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thesilverwitch · 7 years ago

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THE YULE MASTERPOST

❄ HISTORY | TRADITIONS | RITUALS ❄

A Compilation of Original Articles by: ☽Patti Wigington at About Paganism + LadySpringWolf at The Pagan’s Path + The Huffington Post + Crystal Links + ZME SCIENCE☾

For people of nearly any religious background, the time of the winter solstice is a time when we gather with family and loved ones. For Pagans it's often celebrated as Yule!

HISTORY

Every year the Sun traces out a circular path in a west-to-east direction relative to the stars (this is in addition to the apparent daily east-to-west rotation of the celestial sphere around the Earth). The two points at which the ecliptic and the equatorial plane intersect, known as the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, and the two points of the ecliptic farthest north and south from the equatorial plane, known as the summer and winter solstices, divide the ecliptic into four equal parts. These cycles were familiar to Greek astronomers, but it wasn't until Hipparchus that a method of using the observed dates of two equinoxes and a solstice to calculate the size and direction of the displacement of the Sun’s orbit was established. Hipparchus (190BC – 120BC) was a Greek Astronomer and Mathematician. His writings on this subject tell us that the Solstice was a known event not just in his time, but before his time as well.

The winter solstice occurs on December 21st and marks the beginning of winter (this is the shortest day of the year). The Winter Solstice has been recognized and celebrated for eons by ancient people around the globe.

The Newgrange burial mound in Ireland's County Meath is surrounded by megalithic stones set in what archeologists believe to be astronomical position to the Winter Solstice. The Stone Age monument dates to around 3200 B.C., making it 500 years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt and a thousand years older than England's Stonehenge.

Stonehenge itself has long been associated with the solstice and equinox cycles. Once again, there is evidence of ancient people recognizing these times of the year not just from an astronomical perspective, but in terms of spiritual reverence as well.

No one is really sure when the first festival or ritual celebration for this time of the year occurred. But we do know that it has long been recognized and honored in some of the worlds most reverent monuments. It would be silly to think that a point in time so important to ancient people would not have been celebrated or honored until the 7th century AD. But we're jumping ahead in our tale.

ETYMOLOGY OF YULE

You can tell a lot about a word by reviewing it's origins and usage at the time it was created and established in language and literature. So we should start the discussion with the history of the word "Yule".

Etymology Online describes Yule as:

Old English, coming from geol (Christmas Day) or geola (Christmastide). A heathen feast, later taken over by Christianity and from unknown origin. The O.E. (Anglian) cognate giuli was the Anglo-Saxons' name for a two-month midwinter season corresponding to Roman December and January, a time of important feasts but not itself a festival.

Wikipedea describes the etymology as:

The modern English word Yule likely derives from the word yoole, from 1450, which developed from the Old English term geo-l and geo-la before 899. The term has been linked to and may originate from the Old Norse Jo. The etymology of the name of the feast of Yule (Old Norse jól, Anglo-Saxon geohol and gehol) and the winter month (Anglo-Saxon giuli, geóla, Gothic fruma jiuleis, Old Norse ýlir) has not yet been completely explained, but the term may have originally meant something similar to "magic" or "feast of entreaty". This word is also the root of the English word "jolly."

But the more significant perspective that seems to hold a stronger connection to the historical evolution of Yule comes from Old Norse. According to The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology,

Yule is derived into modern English from Jól deriving from Old Norse hjól, wheel, referring to the moment when the wheel of the year is at its low point, ready to rise again (compare to the Slavic karachun).

Connecting the word to earlier language tells us where the words came from, but not where the holidays began. We can find some clues, such as the connection between Yule to hjól in it's use as the wheel of life. The wheel or cycle of life was something the early Norse pagans were very big on. So at the very least we can the concept of Yule is much older than the word itself.

EARLY INFLUENCES OF YULE

For the moment let's put aside the archeological evidence of burial mounts, and 'henge' structures that were built in correspondence to solstice astronomical observances.

The Romans:

Most scholars suggest that the first influence of this winter festival began with Saturnalia in Rome. Saturnalia is the feast with which the Romans commemorated the dedication of the temple of the god Saturn. Saturn was a major Roman God and designated as the God of agriculture and harvest. Another link to the "wheel" concept.

In early astrology, Saturn represents our limitations, our restrictions,yet it is also our inner mentor and teacher. His lessons are manifested only over time, after which we go through inner rebirth and enjoy spiritual growth. Some suggest this is the connection between the idea of the "rebirth" of the God during the winter festival.

