Are you beginning to polish your celebrations for Yule?
Have you planned anything for your Yule celebration this year?
Not yet!? Don't worry, you can get into the Yule spirit with us!
Yule is a yearly festival when all Pagans around the globe celebrate the Winter Solstice.
The festival is now around the corner and Sun is approaching to begin its long journey back to the earth. If you're living in the Northern hemisphere, then the celebrations will be around or on December 21, the shortest day of the year. But if you are below the Equator, then celebrations will fall in the month of June. As every Sabbat is incomplete without the rituals, all the Wicca's jubilate this longest night of the year performing different rituals and casting spells.
Colors of the Season
Snow hasn't fallen yet, but still, there are chilling vibes in the air already. Try to use colors such as blue, white, and silver to decorate your altar. Bringing the red, green, and whites of the season is also a great idea as evergreen boughs never go out of the style.
Have you ever wondered why green and red are the prevalent colors used in Yule celebrations?
Red is the color of prosperity but according to the modern Pagan practices, red is considered as the symbol of passion and sexuality.
Now you might be thinking how you can incorporate the red color in your Yule celebrations? Deck your hall or corridor with red ribbons or you can create bows also. Hang some garlands of holly to invite prosperity and good fortune into the home.
There is a great myth behind why evergreen trees always remain green when everything else dies in winters. As green is the color of money, use it in magical workings related to prosperity and abundance. Hang the evergreen boughs and holly branches all around your house. Or you can also decorate a tree with green ribbons, to bring the charm of money to your home. Other common accessories prominently used in Yule decorations are:
If you are seeking for purification, then go with a lot of whites around your home this altar. As Winter Solstice is the season of sun, incorporate the use of gold as it is associated with energy. The tradition honors the rebirth of the sun, so you can also hang some small gold suns around your house.
Try to sheath your altar with the cool-colored cloth and embellish it with a variety of candles of winter shades.
Symbols of Winter
As the days started getting colder and nights longer, the people of ancient time used to light candles to lure back the sun.
Yule Tree: It is an important symbol which represents the Tree of Life among early Pagans. Earlier, the people used to adorn this tree with the gifts that they expected from their God. The different natural ornaments like berries, pine cones, and symbols of gods and goddesses were also embellished. So try incorporating sacred plants, evergreen boughs like pines, fir, that are all part of the green family.
Yule Log: As the symbol of health and fertility, the custom of burning Yule log depicts that continual hearth fire prevents the spirits from entering the homes. And still, today in various parts of the world, people have the same belief. That's why this custom is still very prevalent among the Pagans.
Other Yule Traditions and Symbols
Candles: Making candles as the part of decorations is yet another way to have an eternal flame within your home. Candles symbolize the light and warmth of the sun and can be used to chase away the evil spirits. Try to use candles in silvers and gold. Sparkles are also fine for Yule decorations.
Fruits and nuts: Spread out the table with some winter nuts like pecans, walnuts or fresh fruits like oranges, or apple to your altar celebrations.
Bells: One of the best way to drive away the evil spirits and bring harmony to a magical Yule space.
Burn Incense: Burning Solstice incense will set the mood for Yule altar celebrations as it smells divine and it cleanses the space.
Yule Rituals to Perform:
Yule is the time of reflection during the darkest days of the winters. As the trees and flowers also go through the cycles of death and rebirth, try some fun rituals to help you celebrate your rebirth this Yule.
Cleaning is another way of taking out the old ones and making the space for new to enter your lives. Clean out all the junk this winters that are no longer important. Moreover, Pagans consider this as Yule Cleansing Ritual!
Walk around your home with a smudge sage bundle requesting the evil spirits or the energies that do not belong to you to stay away. It will not only clear out the spiritual impurities but also help in bringing the peace of mind and making the objects more sacred to you.
There is no other perfect time than Winter Solstice to donate your used goods to the people who are less fortunate than you. This is considered as the important part of service whether you belong to any religion including paganism, Christianity etc.
Once you are done with the cleansing part and have given gifts to others, now it's the time to commence your celebrations with a little candle ritual. Try lighting some candles of various colors and spend some time remembering your past year. Think of all the things you had hoped, your accomplishments, the ways you are going to adopt for strengthening your upcoming year and so on. Finally, express the gratitude for what you've achieved and what's to come forward.
Happy Yule!
Title photo by: Kacper Szczechla
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