Moving through the month of December, the Wheel of the Year has spun once more as we begin to slow down and prepare for our last and most festive sabbath of the year, known as Yule. Kicking off on December 21st, Yule (also known as the Winter Solstice) marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, urging us to delve into our own darkness as a result. Because of this, Yule is a powerful time of finding stillness within ourselves as nature goes into its winter slumber fully and comfort and coziness take over our lives. For this reason, this sabbat is a great time for self-care practices, deep reflection, and grounding as we begin to align with the slower energy of the end of the year.
However, aside from finding peace and comfort in the dark months ahead, this sabbat also marks the return of the sun, with daylight continuously growing from here on out until we reach the Summer Solstice. Therefore, while we work to find a way to rest and recover in the darkness now, our minds are also getting ready to set intentions for the coming spring, making this a jovial time of celebration, rebirth, planning, and preparation as we contemplate all of our goals for the new year ahead.
With so much going on energetically with this powerful winter sabbat, it can be hard to know what the best way to embrace all the healing energies it has to offer is. For that reason, today, we wanted to share a fun article covering some of our personal favorite celebration and ritual ideas for Yule that witches that are in the broom closet, as well as witches who are out of the broom closet, can enjoy. So, without further ado, let’s dive in and get started.
Yule correspondences:
Date: December 21st
Colors: Red, green, silver, yellow, gold, and white
Crystals: Citrine, bloodstone, garnet, and ruby
Deities: The Oak King, The Holly King, The Sun God, Demeter, Morrigan, Ra, Horus, and Apollo
Animals: Deer, dove, wolf, and squirrel
Herbs: Rosemary, frankincense, sage, holly, mistletoe, myrrh, and cinnamon
Food: Nuts, cider, berries, bread, turkey, and squash
Yule Ritual Ideas
To start, we wanted to kick off our list of ritual ideas starting with those that are great for witches that are out of the broom closet.
Starting off, the first and most common way to embrace the energy of Yule is to build an altar in honor of the sabbat and its corresponding energies. Therefore, since there are so many different energies happening in our space right now, you can choose to align with all of them or a few specific energies that are calling to you the most. With that said, a few Yule altar decor ideas might include:
On the other hand, for honoring the energies of the sun for this sabbat, you could also include items on your altar such as:
And more. No matter what you choose to use, the most important thing for your altar is that your decor aligns with what you feel is a good representation of Yule for you personally. Therefore, even if it’s not what you commonly see used for this sabbat, if it connects with you and feels right for your practice, make sure you add it to your altar space to help you align to the energy of the sabbat as much as possible.
Next, another fun ritual to do for Yule is to make a yule wreath. Whether you choose to do it for your yule altar or to simply hang in your home, crafting a wreath using winter evergreens like pine, fir, juniper, and cedar is a classic way to honor the season. In fact, in many ancient traditions, evergreens were often believed to be aligned with the energies of protection and prosperity, which are common energies of this time to begin with. Not to mention, wreaths were also believed to represent the completed Wheel of the Year and would often be given as a gifts for good health and happiness.
However, a wreath could truly be a symbol of anything, depending on the intention you set with them. From infinite positivity to endless protection, whatever you focus on while you weave your wreath will help to invite its energy into your home. More than anything, wreath making can be a fun Yule activity to do with the whole family and is something even those in the broom closet can take part in.
3. Burn a Yule log
Next, another great ritual to do for Yule that honors one of the oldest traditions of the sabbat is to burn a Yule log. While there are many different beliefs and associations that go along with the Yule log and its uses, its burning flame was most commonly used to symbolize the returning sun, as well as help to protect the home from ill energies during the Winter Solstice. However, it was also believed that the type of wood you would burn for your Yule log would also determine what energy you would bring into your home. With that said, some of the wood that was most commonly burned at Yule often included:
And more. And if you want to burn a Yule log but you don’t have a fireplace, don’t worry; you can still take part in the Yule log tradition this sabbat. In fact, you can even buy small yule logs at your local craft store and burn them in a fire-safe container to recreate the experience. Whatever you choose to do, if you are able to, the Yule log is one of the best rituals to perform on this powerful winter sabbat to truly align with all the energies that this season has to offer. 
Next up, another powerful ritual to do for Yule is a cleansing ritual. While cleansing rituals are important to do for every sabbat to get rid of the old and make way for the new, Yule is one of the best times for it as all the energies of this sabbat, in particular, are already aligned with new beginnings, letting go, and moving forward.
Therefore, taking some time during Yule to reflect on and write down the things that are no longer serving you is an excellent way to expel them from your life. Not to mention, you can also do a physical home cleansing with a smudge stick to help banish old stagnant energies as well. No matter what you choose to do, this is the perfect time for letting go and starting a new chapter in your life, so make sure you do all that you can to make the most of this abundant energy while it’s here.