Saturnalia was introduced around 217 BC and was originally celebrated for a day, on December 17, it's popularity grew and so did it's length of celebration from one day to a full week ending on December 23rd. Caesar Augustus tried to shorten the holiday to 3 days, and Caligula to five days, but both efforts failed.

Seneca the Younger wrote about Rome during Saturnalia around AD 50 (Sen. epist. 18,1-2):

It is now the month of December, when the greatest part of the city is in a bustle. Loose reins are given to public dissipation; everywhere you may hear the sound of great preparations, as if there were some real difference between the days devoted to Saturn and those for transacting business....Were you here, I would willingly confer with you as to the plan of our conduct; whether we should eve in our usual way, or, to avoid singularity, both take a better supper and throw off the toga.

Gaius Valerius Catullus (ca. 84 BC – ca. 54 BC) was a Roman poet of the 1st century BC. He describes Saturnalia as:

..the best of days (Cat. 14.15). It was a time of celebration, visits to friends, and gift-giving, particularly of wax candles (cerei), and earthenware figurines (sigillaria).

Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra's birthday was the most sacred day of the year.

In 354 AD, A Roman scholar wrote:

"It was customary for pagans to celebrate the birth of the sun...when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnized on that day [December 25th]."

These two early Roman holidays were certainly celebrated by the soldiers of Ceaser as they traveled the world to conquer other lands. And it could be from these early origins that the first influences on pagan Europe began. But they're not the only influence.

The Norse:

The pagan Celtic lands also saw invasions of the Norse. Some would say the Norse had much more influence over early Celtic pagans than the Romans did. Or at the very least a longer lasting influence.

Norse literature has many references to Yule or a Winter Solstice celebration. Ynglinga saga, the first book of Heimskringla, first mentions a Yule feast in 840.The Norse Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál, mentions Yule

"Again we have produced Yule-being's feast [mead of poetry], our rulers' eulogy, like a bridge of masonry."

In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun. It is this influence that we can see most in European Paganism. The Wheel of the Year divided into 4 parts was not that far of a leap for early European Pagans. They were already familiar with honoring the solstice periods as evidenced in The Stone Age Newgrange tomb and Stonehenge.

They recognized the Suns return and knew it meant fields would once again be ready for tilling and planting. Warmth would return to the world and darkness would fade. To the rural folk who worked hard during the year, the end of a lean winter was something to celebrate and the God of the Sun was something to be honored. It bothers me that such significance it put on Germanic celebrations from the 7th Century AD, when so much historical evidence points to a much older acknowledgement and reverent connection to the Wheel of The Year in early pagan Europe and Norse history and mythology.

YULE TODAY

For all it's inputs and influences, Yule is still an important time of the year to pagans around the world. In the most direct terms it is still a festival that honors the cycle of nature and the Wheel of the Year. It is not just about the rebirth of a God figure in pagan lore.

Yule is a 12 day holiday, it begins on "Mothers Night" (December 21st) and ends 12 days later on "Yule Night" (January 1st). It's the origin for the Christian "12 Days of Christmas".

For Celtic pagans, Yule is the time when the Sun God Lugh is reborn in human form to rejoin his beloved wife Eriu. She is described as a hag, who transformed into a beautiful Goddess by the marriage and personifies the land of Ireland in her every feature and character. She becomes known in legend as the "Sovereignty of Ireland". Yule is also the celebration of the cycle of life through Eriu and all her incarnations as the Maiden, Mother and Crone Goddess.

In these legends, Lugh takes his bride in the form of the Maiden Goddess, to look out upon their land and in seeing the suffering of their people they grow worried and concerned. The summer High Holy Day Lughnasadh is celebrated by many traditions as the moment when Lugh, as the Sacred King, sacrifices his own life to save his suffering people. In doing so his blood is spread across the fields to ensure the fertility of the fields and a bountiful harvest of crop and herd.

As the harvests are brought in, and winters covers the land, the Great Mother (the Mother Goddess) resurrects Lugh from the ground, rising him up into the dark sky and returns him (as the Sun) to the universe. The effort to raise Lugh into the sky causes Eriu to grow old as she shared her knowledge with the God to teach him all he needed to know to govern over his people once more. Bestowing her Old Crone wisdom upon Lugh brings the cycle back to the beginning of the legend.

To the Welsh pagans, Yule is seen as the time when the young Oak King and the Old Holly King battle for supremacy just as they do at the Midsummer festival. At the Midsummer festival the Holly King battles the Oak King and wins their campaign. The Holly King reigns until the start of Winter (the beginning of Yule) when the Oak King is reborn and prepares to battle the Holly King for rule over the land once more.

