Winter Solstice Traditions

Winter solstice observances were held by virtually every culture in the world. 

Solstice rites were practiced among such diverse groups as Native South Americans, Celts, Persians, Orientals, and Africans. 

Solstice was known as Sacaea to the Mesopotamians, as the Festival of Kronos to the ancient Greeks, and as Saturnalia to the Romans. 

According to Norse traditions, the Valkyrie looked for souls to bring to Valhalla during Yule. 

Norwegians abstained from hunting or fishing for the twelve days during Yule as a way of letting the weary world rest and to hasten the revived sun’s appearance. 

In old Russia it was traditional to toss grain upon the doorways where carollers visited as a way of keeping the house from want throughout the rest of the winter. 

Ashes from the Yule log were mixed with cows’ feed in France and Germany to promote the animals’ health and help them calve. 

In Baltic regions today, corn is scattered near the door of the house for sustenance and ashes of the Yule log are given to fruit trees to increase their yield. 

Romanians bless the trees of the orchard on Yule with sweetened dough to bring good harvests. 

Serbs toss wheat on the burning Yule log to increase livestock bounty.

The most significant Yule tradition to persist over the centuries is the Christmas tree. 

Although the origin of the Christmas tree is generally ascribed to Martin Luther, its beginnings actually go back to pre-Christian times. 

Christmas trees are thought to have evolved from the rite of symbolically selecting and harvesting a “sacred tree,” a practice found in many ancient cultures. 

Evergreens and firs were sacred to early peoples, including the ancient Greeks, Celts, and Germans. 

The first Yule trees were born when pagans went into the forests during the winter solstice to give offerings to evergreens. 

Pines and firs remained green while other vegetation lost their leaves and appeared lifeless during the bitter winter cold. 

Their mysterious survival and vigor seemed to signify a life force within which carried with it the hope of renewed life.

The pinea silva or sacred pine groves that were attached to pagan Roman temples also pre-figured the Christmas tree. 

On the night before a holy day, Roman priests called “tree-bearers” cut one of the sacred pines, decorated it, and carried it into the temple. 

In fact, the German word for Christmas tree is not Kristenbaum, or Christmas tree, but Tannenbaum, or sacred tree.

Church leaders from the early centuries of the Church all the way through Puritan society in 17th century Massachusetts condemned the custom of bringing decorated evergreens into the home at Yule time. 

The custom was so beloved and persistent, however, that repeated attempts to eradicate ‘heathen’ practices ultimately failed-and now these pagan traditions, which largely celebrate nature, are among the most treasured elements of the season.

Decorating the tree with objects resembling fruits, nuts, berries, and even flowers is thought to be a symbolic act designed to bring about the return of summer’s bounty. 

In this way early cultures hoped to hurry the return of spring, and ensure survival through the rest of the harsh winter months.

Christmas wreaths are also ancient, and were traditionally made of evergreens, holly, and ivy. 

The wreath’s circle symbolizes the wheel of the year and the completion of another cycle. 

Holly represents the female element; ivy represents the male. 

Like evergreens, holly was believed to contain a mysterious life force because it bore berries in the middle of winter. 

Both holly and ivy were thought to have magical properties, and were used as protection against negative elements.

Kissing under the mistletoe is an old Druid tradition. 

Mistletoe was considered highly sacred by this culture because, as a parasitic kind of vegetation, it never touched the earth (growing instead on oaks and other trees), and also because it bore berries in winter when everything else appeared dead. 

Druids gathered the leaves and berries from special oaks with sickles made of gold. 

They called mistletoe “all-heal” because they felt it had the power of protection against illness and bad events, and also because they believed mistletoe spread goodwill. 

Legend has it that enemies meeting under the mistletoe cast their weapons aside, greeted each other amicably, and honored a temporary truce. 

White linen clothes were spread beneath the mistletoe as it was being gathered so none of it would touch the ground, lest its power be accidentally released back to the earth. 

Mistletoe berries were considered to be a powerful fertility substance. 

A kiss under the mistletoe meant love and the promise of marriage.

Burning the Yule log is perhaps the oldest of all Yule traditions, possibly dating back eons. 

Since the winter solstice was a solar holiday, fire in different forms was closely associated with it. 

Fires and candles were lit during Yule to give the waning sun renewed power and vigor-and also surely to provide sources of cheery heat and light during the darkest part of the northern winter. 

Even the burning brandy on plum pudding symbolized the sun’s rebirth. 

Traditionally the Yule log was made of oak; in northern European countries, the log was massive enough to burn for the entire twelve days of Yule. 

It was selected early in the year and set aside, then at winter solstice decorated with sprays of fir, evergreen, holly, ivy, or yew. 