And lastly, as we mentioned above, another aspect of the sabbat of Yule is all about celebrating the return of the sun amidst the darkness we are in. This is because, from now on, the days will continue to grow longer, and the warm days of spring will soon be returning as a result. Therefore, to honor that, this is a great time to do a simple ritual in honor of the sun in whatever way you see fit. With that said, you might consider decorating your altar with summer colors, symbols of the sun, or even a statue of the Sun God himself. Of course, you could also just simply take some time to stand out under the sun and send love and gratitude to it for its warming light.
No matter what you do, this is a time of rejoicing for the sun’s return, so don’t forget to give thanks for all the life and healing energies that it brings us every day that many of us take for granted.
Now that we’ve gone over a few Yule ritual ideas for witches who are open with their craft, we also wanted to include a section for the witches that may still be in the broom closet and a few ideas on how you can celebrate the sabbat as well. Luckily, many of the activities that are done at Yule are almost identical to what many people do to celebrate Christmas, so this is probably one of the easiest sabbats for those in the broom closet to celebrate. With that said, let’s go over a few ways you can embrace this powerful sabbat while still in the broom closet. 
To start, one of the easiest ways to celebrate the sabbat of Yule is to light a candle. While this may seem simple, in ancient times, candles were believed to be a powerful symbol for Yule that mimicked the returning warmth and light of the sun and was an excellent way to honor the Sun God as a result. Not to mention, candles were also commonly believed to be a powerful way to ward off evil energies that lingered in the darkness during Yule, the longest night of the year.
Therefore, by simply lighting a candle in your home to honor Yule/the sun, you are already doing one of the most powerful rituals directly aligned with the sabbat without drawing any attention. And, to add to it more, you could even add in a simple visualization practice alongside it, picturing the flame as a representation of the returning sun or as a symbol of protection for keeping you and your home safe. Whatever you choose to do, candles are an excellent way to welcome in the changing season in a lowkey yet powerful magical way.
Next, since Yule is also a time focused on rest, this sabbat is an excellent time to put a little more focus on some self-care practices to start aligning with the things that bring you joy more authentically. And, an easy and simple way to do that is with a little self-reflection and planning.
With that said, this is an excellent time to start reflecting on the year you’ve had, what you’ve learned from it, what kind of energy you want to bring into your new year, and what you want to leave behind. Whether you choose to jot this all down in a journal or simply just think on it, make sure you take some time this sabbat to just delve within yourself and uncover what your heart is truly asking for at this point in your journey so that you can better bring that to fruition in the new year.
Next, even if you can’t decorate an altar for Yule while in the broom closet, you can still decorate your home with many of its corresponding elements to invite its healing energies into your space. This might include some natural décor pieces such as evergreens, wreaths, nature-themed ornaments, a Yule tree, pinecones, or berries.
And, while this may seem simple, just bringing in some natural pieces into your home is a powerful ritual in itself, as many of these items are known to symbolize protection, rebirth, renewal, and positivity, which is exactly the kind of energy we’re trying to channel right now. Therefore, make sure you take some time to find some beautiful décor that calls to you for Yule to help invite its healing energies into your home in a beautiful and unique way.
Next, perhaps one of the easiest ways to connect with the energy of Yule is to spend some time outside soaking up all the healing light of the sun. Truly, nothing feels better than the sun on your skin, and what a great way to get out of the house and embrace all the fresh healing energies that nature has to offer that are directly in line with this sabbat. However, with that said, if you aren’t able to get outside due to weather or any other reason, there are also many other rituals you could do to embrace the sun’s energy.
In fact, you could simply light a yellow candle or even set out a cup of water on the windowsill to be charged with the energy of the sun to be used in your personal rituals and practices. Whatever you choose to do, just remember how important this sabbat is for rejoicing the sun, and be sure to set aside plenty of time to honor that aspect of it. 
And lastly, another way to make the most of the energy of Yule is to make nature-themed gifts. Since this is a time of giving gifts to those you love, it shouldn’t seem strange to be crafting fun tree ornaments or fresh potpourri for those around you.
With that said, depending on what you intend to make, you might choose to use seasonal items such as tree branches, evergreens, pine cones, acorns, leaves, or whatever else you prefer to bring that energy into your space and welcome in all the healing properties it has to offer. More than anything, these kinds of rituals are easy, creative, and extremely versatile, so you can truly choose to craft pieces with whatever energetic intent speaks to you the most.
In conclusion, there are many beautiful ways to celebrate Yule. From decorating your home to spending some inspired time outside, Yule is a beautiful time of connecting deeper with the cycles of nature, delving deeper into ourselves, and keeping our eyes focused on all the things that we have to be grateful for. Above all else, we hope this article has helped you to find some fun and unique ways to embrace Yule/The Winter Solstice in a way that speaks to your soul so that you can fully embrace all the magic that this powerful season has to offer.
Happy Yule!
Written by: The Spirit Chic
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Gwen Johnson
May 08, 2023
Love all the ideas and suggestions esp as a new witch. Keep up the great work. Blessings and Happy Yule