Both of these celebrations show how the Ancient pagans had a strong tie with honoring the solstices through out the year. The winter solstice bringing about the return of the sun and longer days and a celebration of the survival of cold winter months.

Over the evolution of paganism, these legends have developed into various rituals and observations. One of the more detailed or organized observations is closely related to the Celtic legend of Lugh, Eriu and the 12 Days of Yule.

The festivals are observed from sunset to sunset .

Dec. 20 to Dec. 23. During the 1st 3 days - The virgin Maiden Goddess is honored as your guide for moving forward into the new year, to set you on the right and positive path.

Dec. 23 to Dec. 26. The 2nd set of 3 days - The Mother Goddess is honored for fertility and all your coming endeavors.

Dec. 26 to Dec 29. The 3rd set of 3 days - These 3 days are set aside for the rebirth of the God, and honoring his guidance through the physical world.

Dec. 29 to Jan. 1. - The last 3 days are set aside for the Old Crone Goddess who is honored for wisdom and as your teacher into the cosmic lessons of life and spirit. In modern times, under the solar calendar, she might also be honored as the waning year giving way to the new year.

YULE SYMBOLOGY

There is much to the symbology of Yule. Revolving around harvest and livestock, this was a time of honoring the sun and thankfulness for the bounty that is sustaining the family through the cold.

The first direct reference to the Yule log can be found around the 17th century. The Old Norse 'jol' seems to have been borrowed in Old French as 'olif', which gave way to the Modern French 'joli'; "pretty, nice," originally "festive". In Scandanavia, Old Norse pagan fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire in the center of their village. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. Some suggest this is the significance or origination of the 12 Days of Yule.

The colors of Yule, red, white and green come from the Holly Tree and honoring the Old King.

“The tradition of wassailing (alt sp: wasselling) falls into two distinct categories: The house-visiting wassail and the orchard-visiting wassail. The house-visiting wassail is the practice of people going door-to-door, singing and offering a drink from the wassail bowl in exchange for gifts. This practice still exists, but has largely been displaced by caroling.The orchard-visiting wassail refers to the ancient custom of visiting orchards in cider-producing regions of England, reciting incantations and singing to the trees to promote a good harvest for the coming year.”

Wassailing is or to "wassail," is a word derived from the Old Norse 'ves heil'. In Old English 'hál' meaning "be in good health" or "be fortunate." "Wassail" first appears in English literature as a salute as early as the eighth-century in the poem Beowulf. It is used in references such as "warriors' wassail and words of power".

Wassail also denoted the drink used for a toast. Rowena's spiced wine resembled the ancient Roman hypocras, which survived into the early Middle Ages as a libation for the wealthy. When fine ales replaced the wine, more people could afford it and recipes varied according to the means of each family. Though usually prepared for immediate consumption, wassail sometimes was bottled and allowed to ferment. By about the 1600s, the practice of taking a wassail bowl about the streets had taken root. Instead of consuming the punch-like concoction at home, wassailers went house to house offering a warm drink and going Wassailing was born.

In Europe, Pagans did not cut down evergreen trees, bring them into their homes and decorate them. That would have been far too destructive of nature. Instead, they would cut boughs of evergreen trees, mistletoe and holly branches and bring them into their home or temple. These cuttings would be decorated and displayed as symbols of the season. They were also thought to hold great magik as they remained green through the winter months while other plants and trees turned brown and "died".

Other pagans had similar traditions:

Not having evergreen trees, the ancient Egyptians considered the palm tree to symbolize resurrection. They decorated their homes with its branches during the winter solstice.

"The first decorating of an evergreen tree began with the heathen Greeks and their worship of their god Adonia, who allegedly was brought back to life by the serpent Aessulapius after having been slain."

The ancient Pagan Romans decorated their "trees with bits of metal and replicas of their god, Bacchus [a fertility god]. They also placed 12 candles on the tree in honor of their sun god". Their mid-winter festival of Saturnalia started on December 17th and often lasted until a few days after the Solstice.

In Northern Europe, the ancient Germanic people tied fruit and attached candles to evergreen tree branches, in honor of their god Woden. Trees were viewed as symbolizing eternal life. This is the deity after which Wednesday was named. The trees joined holly, mistletoe, the wassail bowl and the Yule log as symbols of the season. All predated Christianity.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE

The history of the Christmas tree is a controversial topic, with scholars of different backgrounds giving different information. An individual's definition of what the Christmas tree actually is may also affect this information. Is a Christmas tree a tree brought into the home and decorated (the modern christmas tree), or can it be represented by evergreen branches hung on one’s door? Or was it that the act of using evergreen branches evolved into using an entire tree? Whatever you believe, here’s one viewpoint.

