Lady Victoria Eclectic Pagan's blog: "Yule"

And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!

Winter Solstice is a magical season that marks the journey from this year to the next, journeys of the spirit from one world to the next, and the magic of birth, death, and rebirth.

Lady of Ten Thousand Names

Throughout the world gods and goddesses of light were being born during the Winter Solstice. The Egyptian goddess Isis delivered Horus whose symbol was the winged Sun. As the personification of the “complete female”, Isis was called “The One Who Is All”, Isis Panthea (”Isis the All Goddess”), and the “Lady of Ten Thousand Names”. The goddess Isis, a moon goddess, gave birth to Horus, the god of the sun. Together, Isis and Horus created and sustained all life and were the saviors of their people. More than any other of the ancient Egyptian goddesses, Isis embodied the characteristics of all the lesser goddesses that preceded her. Isis became the model on which future generations of female deities in other cultures were to be based.

Angel of light

Mithras, the Unconquered Sun of Persia, was born during the solstice. The origin of the cult of Mithra dates from the time that the Hindus and Persians still formed one people, for the god Mithra occurs in the religion and the books of both races i.e. in the Vedas and in the Avesta.  He was identified on the one hand with the sun, or Helios, on the other, with Apollo and Hermes. Mithra was originally conceived of as a kind of angel, a power of light who fights on the side of Ahura-Mazda (the Zoroastrian Lord of Wisdom).

Song and Dance, Wisdom in Humor

Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun in Japanese mythology, was a beautiful and compassionate goddess who ruled both the sun and the heavenly fields of rice that fed the Japanese people. She was also born during the Solstice.  Uzume was a lesser goddess, responsible for laughter and revelry. The goddesses Amaterasu and Uzume teach us about the healing power of laughter and dance, and remind us that we can often find healing and wisdom in humor.

Goddess of Light

Rhea gave birth to Saturn (son of the Father of Time), Hera (Queen of the Olympian deities, goddess of marriage and birth) conceives Hephaestus, and Quetzalcoatl ( Aztec god of human sustenance, penitent, self-sacrifice, re-birth and butterflies) and Lucina (”Little Light”) also celebrate birthdays at this time. Lucia, saint or Goddess of Light, is honored from Italy to Sweden, crowned with candles to carry us through the darkness. The birth of Sarasvati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge and the Queen of Heaven, is also celebrated during Yule-tide.

In Greek mythology, Rhea is the mother of the gods.  She is identified with mother goddess Cybele from Asia Minor and is also known as Rhea Cybele and Magna Mater (”Great Mother“). She was worshipped with orgiastic rites. Rhea is depicted between two lions or on a chariot pulled by lions.

Mother Night

In Northern Europe, the year’s longest night is called “Mother Night” for it was in darkness the goddess Frigga the goddess of  love, marriage, and destiny labored to bring the Light to birth once more. A sky goddess, responsible for weaving the clouds (and therefore for sunshine and rain and the fertility of the crops), she was also responsible for weaving the fates. She was known as a ’seer’, one who knew the future though she could never change it. Her offspring was the Young Sun, Baldur, who controlled the sun and rain and brings fruitfulness to the fields, was born. Frigga’s blessing is invoked for all birthing women, and a white candle that last burned on the solstice is kept as a charm to provide a safe delivery. Frigga is credited with the development of runes as a tool for divination. Runes are stones marked with signs which, when selected, tell what “issues” you are currently confronting in your life and where you need to head to find the answers you seek.

Fertility and First Fruits

Winter Solstice is also a time of plenty. The Hopi Kachinas return to the Earth during the solstice, and the Deer Mothers dance for the fertility of the earth.   The hearth fires of Hestia (known as the Roman goddess Vesta) are quenched and then rekindled. The “first fruits” festival, Kwanzaa, is held to honor the seven major deities of Yoruba.

Dreams and Visions

And Winter Solstice is a time for visions. Rhiannon, a Welsh incarnation of Epona, the Celtic Mare Goddess, rides through the dreams of her people by night, transporting them to the place between the worlds where they can create their own visions, giving them a gift of what they need most, helping them to realize their dreams.