A piece of the previous year’s Yule log was used to light the new Yule log. 

Once the ashes were cold they were gathered into powerful amulets, or scattered throughout the garden and fields to ensure fertility and bounty in the coming year.

Spirituality of Solstice

The spiritual ramifications of yule are profound for both neo-pagans and Christians. 

For Christians, the birth of Christ means a turning point between eternal death and eternal life. 

Devout Christians celebrate Christmas as the beginning of a new spiritual age of eternal life.

For neo-pagans, Yule is also a time of spiritual beginnings. Jul, or Yule, is an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning “wheel.” 

The winter solstice is the turning point in the natural cycle of the year; this darkest night in all the year is followed by a day that will dawn just a little bit earlier.

Because Yule signifies the completion of the wheel of the year, the period around the winter solstice is considered to be a good time for spiritual work. 

Some neo-pagans believe the dark nights of winter are when the veil between the spirit world and the living world is the thinnest. 

It is therefore an appropriate time for self-examination and meditation on hidden energies-both the energies lying dormant within the earth, and also those within ourselves. 

Yule traditions celebrate nature’s renewal, and help affirm our connection to the energy and power of the earth and the cosmos.

Nature’s Enduring Cycle

The winter solstice demonstrates the enduring cycle of the heavens by an event that has been directly observable, year in and year out, century after century, for millions of years. 

The new year begins with the turning point of the winter solstice, as it has down through eons-an unending cycle of dark and light, waning and waxing, ultimately representing nature’s birth, death, and rebirth. 

The winter solstice is a time to affirm our spiritual ties to nature through celebrations and traditions that are thousands of years old.

Whether celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, or Yule, we can all delight in the season as a time to renew family ties, take joy in our natural environment, reflect on the events of the old year, and look forward in anticipation to the new. 

As the winter solstice demonstrates to us, every ending is a new beginning.

By 

Carl Schlachtaub

The Winter Solstice December 21

The Pagan celebration of Winter Solstice (also known as Yule) is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world.

In this BBC report we read how ancient people were hunters and spent most of their time outdoors.

The seasons and weather played a very important part in their lives. 

Because of this many ancient people had a great reverence for, and even worshipped the sun.

The Norsemen of Northern Europe saw the sun as a wheel that changed the seasons.

It was from the word for this wheel, houl, that the word yule is thought to have come.

At mid-winter the Norsemen lit bonfires, told stories and drank sweet ale.

The ancient Romans also held a festival to celebrate the rebirth of the year. 

Saturnalia ran for seven days from the 17th of December. It was a time when the ordinary rules were turned upside down.

Men dressed as women and masters dressed as servants. 

The festival also involved decorating houses with greenery, lighting candles, holding processions and giving presents.

The Winter Solstice falls on the shortest day of the year (21st December) and was celebrated in Britain long before the arrival of Christianity. 

The Druids (Celtic priests) would cut the mistletoe that grew on the oak tree and give it as a blessing. 

Oaks were seen as sacred and the winter fruit of the mistletoe was a symbol of life in the dark winter months.

It was also the Druids who began the tradition of the yule log. 

The Celts thought that the sun stood still for twelve days in the middle of winter and during this time a log was lit to conquer the darkness, banish evil spirits and bring luck for the coming year.

Many of these customs are still followed today. 

They have been incorporated into the Christian and secular celebrations of Christmas.

Yule Is Almost Here

There is a very interesting phenomenon that occurs around December 25th, or the Winter Solstice.

From the Summer Solstice to the winter solstice, the days become shorter and colder. 

From the perspective of the northern hemisphere, the sun appears to move south and get smaller and more scarce. 

The shortening of the days and the expiration of the crops when approaching the Winter Solstice symbolized the process of death to the ancients. 

It was the death of the Sun. 

By December 22nd, the Sun's demise was fully realized, for the Sun, having moved south continually for 6 months, makes it to it's lowest point in the sky. 

Here a curious thing occurs: the Sun stops moving south, at least perceivably, for 3 days.

During this 3 day pause, the Sun resides in the vicinity of the Southern Cross, or Crux, constellation.

And after this time on December 25th, the Sun moves 1 degree, this time north, foreshadowing longer days, warmth, and Spring.

And thus it was said: the Sun died on the cross, was dead for 3 days, only to be resurrected or born again.

It is the Sun's transition period before it shifts its direction back into the Northern Hemisphere, bringing Spring, and a salvation of sorts.

However, they did not celebrate the resurrection of the Sun until the spring equinox, or Easter.

This is because at the spring equinox, the Sun officially overpowers the evil darkness, as daytime thereafter becomes longer in duration than night, and the revitalizing conditions of spring emerge.