Long before Christianity appeared, people in the Northern Hemisphere used evergreen plants to decorate their homes, particularly the doors, to celebrate the Winter Solstice. The solstice was celebrated by the Egyptians who filled their homes with green palm rushes in honor of the god Ra, who had the head of a hawk and wore the sun as a crown. In Northern Europe, the Celts decorated their druid temples with evergreen boughs which signified everlasting life. Further up north, the Vikings thought evergreens were the plants of Balder, the god of light and peace. The ancient Romans marked the Winter Solstice with a feast called Saturnalia thrown in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture, and, like the Celts, decorated their homes and temples with evergreen boughs.

While a lot of ancient cultures used evergreens around Christmas time, historical records suggest that the Christmas tree tradition was started in the 16th century by Germans who decorated fir trees inside their homes. In some Christian cults, Adam and Eve were considered saints, and people celebrated them during Christmas Eve.

During the 16th century, the late Middle Ages, it was not rare to see huge plays being performed in open-air during Adam and Eve day, which told the story of creation. As part of the performance, the Garden of Eden was symbolized by a “paradise tree” hung with fruit. The clergy banned these practices from the public life, considering them acts of heathenry. So, some collected evergreen branches or trees and brought them to their homes, in secret.

These evergreens were initially called ‘paradise trees’ and were often accompanied by wooden pyramids made of branches held together by rope. On these pyramids, some families would fasten and light candles, one for each family member. These were the precursors of modern Christmas tree lights and ornaments, along with edibles such as gingerbread and gold covered apples.

Some say the first to light a candle atop a Christmas tree was Martin Luther. Legend has it, late one evening around Christmas time, Luther was walking home through the woods when he was struck by the innocent beauty of starlight shining through fir trees. Wanting to share this experience with his family, Martin Luther cut down a fir tree and took it home. He placed a small candle on the branches to symbolize the Christmas sky.

What’s certain is that by 1605, Christmas trees were a thing as, in that year, historical records suggest the inhabitants of Strasburg ‘set up fir trees in the parlours and hang thereon roses cut out of many-coloured paper, apples, wafers, gold-foil, sweets, etc.’

During these early days of the Christmas tree, many statesmen and members of the clergy condemned their use as a celebration of Christ. Lutheran minister Johann von Dannhauer, for instance, complained that the symbol distracted people from the true evergreen tree, Jesus Christ. The English Puritans condemned a number of customs associated with Christmas, such as the use of the Yule log, holly and mistletoe. Oliver Cromwell, the influential 17th-century British politician, preached against the “the heathen traditions” of Christmas carols, decorated trees, and any joyful expression that desecrated “that sacred event.”

THE MODERN CHRISTMAS TREE

It wasn’t until the time of Queen Victoria that celebrating Christmas by bearing gifts around a fir tree became a worldwide custom. In 1846, Queen Victoria and her German husband Albert were sketched in the Illustrated London News standing with their children around a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle. German immigrants had brought the custom of Christmas trees to Britain with them in the early 1800s but the practice didn’t catch on with the locals. After Queen Victoria, an extremely popular monarch, started celebrating Christmas with fir trees and presents hung on the branches as a favor to her husband, the layfolk immediately followed suit.

Across the ocean, in the 19th century, Christmas trees weren’t at all popular, though Dutch and German settlers introduced them. Americans were less susceptible to the Queen’s influence. However, it was American civic leaders, artists, and authors who played on the image of a happy middle-class family exchanging gifts around a tree in an effort to replace Christmas customs that were seen as decadent, like wassailing. This family-centered image was further amplified by a very popular poem written by Clement Moore in 1822 known as the “Twas the Night Before Christmas”. The same poem conjured the modern picture of Santa Claus.

It took a long time before the Christmas tree became an integral part of American life during this faithful night. President Franklin Pierce (1804-1869) arranged to have the first Christmas tree in the White House, during the mid-1850s. President Calvin Coolidge (1885-1933) started the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the White House lawn in 1923.

Though traditionally not all Christian cultures adorned their homes with evergreens and presents, the influence exerted by the West and rising consumerism has turned the Christmas tree into a ubiquitous symbol. In fact, many people of other faiths have adopted the Christmas tree (See Japan for instance).