All Hail the Winter Goddess, who brings us the Sun

Winter Solstice is a magical season that marks the journey from this year to the next, journeys of the spirit from one world to the next, and the magic of birth, death, and rebirth.

This is the longest night of the year and this night we use our circle  to travel back in time. We remember what the lengthening nights meant to an agrarian people in times before easy food storage, the very young, old and pregnant were at great risk in the winter. There were many who would die in the darkness. The light would come again to warm the land. The people developed calendars. They were able to determine the nights of the Solstices and Equinoxes. When the night of the change came it was cause for a great celebration.

We, too, celebrate the rebirth, of the Sun, the Winter Goddess/God within ourselves. Rosemary, fir and pine have been placed on the altar to remind us that our souls are “evergreen”. We take the time to write descriptions of our  inner selves,  and try to see ourselves as we are in the so-called “real world”.  We look objectively at  our attachments and aversions and write down the things of both worlds that hold us back from achieving our purpose. Then we examine the ways we can “break through” them. As we warm ourselves by the yule fire, we contemplate:

• Embracing the presence of feminine energy and personality in our planet and in ourselves;
• Connecting  with  feminine energy and personality  by consciously living with love, abundance, grace, and purposefulness.

This is the Darkness of the womb.  This is the time before time itself begins.  We cast our circle, we call on the Winter Goddess to bring back the Light, to warm the earth again to fruitfulness; to enlighten us.

All Hail the Winter Goddess!

The ancients knew that the winter solstice was the longest night of the year -- and that meant that the sun was beginning its long journey back towards earth. It was a time of celebration, and for rejoicing in the knowledge that soon, the warm days of spring would return, and the dormant earth would come back to life. On this one day, the sun stands still in the sky, and everyone on earth knows that change is coming. Because this is a festival of fire and light, feel free to use lots of candles and lights, solar symbols, bright colors, or even a bonfire. Bring light back into your home and your life. 1. Like any Sabbat, this festival works well if paired up with a feast. Celebrate the sun's return by preparing all kinds of winter foods -- whip up a batch of cornbread, a pot of buttered rum, plum pudding, cranberry dressing, game stew, etc. Have the whole family eat together prior to the ritual. Clean up, and when you're done, cover your table or altar with candles. Use as many as you like; they don't have to match. In the center, place a sun candle** on a riser, so it's above the rest. Don't light any of the candles just yet. 2. Turn off all the other lights, and face your altar. If your tradition requires you to cast a circle, do so now. Face the candles, and say: The wheel of the year has turned once more, and the nights have grown longer and colder. Tonight, the darkness begins to retreat, and light begins its return once again. As the wheel continues to spin, the sun returns to us once more. 3. Light the sun candle, and say: Even in the darkest hours, even in the longest nights, the spark of life lingered on. Laying dormant, waiting, ready to return when the time was right. The darkness will leave us now, as the sun begins its journey home. 4. Beginning with the candles closest to the sun candle, and working your way outward, light each of the other candles. As you light each one, say: As the wheel turns, light returns. Repeat this until all the candles are lit and burning. Then say: The light of the sun has returned to us, bringing life and warmth with it. The shadows will vanish, and life will continue. We are blessed by the light of the sun. 5. Take a moment to think about what the return of the sun means to you. The return of the light meant many things to different cultures. How does it affect you, and your loved ones? When you're ready, go through the house and turn all the lights back on. If you have children, make it a game -- they can yell out, "Welcome back, light!" If you're not too full from dinner, have some eggnog and cookies on standby, and take the time to bask in the light of your candles and eat some treats. When you're done, extinguish the candles from the outside of the altar working towards the center, leaving the sun candle for last. Tips: 1. ** A sun candle is simply a candle you've designated to represent the sun in ritual. It can be in a sunny color -- gold or yellow -- and if you like, you can insribe it with solar sigils. 2. If you like, you can do this ritual on the morning of Yule. Cook a big breakfast with lots of eggs, and watch the sun rise. If you do this, you can eliminate all the candles except the sun candle. Allow the sun candle to burn all day before you extinguish it.