The Christmas, Yule, Winter Solstice TREE

Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that were green all year had significant meaning for people in the winter. 

Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, earlier civilizations hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. 

In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness.

In the Northern hemisphere, the shortest day and longest night of the year falls on December 21 or December 22 and is called the winter solstice. 

Many ancient civilizations believed that the sun was a god and that winter came every year because the sun god had become weak. 

They celebrated the solstice because it meant that at last the sun god would begin to get well. 

Evergreen boughs reminded them of all the green plants that would grow again when the sun god was strong and summer would return.

Early Romans celebrated the solstice with a feast called the Saturnalia decorating their homes and temples with evergreen boughs. 

In Northern Europe the Druids, the priests of the ancient Celts, also decorated their temples with evergreen boughs as a symbol of everlasting life. 

The fierce Vikings in Scandinavia thought that evergreens were the special plant of the sun god, Balder.

It was Germany that most likely started the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes.

It is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. 

Most 19th-century Americans found Christmas trees to be a strange practice.

The first record of one being on display was in the 1830s by the German settlers of Pennsylvania, although trees had been a tradition in many German homes much earlier. 

The Pennsylvania German settlements had community trees as early as 1747. 

But, even by the 1840s Christmas trees were seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans.

It is not surprising that, like many other festive Christmas customs, the tree was slow to be adopted in America. 

To the New England Puritans, Christmas was sacred. 

The pilgrims’s second governor, William Bradford, wrote that he tried hard to stamp out “pagan mockery” of the observance, penalizing any such nonsense frivolity. 

The influential Oliver Cromwell preached against “the heathen traditions” of Christmas carols, decorated trees, and any joyful expression that desecrated “that sacred event.” 

In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts enacted a law making any observance of December 25 (other than a church service) a penal offense; people were fined for hanging decorations. 

That stern solemnity continued until the 19th century, when the influx of German and Irish immigrants undermined the Puritan legacy.

In 1846, the popular royals, Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, were illustrated in the London News standing with their children around a Christmas tree. 

Of course, what was done at court immediately became fashionable—not only in Britain, but with fashion-conscious East Coast American Society. 

The time for the Christmas tree had arrived.

The early 20th century saw Americans decorating their trees with homemade ornaments, while the German-Americans continued to use apples, nuts, and marzipan cookies. 

Popcorn strings with berries and nuts became popular. 

It’s Yule-Tide

The Allegory

The story of the Last Supper may not be as simple as it might seem.

Actually, it’s an Astronomical allegory foretelling the sun’s pending death at the winter solstice. 

The Last Supper story found in the Bible comes from an ancient Pagan ritual celebrating the harvest, illustrated in an astrological allegory. 

Christianity is based on the (son) sun worshiping of the Hebrews and the Bible stories are simply a collection of Astrological allegory. 

Jesus became the sun God that was personified.

The birth of Jesus and his death marked the end of the age of Aries, the ram (2160 BCE-1BCE), and the beginning of the age of Pisces the fish (1 BCE-2160CE, that occurred around 2000 years ago. 

In the last supper astronomical allegory, Jesus (the sun) gathered his 12 disciples (the 12 signs of the Zodiac) to prepare for the Saviors (Sun) pending death (the winter solstice) AND Jesus's (sun's) rebirth 3 day’s later on December 25th (the time when the sun appears to start it's northerly track). 

In most sun worshiping beliefs, common at the time, the sun (God) was believed to have died on or about the 22nd of December, at the winter solstice, and was reborn 3 day’s later on December 25th, when the sun began it’s northern movement on the horizon and the day’s began to get longer and longer. 

In the last supper story, Jesus, the sun personified, told of pending betrayal by one of his disciples (one of the 12 signs of the zodiac). 

The betrayer was Judas who was personified by Scorpio (the Scorpion). When the sun (Jesus) was in the house of Scorpio (Judas), the scorpion betrayed Jesus (the sun) with a kiss (a sting). 

The sun (Jesus) died an agonizing death, was stabbed by the Sagittarius spear on the cross, was placed into a cave tomb, and was raised from the dead 3 day’s later. 

The last supper was the astronomical allegory foretelling astronomical events. In the Leonard Davinci painting "the last supper", you can see that the apostles are gathered in 4 sets of 3 figures each, with Jesus at the center. 

The 12 figures represent the 12 signs of the zodiac and them being gathered in 4 sets represent the 4 seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall. 

Jesus is the sun at the center. 

Davinci’s painting is an astrological allegory as well.

Of course, there are those who believe this allegory connection to Jesus is false. You can decide for yourself.

SOURCE: Democratic Underground, The Story of the Last Supper is an Astronomical Allegory, written by moobu2, Donating Member.

Additionally, check out this segment from Zeitgeist...

