Red, green and the gold of the Returning Sun are the colours of Yule. Deck your home and altar with evergreens and candles. Gift Giving. This is THE Birthday of the Sun/Son! From ancient times the giving and exchanging of gifts has been a vibrant tradition of this festival.
What color candles burn for winter solstice?
The solstice candle is usually white or yellow, with or without carvings. A black candle is lit for the parting Holly King, and gold and silver or red and green, candles are lit for the God and Goddess, respectively.
What color candles go in a Yule log?
The traditional colors for yule candles are green, gold, red and white. Each color has its own meaning and symbolism. Green and gold candles represent new growth as the days become longer and the time for spring planting approaches after the yule. They also symbolize prosperity and health.
Do pagans give gifts Yule?
The pagans may have given gifts at the Yule celebration as well. Christianity later took over much of Europe, and the Christians, like the Romans, learned that the best way to truly conquer was not to divide, but to incorporate.
What is the 12 days of Yule?
The Yule log was a whole tree meant to be burned for 12 days in the hearth. The Celts believed the sun stood still during the winter solstice. They thought by keeping the Yule log burning for these 12 days encouraged the sun to move, making the days longer.
What wood is a Yule log made of?
The custom of the Yule Log spread all over Europe and different kinds of wood are used in different countries. In England, Oak is traditional; in Scotland, it is Birch; while in France, it’s Cherry. Also, in France, the log is sprinkled with wine, before it is burnt, so that it smells nice when it is lit.
How did Pagans celebrate winter solstice?
Men dressed as women and masters dressed as servants. The festival also involved decorating houses with greenery, lighting candles, holding processions and giving presents. The Winter Solstice falls on the shortest day of the year (21st December) and was celebrated in Britain long before the arrival of Christianity.
What is a Yule tree?
The “Yule tree,”, or Christmas tree, is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer species, such as pine, fir, cedar, juniper, or spruce. The tradition has origins with ancient civilizations in the middle east, Asia, and Europe.
Do you have to burn your Yule log?
The Yule log is generally given, and is at once put on the hearth. It is unlucky to have to light it again after it has once been started, and it ought not go out until it has burned away. To sit around the Yule log and tell ghost stories is a great thing to do on this night, also card-playing.
How should I celebrate Yule?
Here are some customary ways to celebrate the solstice—you might notice that some resemble beloved Christmas traditions.
Build a Yule Altar. Make an Evergreen Yule Wreath. Burn a Yule Log. Decorate a Yule Tree. Exchange Nature-Based Gifts. Give Back to Nature. Celebrate in Candlelight. Set up a Meditation Space.
What is a Yule wreath?
The History of the Christmas Wreath
The tradition really started with the Celts, who celebrated the Winter Solstice, also called “Yule”. They used boughs of holly to decorate their doors to celebrate the return of the sun or the birth of a god.
Why do pagans celebrate Yule?
Yule is a pagan celebration of the winter solstice, which marks the longest night of the year and therefore the return of the sun. On this day, the earth’s axis tilts away from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere and the sun reaches its greatest distance from the equatorial plane.
What came first Yule or Christmas?
Yule, or the original 12-day solstice festival celebrated thousands of years before Christmas, is considered one of the oldest celebrations of wintertime in the world. It begins the shortest day of the year on the winter solstice and ends 12 days later.
What do pagans call Christmas?
Today, Yuletide refers to the Christmas period though it is still observed by some modern-day pagans.
Do you say Happy Yule?
A lot of people who don’t know this wish her “Merry Christmas,” but the 45-year-old mother of two doesn’t mind. “When they say ‘Merry Christmas’ I say ‘Merry Christmas,’ ” she said. “Amongst sisters and brothers and mothers of my faith, we say ‘Blessed Yule’ or ‘Happy Yule. ‘ ”
What do you eat in Yule?
Common main courses are rich, filling, and lavish – classic main courses include roasted or baked bird, hearty beef dishes, pot roasts, and meat pies. There is nothing like a rich and hearty soup to warm you up during the winter season. Soups that kick up their spice game are a great feature at the Winter Solstice.