In many Celtic-based traditions of neopaganism, there is the enduring legend of the battle between the Oak King and the Holly King. These two mighty rulers fight for supremacy as the Wheel of the Year turns each season. At the Winter Solstice, or Yule, the Oak King kills the Holly King, and then reigns until Midsummer, or Litha. Once the Summer Solstice arrives, the Holly King returns to do battle with the old king, and defeats him. The Holly King them rules until Yule. In some Wiccan traditions, the Oak King and the Holly King are seen as dual aspects of the Horned God. Each of these twin aspects rules for half the year, battles for the favor of the Goddess, and then retires to nurse his wounds for the next six months, until it is time for him to reign once more. Often, these two entities are portrayed in familiar ways - the Holly King frequently appears as a woodsy version of Santa Claus. He dresses in red, wears a sprig of holly in his tangled hair, and is sometimes depicted driving a team of eight stags. The Oak King is portrayed as a fertility god, and occasionally appears as the Green Man or other lord of the forest. Ultimately, while these two beings do battle all year long, they are two essential parts of a whole. Despite being enemies, without one, the other would no longer exist.

So your neighbors all have cute little mangers in their yards, complete with plastic baby Jesus, light-up sheep, and a couple of Wise Men who have probably seen better days. Are you feeling a bit left out? After all, as Pagans, we don't really do the baby Jesus thing. But don't feel bad -- you can still set up a Nativity scene (or something close to it) that represents your Pagan or Wiccan beliefs. You can do this either in a large version to display on your lawn, or a smaller scale for indoor festivities. Here's How: 1. Think about what the Yule season means. In nearly every tradition, it represents the return of the sun. It's a time of celebrating the continuous turn of the Wheel of the Year, and embracing the coldest aspect of nature. It's a time when we can look back at our ancient Pagan ancestors and see how they marked this time of year when the nights were long and food was scarce. 2. Instead of a traditional manger, make a framework of evergreen or pine boughs. Tie them together to keep them from falling over in the wind, and arrange them to form a shelter of sorts. On the ground inside, spread hay or straw, loose boughs, dried leaves, etc. 3. Surround the shelter with representations of the animal kingdom -- deer, rabbits, birds, wolves, cats, etc. You may even wish to leave a bowl out with offerings for your animal friends -- nuts, berries, seeds and more -- to tide them through the chilly months. If your tradition includes fantasy characters such as gnomes, fairies, dragons or elves, feel free to include them as well, but try not to get carried away. The point of the décor is not to overwhelm people but tell a simple story. 4. Create a sun symbol, and place it inside the shelter. You can use anything you like to represent the sun -- paint a disc gold, use a bronze sun figure, or even a statue of Ra or other sun gods. If you like, place it in a protective bedding a bit like a cradle, or nestle it in a bed of soft greenery. (I use a sun candle in place of the traditional babe and crib). 5. Finally, add the blessings of deity. If your tradition honors a God and Goddess, or the three aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone, add representations of these beings as well. If you like, cast a sacred circle around the entire scene. You can even place symbols of the Watchtowers at the four cardinal directions, surrounding the shelter and providing protection over the newly born sun. Add wreaths, small trees, pentacles, sun wheels or other symbols around your display.

