YULE

(Circa December 21)

Midwinter Alban Arthan

Winter Solstice Winter Rite

Also Known as:

This holiday is celebrated annually on the First Day of Winter which falls between December 20-23.  This does, however, vary accourding to when the Solstice will occur astornomically. We gather together with friends and feast, drink cider and make our own heat when the Earth is providing none.    This is also the longest night of the year, the turning point when the day begin to grow longer and Winter begins it's passage to the coming Spring. It is, the time when the Goddess gives birth to the Divine sun who shall soon be her lover, and father to the child in the next cycle.      Winter Solstice for Pagans is a time of feasting, and exchanging gifts, much like the Christians adopted as thier Christmas. Even though most theologians pinpoint Christ's birth to being sometime between March or April. This date was adopted by Christians to make it easier for Pagan to convert to Chrisitanity but allow them to keep thier holidays at the same date.

Traditional Ritual Herbs:

Bay Bayberry Blessed Thistle Cedar

Juniper Mistletoe Moss Oak

Chamomile Evergreen Frankincense Holly

Pinecones Roesmary Sage

Atlar Decorations:

Holly Mistletoe A small Yule Log Yule/Christmas Cards

Strings of coloured lights Kriss Kringle shaped Candle Presents in colourfull paper A homemade wreath.

Traditional Incense:

Bayberry Cedar

Pine Rosemary

Gemstones or Jewels:

Cat's Eye and Rubies

Sabbat Deities:

Lucina (Roman goddess of Lunar Mysteries) Frey (Scandanavian God of Fertility) Attis (Phrygian Fertility god) Dionysus (Green God of Wine) Woden (Chief Teutonic God) Kriss Kringle (Pagan god of Yule )

Candle Colours:

Foods:

Gold Green Red

Silver White

Roast Turkey Fruitcakes Nuts

Caraway Rolls Eggnog Mulled Wine

Some info from- Everyday Wicca, By: Gerina Dunwich Citadel Press 1997 and 21st Century Wicca, By: Jennifer Hunter Citadel Press 1998 and www.witchway.net