The Christmas tree has gone a long way from its humble, pagan origins, to the point that it’s become too popular for its own good. In the U.S. alone, 35 million Christmas trees are sold annually, joined by 10 million artificial trees, which are surprisingly worse from an environmental perspective. Annually, 300 million Christmas trees are grown in farms around the world to sustain a two-billion-dollar industry, but because these are often not enough, many firs are cut down from forests. This is why we recommend opting for more creative and sustainable alternatives to Christmas trees.

WHO CARES!

Despite the history, many pagans still enjoy bringing their Christmas trees inside. If the christmas tree means something special to you, or if you would like to give it its own pagan meanings for your personal Yule celebrations, then have at it! It’s your tree, in your house, and it can represent whatever you like.

RITUALS AND CEREMONIES

Depending on your particular tradition, there are many different ways you can celebrate the Solstice season. Here are a few rituals you may want to think about trying—and remember, any of them can be altered for your particular tradition/belief system!

Setting Up the Yule Altar

Prayers for Yule

Welcome Back the Sun for Yule

Goddess Rite for Solitaries

Goddess Rite for Groups

Hold a Yule Log Ceremony

Yule Cleansing Ritual

Holiday Tree Blessing Ceremony

Elemental Blessings of Donations Ritual

YULE MAGIC

The Yule season is full of magic, much of it focusing on rebirth and renewal, as the sun makes its way back to the earth. Focus on this time of new beginnings with your magical workings!

The Magical Colors of Yule

7 Sacred Plants for Yule, the Winter Solstice

Snow Magic

Yule Pomanders

The Magical Scents of Frankincense

Magical, Mystical Myrrh

TRADITIONS AND TRENDS

Interested in learning about some of the traditions behind contemporary holiday celebrations? Find out why mistletoe is so special, and which ancient revelers went caroling naked in the streets!

Ten Christmas Traditions With Pagan Roots

Deities of the Winter Solstice

Mistletoe: Myths, Mysteries and Medicine

Winter Customs Around the World

Celebrating the Solstice in Spain: Las Hogueras

10 Reasons to Enjoy the Winter Solstice Season

Io, Saturnalia!

The Holly King and the Oak King

Go Wassailing for Yule

The Origins of Santa Claus

Krampusnacht, December 5

The Legend of Frau Holle

The Legend of Mithras

The Legend of La Befana

Who is the Lord of Misrule?

Hogmanay, Scotland's Winter Celebration

The Standing Stones of Orkney

Festivus: Not a Pagan Celebration at All

YULE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Nothing says holiday celebration quite like getting together with the people you love. Learn about gifts, decorating, money-saving, and why it's perfectly okay for Pagans to have a big green tree full of lights —and remember, any of this can be altered for your particular tradition/belief system!

Have a Budget-Friendly Yule

Host a Winter Solstice Party

Service Project: Make a Bag to Help the Homeless

19 Random Acts of Kindness for Yule

Ten Magical Gifts to Share for Yule

Great Gift Ideas for Pagans and Wiccans

Great Books for Wiccan and Pagan Kids

Ten Great Books for Yule

Celebrating Yule with Kids

I'm Pagan - Can I Still Have a Holiday Tree?

How to Have a Low-stress Yule

Surviving the Holidays with Your Non-Pagan Family

What Yule Songs Should I Sing?

Music for Your Yule Playlist

CRAFTS AND CREATIONS

There are so many great ways you can decorate your home for the Yule season. Adapt store-bought Christmas decorations, or make your own Pagan-themed home decor for the season.—and remember, any of this can be altered for your particular tradition/belief system!

5 Easy Yule Decorations

Simple Yule Crafts to Make

Decorate a Yule Log

Yule Ornaments

Magical Gingerbread Poppets

Yule Smoke Cleansing Sticks (Please forgive the use of the term “smudge sticks” in the article itself, this is the only example I could find. My apologies!)

Winter Nights Incense

Yule Herbal Sachet

Make Your Own Yule Greeting Cards

Cinnamon Stick Yule Candleholders

Ten Things to Hang on a Pagan Holiday Tree

FEASTING AND FOOD

Most Pagans will have a potluck at the drop of a pointy hat, so Yule is as good a time as any to plan a big feast. Spread the table out with your favorite holiday dishes, lots and lots of candles, and some of these delicious seasonal recipes. Remember, the blessings below can be altered for your particular tradition/belief system!

Meal Blessings for Pagans and Wiccans

Make a Pot of Wassail

Yule Plum Pudding

[PLEASE NOTE: If you believe you’ve discovered an error in any of this information, please respectfully contact me directly @thesilverwitch and after confirming the error I will edit accordingly. Thank you.]

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