While it may be mostly Pagans and Wiccans who celebrate the Yule holiday, nearly all cultures and faiths have some sort of winter solstice celebration or festival. Because of the theme of endless birth, life, death, and rebirth, the time of the solstice is often associated with deity and other legendary figures. No matter which path you follow, chances are good that one of your gods or goddesses has a winter solstice connection. * Alcyone (Greek): Alcyone is the Kingfisher goddess. She nests every winter for two weeks, and while she does, the wild seas become calm and peaceful. * Ameratasu (Japan): In feudal Japan, worshippers celebrated the return of Ameratasu, the sun goddess, who slept in a cold, remote cave. When the the other gods woke her with a loud celebration, she looked out of the cave and saw an image of herself in a mirror. The other gods convinced her to emerge from her seclusion and return sunlight to the universe. * Baldur (Norse): Baldur is associated with the legend of the mistletoe. His mother, Frigga, honored Baldur and asked all of nature to promise not to harm him. Unfortunately, in her haste, Frigga overlooked the mistletoe plant, so Loki – the resident trickster – took advantage of the opportunity and fooled Baldur’s blind twin, Hod, into killing him with a spear made of mistletoe. Baldur was later restored to life. * Bona Dea (Roman): This fertility goddess was worshipped in a secret temple on the Aventine hill in Rome, and only women were permitted to attend her rites. Her annual festival was held early in December. * Cailleach Bheur (Celtic): In Scotland, she is also called Beira, the Queen of Winter. She is the hag aspect of the Triple Goddess, and rules the dark days between Samhain and Beltaine. * Demeter (Greek): Through her daughter, Persephone, Demeter is linked strongly to the changing of the seasons and is often connected to the image of the Dark Mother in winter. When Persephone was abducted by Hades, Demeter's grief caused the earth to die for six months, until her daughter's return. * Dionysus (Greek): A festival called Brumalia was held every December in honor of Dionysus and his fermented grape wine. The event proved so popular that the Romans adopted it as well. * Frigga (Norse): Frigga honored her son, Baldur, by asking all of nature not to harm him, but in her haste overlooked the mistletoe plant. Loki fooled Baldur’s blind twin, Hod, into killing him with a spear made of mistletoe but Odin later restored him to life. As thanks, Frigga declared that mistletoe must be regarded as a plant of love, rather than death. * Holly King (British/Celtic): The Holly King is a figure found in British tales and folklore. He is similar to the Green Man, the archetype of the forest. In modern Pagan religion, the Holly King battles the Oak King for supremacy throughout the year. At the winter solstice, the Holly King is defeated. * Horus (Egyptian): Horus was one of the solar deities of the ancient Egyptians. He rose and set every day, and is often associated with Nut, the sky god. Horus later became connected with another sun god, Ra. * La Befana (Italian): This character from Italian folklore is similar to St. Nicholas, in that she flies around delivering candy to well-behaved children in early January. She is depicted as an old woman on a broomstick, wearing a black shawl. (Imagine that!) * Lord of Misrule (British): The custom of appointing a Lord of Misrule to preside over winter holiday festivities actually has its roots in antiquity, during the Roman week of Saturnalia. * Odin (Norse): In some legends, Odin bestowed gifts at Yuletide upon his people, riding a magical flying horse across the sky. This legend may have combined with that of St. Nicholas to create the modern Santa Claus. * Saturn (Roman): Every December, the Romans threw a week-long celebration of debauchery and fun, in honor of their agricultural god, Saturn. Roles were reversed, and slaves became the masters, at least temporarily. This is where the tradition of the Lord of Misrule originated. * Spider Woman (Hopi): Soyal is the Hopi festival of the winter solstice. It honors the Spider Woman and the Hawk Maiden, and celebrates the sun's victory over winter's darkness.

When it comes to festivals, parties, and downright debauchery, no one beats the folks of ancient Rome. Around the time of the winter solstice each year, they celebrated the festival of Saturnalia. As the name implies, this was a holiday in honor of the agricultural god, Saturn. This week-long party typically began around December 17th, so that it would end right around the day of the solstice. Fertility rituals were performed at the temple of Saturn, including sacrifices. In addition to the large public rites, many private citizens held ceremonies honoring Saturn in their homes. One of the highlights of Saturnalia was the switching of traditional roles, particularly between a master and his slave. Everyone got to wear the red pileus, or freedman's hat, and slaves were free to be as impertinent as they wished to their owners. However, despite the appearance of a reversal of social order, there were actually some fairly strict boundaries. A master might serve his slaves dinner, but the slaves were the ones who prepared it -- this kept Roman society in order, but still allowed everyone to have a good time. Businesses and court proceedings closed up for the entire celebration, and food and drink were everywhere to be had. Elaborate feasts and banquets were held, and it wasn’t unusual to exchange small gifts at these parties. A typical Saturnalia gift might be something like a writing tablet or tool, cups and spoons, clothing items, or food. Citizens decked their halls with boughs of greenery, and even hung small tin ornaments on bushes and trees. Bands of naked revelers often roamed the streets, singing and carousing - a sort of naughty precursor to today's Christmas caroling tradition. The traditional greeting at a Saturnalia celebration is, "Io, Saturnalia!", with the "Io" being pronounced as "Yo." So next time someone wishes you a happy holiday, feel free to respond with "Io, Saturnalia!" After all, if you lived in Roman times, Saturn was the reason for the season!

