Yule 
(June 21st)

This is the time of longest night & shortest day for the year.
The time of the Sun Gods birth & for some Witches & Pagans it is considered the new year.
This festival is over 10,000 years old in some cultures & is the time when the Sun starts to stay longer in the sky with the warmth of spring & summer just on the horizon. 

This is the time the Goddess gives birth to the Sun God, when the lands begin their renewal & emergence from the sleep of winter.
Holly is often used during this festival as is colour gold/yellow.
​Holly is the king that has been the guardian of the land, which he now must yield to the new born God (known as the Oak King).

The Yule Altar

• Dress with the colours of gold, green, red.
• Bottled fruits or vegetables from the previous year harvest.
• Use evergreen plants
• Red, green or gold candle
• 1 x black, white & red candles
• Bells
• Sun wheels & solar symbols
• ​Snow representations
• ​​Any other items you would normally use if you want

Incense

• Bay leaves
• Red Sandalwood
• Frankincense
• Myrrh
• Three Pine Needles

     Mix all dried plant parts together and burn small amounts on coal tablets.  Be warned that plant material smells very different when burnt and is sometimes not as pleasant as you might expect.  If you don't want to burn them place them in a small wooden bowl and use as an altar or table decoration.  ​

Family Activites

• Decorate the Yule tree (this is where the Christmas tree comes from)
• Watch the sunrise & set
• Make a symbolic vigil to the Goddess's labour
• Make cinnamon & apple sauce ornaments
• Create the Yule log (tree stump or more commonly now a cake)
• Ring bells to bring in the season
• Put nuts & seeds outside for the wild animals
• Bake - cakes, biscuts etc
• List of things you would like to start or accomplish for the next 12 months
• Make new year's spell bags - need paper bags & decorative craft items​

Essential Oils

     Always use true essential oils and essential oil mixes when working with energies as these carry the right vibration for the purpose.  Fragrant oils won't work as well & can be very harsh.
     To make a simple Yule mix put two drops each of the following in 10ml of carrier oil (Jojoba, grapeseed, olive oil) then shake well.

• Rosemary
• Frankincense
• Sandalwood
• Pine​

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Ritual

Tools & Items You Need

• A White, Red, Black & Green (represents the Holly King) Candle
• Pine cones
• God & Goddess Statue or Candles as Representation
• Red or Green Altar/Table Cloth
• A Bell

When You Are Ready to Begin

      The following steps are only a short version of the festival, it is the way our household celebrates Yule, there are many more formal & longer versions of rituals that can be performed for this festival.   Check out the Helpful Links for books that might be helpful

• We usually hold our ritual after the sun goes down.  
• We prepare a feast (as with all festivals food is an integral part).  
• When this is done have everyone gather round the altar or the feast table.  
• Before you set the table for the feast gather everyone around with their lists.  
• Decorate the paper bags & place you lists inside, in the morning follow the instructions for the Air Spell & fill your bag with your intent to accomplish all on the list.
• Set the table with the feast & begin the ritual.

 

Steps

1. Perform the ritual of casting the circle
2. Light one of the candles in the middle of the circle (green)
3. Ring a bell or gently tap a wine glass that rings
4. Recite: Welcome to the season of Yule.  This night the Goddess gives birth to the God.  Blessed is the reborn God, the return of the Sun.
5. Ring the bell again.
6. With the lists that you have written recite:  The God moves from one form to another from old to reborn, this is the cycle of the seasons, as the wheel of the seasons must turn.
7. Blow out the green candle to symbolize the Holly King retreat. 
8. Then everyone hold hands & recite: Welcome back to the God born of the womb of the Goddess, welcome back to the sun light that warms the land & gives life to the harvest.
9. Then Light the white, red & black candle & recite: Blessed are the Maiden, Mother & Crone.  The Triple Goddess the Triple God.  
10. Close the circle with the closing part of the casting circle ritual.
11. Begin the feast