What is Yule?
Yule falls on the Winter Solstice, which is around June 19th-23rd for us Southern Hemisphere dwellers. For you folks up top, Yule is around December 19th-23rd.
Also known as Midwinter, Yule is a celebration of the return of the sun, which we will be seeing more of as time goes on. It symbolizes the rebirth of the God, who passed into the underworld back in Samhain. From the Goddess, the God is born, bringing the dark half of the year to a close and ushering in the lighter half. This being so, Yule is a festival of light, similar to Hanukkah, Christmas, and other holidays.
Symbols of Yule
- Representations of the God or the sun (such as golden discs, candles, statuettes, etc).
- Evergreen trees
- Holly
- Pinecones
- Yule Log
- Antlers/Reindeer
- Fertility Symbols
- Fruits, Nuts
- Bells
- Snowflakes
- Mistletoe
- Eight-spoked wheel/spinning wheels
- Evergreen boughs/wreaths
Yule-time Colors
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| I'm not certain where I found this beautiful altar. If it is yours and you'd prefer me not to use it, please let me know and I'll remove it for you. :) |
I find that using colors found in nature surrounding the holiday work best for altars and decor. Colors like...
- Blues, Whites, Silvers
- Red
- Green/Dark Green
Personal Traditions
When I was growing up, my family celebrated Christmas. We would spend the days leading up to the 25th listening to Christmas music, wrapping gifts, decorating the tree, and occasionally holding Christmas parties for the extended family. I have good memories of that holiday, and hopefully when I have children someday, they will have fond memories of Yule in our house.
What sort of traditions did you have growing up, and are they similar to what you do today? Feel free to comment below!
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