Wheel of the Year: Winter Solstice and Yule
Winter is once again upon us and ornaments of evergreens, mistletoe, reindeer, elves and a certain jolly, old man in ermine-trimmed clothes adorn homes, shops and schools throughout. Most around the world would associate these symbols with Christmas, the Christian holiday dedicated to the birth of Jesus “the Son of God.” Yet, the truth and fact is that each and every one of these symbols and customs are rooted in the Pagan traditions of Yule celebrated hundreds of years before Christianity and honored by Wiccans across the world.
Also known as Yuletide, Yule is a twelve-day celebration that begins on the Winter Solstice and continues until January 1st, the day of the solar cycle’s New Year (the New Year for Wiccans begins on Samhain aka Halloween). As the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice marks the high point of winter after which, contrary to common belief, the length of days increase. For Pagans, this cycle of nature represents the death of the “Old God” (the Sorcerer King and consort of the Crone). Yule ends with a celebration for the birth of the sun, the “Son” of the Goddess (the Child of Promise).
As Yule is a celebration of the God and the coming light half of the Wheel of the Year, it is a Solar Sabbat sacred to the Old God, the Lord of Winter. The Old God is an ancient deity with many names, including: Ba Jia Jiang, Boreas, Cernunnos, Ded Moroz, Father Frost, Father Winter, Harlequin, Holly King, Itztlacoliuhqui, Kheimon, Morozko, Oak King, Odin, Old Man Winter, Pan, Saturn, Shakok and Yes– Santa Claus!
The ancient God of Winter is often portrayed as a jolly, majestic old man draped in an ermine-trimmed robe. Other portrayals may represent the Old God as a jester, to which he is given the name King of Fools. Regardless of how the Old God is portrayed, this pagan God is the Lord of Death, Magic, and the Spirit World. He is also the God of the forest, the animals and of the hunt. In this guise he is often represented with antlers and horns. In fact, one of the oldest paintings known in history depicts the Old God in this image. Entitled, “Le Sociere,” this cave painting was discovered in France and dating back to the Cro-Magnon era (13,000 BCE).
There are numerous traditions associated with the Pagan celebration of Yule and the Old God. One of the most well known is the burning of the Yule Log. Beginning at sundown on the evening of the Winter Solstice, celebrants would gather to witness the event. The Yule Log was typically an enormous log or tree truck large enough to burn for the entire twelve-day celebration. The log would be blessed by a priest or priestess and prayer for the people and the land would be held. In the Yule tradition, the fire represents the burning away of the old and the preparation for the new. After the Yule celebrations were over, sacred ash from the Yule Log would be gathered and taken into homes to bring blessings and protection for the coming year.
Great feasting and merrymaking were the crux of a Yule celebration. For ancient peoples, having survived the dark cycle of the year was something worth celebrating and they did so with great enthusiasm. Typical food associated with Yule traditions included goose, hart (deer), plum puddings, honey cakes, roasted nuts, wassail and you guessed it- eggnog!
Another famous tradition that marks Yule is the gathering and decorating of evergreens. In Pagan and Wiccan tradition, evergreens are considered sacred because even during the coldest peak of winter they thrive with life remaining lush and green. Evergreens represented the promise of life and renewal, the themes associated with Yule- the death of the Old God and the birth of the Child of Promise. Likewise, holly and mistletoe (both poisonous evergreens) represented the death/life cycle of the Winter Solstice and Yule celebrations.
Moreover, the mainstay of Christmas tradition directly stems from yet another Yule custom- gift giving! Ancient Pagan traditions believed that on the night of the Winter Solstice, magickal beings (often elves or fae folk) would participate in the Wild Hunt. Perched atop magickal steeds, these beings galloped across the countryside and they too, joined the people in merriment and revelry. The leader of the procession was the Old God, Lord of Winter himself! In honor of his arrival, Pagans would leave out treats for the magickal steeds. Furthermore, if one had worked hard throughout the year, the Old God would reward the faithful with a magickal gift crafted by the elves (fae folk). In honor of the Wild Hunt and to secure favor from the Old God, human lords would bestow gifts upon their serfs and peasants to honor them for their hard work and loyalty as well!
These ancient Winter Solstice (and Yule) customs remain deeply ingrained in modern-day holiday traditions. Christmas trees are decorated with ornaments, mistletoe garland is hung throughout, evergreen wreaths garnish doorways, family and friends gather for food, merrymaking and gift exchanges and children leave out treats for the Old God and his magickal steeds. However as Wiccans, we take our Yule celebration one step further by offering our magickal rites in honor of the Goddess and the birth of the Son.
As the solstice marks the beginning of the solar cycle, it is an opportune time for us Wiccans to set our intentions for the coming year. In fact, this is where the setting of New Year’s “resolutions” originated, although the modern tradition falls on the wrong day. To prepare for the solstice, we should “energetically” (spiritually) cleanse our homes and ourselves making way for new energy to bless our lives. As we prepare foods, drinks and baked goods, we can incorporate a little “kitchen magick” so that our loved ones who consume the treats, too, are blessed by the Goddess. On the night of the solstice, we can charm a candle to represent the Yule flame, burn incense and herbs or bundles of ash wood. We can meditate on the “new” we wish to incorporate into our lives. On paper, we can write down the “old” and let the Yule flame cleanse the unwanted into ash.
The Winter Solstice (and Yule) is a joyous celebration of family, friends, peace, love and goodwill toward humanity. The Goddess’ promise of renewed life is evident in the rebirth of the sun. As Wiccans, we can honor this rebirth by understanding the meaning of the traditions behind the holidays and honoring ancient customs into our festivities. Although the modern rendition of Yule traditions may have been marred by commercialism and undue stress, as Wiccans we should always keep to the Wiccan Rede…
“When the Wheel has turned a Yule,
Light the Log an’ let Pan rule!”
– The Goddess Kingdom© 2023