The oldest written sources on the Yule Cat are from the Nineteenth Century. These refer to the fact that those who do not get a new item of clothing for Yule are destined to become offerings for the Yule Cat. It may sound strange that the deprived ones will also become the sacrifices, but this tradition is based on the fact that every effort was made to finish all work with the Autumn wool before Yule. The reward for those who took part in the work was a new piece of clothing. Those who were lazy received nothing. Thus the Yule Cat was used as an incentive to get people to work harder. A woman describes a scene from her youth in the last century thus: "We were lazy doing this chore. Then we were reminded of the Yule Cat. We thought that was some terrible beast and the last thing we wanted was to be one of his offers". One of Iceland's most beloved poets in this century, Jóhannes úr Kötlum, wrote a lay about the Yule Cat. It follows in the translation of Vignir Jónsson, who says: "You'll have to forgive me but I didn't make it rhyme - I'm not much of a poet." Yule Cat You all know the Yule Cat And that Cat was huge indeed. People didn't know where he came from Or where he went. He opened his glaring eyes wide, The two of them glowing bright. It took a really brave man To look straight into them. His whiskers, sharp as bristles, His back arched up high. And the claws of his hairy paws Were a terrible sight. He gave a wave of his strong tail, He jumped and he clawed and he hissed. Sometimes up in the valley, Sometimes down by the shore. He roamed at large, hungry and evil In the freezing Yule snow. In every home People shuddered at his name. If one heard a pitiful "meow" Something evil would happen soon. Everybody knew he hunted men But didn't care for mice. He picked on the very poor That no new garments got For Yule - who toiled And lived in dire need. From them he took in one fell swoop Their whole Yule dinner Always eating it himself If he possibly could. Hence it was that the women At their spinning wheels sat Spinning a colorful thread For a frock or a little sock. Because you mustn't let the Cat Get hold of the little children. They had to get something new to wear From the grownups each year. And when the lights came on, on Yule Eve And the Cat peered in, The little children stood rosy and proud All dressed up in their new clothes. Some had gotten an apron And some had gotten shoes Or something that was needed - That was all it took. For all who got something new to wear Stayed out of that pussy-cat's grasp He then gave an awful hiss But went on his way. Whether he still exists I do not know. But his visit would be in vain If next time everybody Got something new to wear. Now you might be thinking of helping Where help is needed most. Perhaps you'll find some children That have nothing at all. Perhaps searching for those That live in a lightless world Will give you a happy day And a Merry, Merry Yule.

