit into the net bags. You can make the net bags different sizes by cutting them and using twine to tie off the ends. Put the balls into the refrigerator to finish cooling. When they are solid, hang on your outdoor Yule tree!

Herbal ornaments

There are several different types of herbal ornaments you can make and we will go over a few of them. Use these for starters to come up with more ideas of your own.

Herbal Sprigs Ornaments

What you need:

Small bunches of herbs such as any of those found in the corresponding herb section for Yule.

Wire cutters

Floral wire

Thin ribbon

What you do:

Bunch together the ends of the herbs and secure with the floral wire. Using two pieces of thin ribbon, tie one around the floral wire to make a loop to hang the sprigs with. Use the second piece of ribbon to wrap around the end covering the wire

and other ribbon completely and tie in to a bow.

Filled Herbal Ornaments

What you need:

An assortment of herbs

Scissors

Clear plastic or glass fillable ornaments (available at craft stores)

What you do:

Cut your herbs into small pieces and fill the ornament with them. You may wish to add small pieces of cut ribbon or glitter to add more color.

Spice Scented Ornaments

What you need:

Styrofoam balls of different sizes

Thin ribbon

Toothpicks

Straight pins

Spray glue

Ground spices such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or ground cloves.

What to do:

Stick a toothpick into a Styrofoam ball and cover the ball with spray glue. Roll the sticky bowl through the spice or spices you want to cover it in. Tap it gently to knock off any excess. Set it aside to dry. Using a small piece of ribbon, make a loop and pin it into place to make a hangar. You may want to use a drop of glue to help hold the pin in place.

You can also use glitter instead of spices to make sparkling ornaments or mix glitter with the spices.

Gifts to make

Homemade baked goods

This can include more than just cookies and candy. Try breads, jams, butters and spreads too. Go for something unique!

Bath salts

Combine sea salt and Epsom salt along with your choices of essential oils. Mix well and spread out thinly on a cookie

sheet to dry. You may also add just a hint of coloring to give off different hues. Put the salts into pretty decorative jars,

which you can also make yourself from empty glass jars. Use paint, glitter or ribbons to decorate the jars.

Candles

There are all kind of different candles you can make. I save all of my wax drippings throughout the year and then make brown pillar candles at the end of the year. (Mixing different colored waxes together will give you brown). I also add ground

cinnamon and a few drops of cinnamon oil to give them a nice scent that matches the color. Candle molds can be found at your local craft store or online.

Potpourri

Make homemade potpourri with pine needles, orange rind, vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, ginger, dried apples or cloves. Potpourri can also be stored in glass jars you decorate yourself. You can also use these same items but put them through a grinder to make incense.

Personalized scented pillows

Personalize the pillow with colors and patterns reflective of the person you are making it for. Also personalize the pillow with scents appropriate for that person by sewing herbs into the pillow or by dropping a few drops of essential oils into the padding. Store these in resealable type freezer bags to keep them full of their aromas – and to not “give away” what the gift is!

Herbal Kitchen Wreath

Use the same method described earlier for the evergreen wreath, but instead of evergreens, use bunches of herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, lemon balm, or mint. You can even make a bedroom wreath out of dried lavender.

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