Merry meet all,
The next turn in the Wheel of the Year is Yule! I can’t believe that time of year is almost here. Wow has time flown by that fast? Also, November 16 is Hekate’s night. So tonight consider cooking something special in her honor and maybe leaving it at the crossroads.
Yule is as magickal as the other Sabbats. Yule brings to mind pinecones, glittering tinsel, and keeping warm doing festive celebrations with friends and family. The sun makes its way back to the earth.
Evergreens are a symbol of Yule. Their evergreen color represented life, death and rebirth. These lovely pine scented trees fought back the winter demons and restrained death and destruction.
Holly leaves correspond to the masculine element. Their prickliness warded off negative spirits, protecting the home. The leaves represented hope, and the red berries symbolized potency.
Mistletoe represented the feminine element. The leaves were the embodiment of the female spirit and the white berries and seeds were the masculine element. Druids used this plant and viewed it as sacred.
The Yule tree is also an important pagan symbol. To some, it represented the Tree of Life or the World Tree. The Yule log was burned to protect the home. Ash wood was preferred. This tradition is Scandinavian in origin. It was believed that the faster the Yule log burned, the faster the sun would return to the earth.
Other significant symbols that represent Yule are candles which encourage the light to burn, wreaths which symbolized the Wheel of the Year, and bells that drove away demons. Elves became associated with Yule. The ancients believed that the spirits that assisted in the Sun’s return lived where the Elves lived. Gingerbread is also associated with Yule. It is a specialty bread.
Colors of Yule: Red, Green, White, Silver, Gold
Red represents the waning Holly King. Green represents the waxing Oak King. White represents the purity and hope of new Light. Silver represents the Moon. Gold represents the Sun/Son.
Stones of Yule: Rubies, Bloodstones, Garnets, Emeralds, Diamonds
Activities of Yule: Caroling ~ Wassailing the Trees ~ Burning the Yule Log ~ Decorating the Yule Tree ~ Exchanging Gifts ~ Kissing under the Mistletoe
Deities of Yule:
Goddesses: The Great Mother and Earth Goddess, Freyja, Gaia, Diana, Bona-Dea, Isis, Demeter
Gods: Mabon, The Sun God, The Star (Divine) Child, The Oak King, The Holly King, The Green Man, The Red Man, The Horned One, Odin, Lugh, Apollo, Ra
