The Pagan holiday of Yule is celebrated at the Winter Solstice on December 21 or 22. Other names include Midwinter, Saturnalia, and Year’s Long Night. This holiday marks the deepest part of winter, when people gather together to ward off the darkness. They feast, make merry, and exchange gifts.
Prepare for Yule by planning your themes and activities. This way you can design a fulfilling ritual and a fun celebration. Good books include Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Samhain to Ostara
The Longest Night
From Summer Solstice to Winter Solstice, the nights grow longer. Winter Solstice is thus the longest night, after which the days begin to grow again, promising the spring to come. As a seasonal festival, is a time to reflect on the cold and dark, then push the darkness away and celebrate the light.
Place symbols of the winter (and a secret symbol of spring, such as a branch with buds) on your altar. Choose colors to represent day and night, such as black and gold or blue and silver. If possible, plan to stay up all night and greet the sunrise. Feast with pinwheel cookies, black-and-white pudding, or other foods with stark color contrasts. Winter vegetables are also apt.
The Sun’s Return
In some traditions, the Sun will not return without help. Winter marks a time when the Sun is held captive by the forces of darkness or is exhausted from a hard year’s work. Rituals for this theme often feature mythic theatre presenting the story and inviting attendees to help bring back the Sun.
Cover your altar with images of the Sun. Other good choices include pinecones, cranberries, and stags. The colors red and gold are especially appropriate. Solar deities include Ra, Apollo, Amaterasu, and Helios. For your feast, serve sun-dried or spicy foods.
The Holy Child
In many traditions, the Mother Goddess or another female figure gives birth to the God, the Sun, or a hero. More rarely, the Goddess cycles through the seasons alone, and at this time She transforms from Crone to Child Goddess. This is a special time to honor mothers and children. Consider this theme for interfaith events.
Bedeck your altar with pictures of the Holy Mother and Child, or even a whole creche scene. Blue and white, red and green, or red and gold are some popular color combinations. These rituals often involve lighting candles or incense; the traditional frankincense and myrrh is especially appropriate. Lamb is a good meat for this feast, and you might consider serving eggs or milk to symbolize motherhood.
The Oak King and the Holly King
In one myth, the Oak King and the Holly King do battle twice a year. At the Winter Solstice, the Oak King vanquishes the Holly King. The Oak King then rules over the waxing year until Midsummer, when the Holly King returns to challenge him.
For decorations, wreaths or garlands of holly may be combined with acorns or silk oak leaves. In ritual the two men portraying these gods are customarily crowned with their respective leaves. The colors are green (for the Oak King) and red (for the Holly King). Red and green foods are traditionally served at the feast.
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