Yule, The Winter Solstice

Let’s make Yule Wreath Bread...

Holiday Breakfast Wreath with Cranberry-Almond Filling
Makes about 12 servings:

For the bread:
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (about 110° F)
1/2 cup warm milk (about 110° F)
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

For the cranberry-almond filling:
3/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries, soaked in 1/2 cup brandy or other liqueur
6 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon almond extract

For the sugar glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Prepare the dough: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water and let it foam up for a minute or two. Blend in the milk, sugar, butter, salt, cardamom, eggs and lemon peel. 

Stir in two cups of the flour, one cup at a time. 

Beat for 2 minutes. Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until you have a soft, workable dough — you might not need to use all the flour.

Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 5 to 10 minutes. 

Add more flour if needed to prevent sticking. 

Place in a lightly oiled mixing bowl large enough to accommodate dough when doubled in size. 

Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Prepare the cranberry-almond filling: Drain the dried fruit from the liqueur and reserve the liqueur for another use. In a small bowl, combine the drained fruit with remaining filling ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.

Shape the dough: When dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured board, kneading just enough to release any air bubbles. 

Roll the dough into a 9x30-inch rectangle. Crumble the filling over the dough to within 1 inch of the edges. Starting along a long side, tightly roll up the dough, pinching edge against loaf to seal. 

With a sharp knife, cut roll in half lengthwise. 

Carefully turn the halves so the cut sides are facing up, and then loosely twist the halves around each other, keeping cut sides up. (See photos above for step-by-step instructions.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment or non-stick baking mat. 

Carefully transfer the rope to the baking sheet and shape into a wreath, pinching the ends together to seal. 

Let it rise, uncovered, in a warm place until puffy, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Bake the wreath until lightly browned, about 25 minutes. 

While the wreath is baking, stir together the ingredients for the glaze and set aside.

When wreath is done, transfer to a cooling rack by picking up the sides of the parchment and then sliding the parchment out from underneath. 

Cool for a few minutes then drizzle the glaze over the warm wreath. 

Serve with extra butter if you're feeling decadent.

Recipe Notes

Make Ahead Wreath: The wreath can be baked up to 2 days ahead of time. Do not glaze the loaf — let the wreath cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil and store at room temperature. Re-heat the bread at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes, and drizzle with the glaze just before serving.

Happy Merry Christmas Holidays

 
This is a post we ran before, it’s worth re-posting because the situation remains the same year after year.

How strange it is, how we greet each other during the month of December.

People now offer their greetings as some sort of secret code and not as a real, sincere greeting.

More time is spent trying to figure out if someone is a a Christian or non-believing heathen.

There are those who feel that we generalize the Christmas season with "Happy Holidays" because of the connection between Christ and Christmas.  

One our Christian friends told us "Happy Holidays" appeals only to the heathen minority and insults the rightful majority.  

We were also scolded that Paganism is socialism, and socialism is where Christianity isn't permitted.

So, saying  "Happy Holidays" is the first step in destroying Christian beliefs from our society.

There was even an attack on Starbucks a few years ago because their coffee cups weren't Christmassy enough.

 

Regardless of whether you wish others a “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” this time of year, the true nature of the season is to be kind to one another and enjoy friends and family. So Happy Yule, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Winter Solstice, and Happy... anything else we may have missed!

 

 

 

It’s Yule Time

Happy Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice In Southern Hemisphere

It’s almost here, the longest day of the year is only weeks away, June 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.

Even though the earth provides different seasons, we are all on the same page.

Bright Solstice To All

Happy Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice Warning

We are looking forward to the Winter Solstice.

We really don't care that astrologers are warning that the sky is about to fall.

Astrologers warn that the Winter Solstice will be the most AWFUL day of 2017, thanks to a rare cosmic occurrence that hasn't happened in 350 years

They reason that for the first time since 1664, the Sun moves into Capricorn, hours after Saturn makes the same exact shift, causing the sun and Saturn to actually line up.

Astrologers advise the people avoid making any important decisions or taking drastic actions as they may result in bad consequences for 2018.

Of course, people can believe whatever they want, for us, we are looking forward to a wonderful Winter Solstice.

However, if you are feeling a bit unsure about all this, perhaps you can work with your crystals, smudging and grounding rituals to help get through the season.

Yule - Winter Solstice

Yule, the Winter Solstice is just around the corner.

The winter solstice, the rebirth of the Sun, is an important turning point as it marks the shortest day and longest night. Pagans in the northern hemisphere surround themselves with loved ones and feast on this night, keeping the hearth fires burning bright, surrounded by decorations of evergreens to remind them of the coming season of growth and life. From the ashes of the Yule fire the sun is reborn. 

Happy Solstice