Also known as the golden bough. Held sacred by both the Celtic Druids and the Norseman. Once called Allheal, used in folk medicine to cure many ills. North American Indians used it for toothache, measles and dog bites. Today the plant is still used medicinally, though only in skilled hands...it's a powerful plant. It was also the plant of peace in Scandinavian antiquity. If enemies met by chance beneath it in a forest, they laid down their arms and maintained a truce until the next day. Mistletoe was used by the Druid priesthood in a very special ceremony held around this time... five days after the New Moon following winter solstice, to be precise. The Druid priests would cut mistletoe from a holy oak tree with a golden sickle. The branches had to be caught before they touched the ground. The priest then divided the branches into many sprigs and distributed them to the people, who hung them over doorways as protection against thunder, lightning and other evils. The folklore, and the magical powers of this plant, blossomed over the centuries A sprig placed in a baby's cradle would protect the child from faeries. Giving a sprig to the first cow calving after New Year would protect the entire herd. And so forth. Now for the kissing part... Although many sources say that kissing under the mistletoe is a purely English custom, there's another, more charming explanation for its origin that extends back into Norse mythology. It's the story of a loving, if overprotective, mother. The Norse god Balder was the best loved of all the gods. His mother was Frigga, goddess of love and beauty. She loved her son so much that she wanted to make sure no harm would come to him. So she went through the world, securing promises from everything that sprang from the four elements--fire, water, air, and earth--that they would not harm her beloved Balder. Leave it to Loki, a sly, evil spirit, to find the loophole. The loophole was mistletoe. He made an arrow from its wood. To make the prank even nastier, he took the arrow to Hoder, Balder's brother, who was blind. Guiding Holder's hand, Loki directed the arrow at Balder's heart, and he fell dead. Frigga's tears became the mistletoe's white berries. In the version of the story with a happy ending, Balder is restored to life, and Frigga is so grateful that she reverses the reputation of the offending plant--making it a symbol of love and promising to bestow a kiss upon anyone who passes under it.

Yule, also referred to as the Yuletide, Winter Solstice and Christmas is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. This is usually around December 20th or 21st. With the shortest day, Yule marks the time when the days begin to grow longer and the nights shorter. Yule begins on 'Mother Night' and ends twelve days later, thus the origin of the Twelve Days of Christmas. On this day the Holly King, who represents the death aspect of the God, is overcome by the Oak King, who embodies the rebirth of the God, also referred to as the Divine Child. The aspect of the God invoked at this time by certain Wiccan traditions is Frey, the Scandinavian Fertility God and a deity associated with peace and prosperity. Love, family togetherness and accomplishments of the past year are also celebrated. This is also a good time to reflect on your achievements of the last year and what you desire to achieve in the coming year. Yule is a solar festival, celebrated by fire and the use of the Yule log. The seasons colors are red and green, originating from Pagan celebrations of this time of year. Red represents the females menstrual blood, while the color green represents the fertility of the coming growing season. Fancy breads, cookies and holly wreathes are also a part of the original Pagan (Witch) tradition. Food is prepared for the after dinner Yule celebration when the tree is lighted and the Yule log is burned. A portion of the Yule log is saved to be used in next years lighting of the Yule log. This piece of the yule log is kept throughout the year to protect the home. Place a piece of holly bush on your altar for the Yule celebration, in keeping with Pagan tradition. After the celebration, before dismissing the Quarters and taking down the Circle, write down a wish or wishes on pieces of parchment paper and tie them to the holly bush branches on your altar. You can write down as few or many wishes as you desire. However try to keep it simple. Bury the holly bush limb with your wishes attached to it during the next full moon, giving thanks to the Lord and Lady, to assure that your wishes will be realized during the coming year. At sunset place a bayberry candle or two on your dining table and light them. Allow the bayberry candles to burn themselves out to ensure wealth and happiness throughout the following year. Plus you can set another pair upon the mantle and lighted at the beginning of the Yule ceremony. Not only do they smell pleasant, but are also another part of the Pagan Yule tradition. If you are having difficulty choosing a card(s) to send to non-Pagan friends and family members, why not choose a card with a representation of the reindeer stag as a reminder of the horned God. The card(s) could include a nature scene with a reindeer stag amongst pine trees. It is Pagan and non-offensive to those who have different beliefs. My family used to walk around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights when I was a young girl, a practice I admit to love doing with my husband. I remember seeing the five pointed star on many a home and/or tree. How Pagan, displaying a pentagram...grin. Although they use it to represent the star of Bethlehem I can not help but wonder if they know they are using one of the most important symbols to Pagans and Witches as a Christian decoration... the pentagram. Probably not. Just one of the little things about modern Yule celebrations I find amusing. Other modern customs with Pagan/Witchy roots include: - Do you still put up a Yule tree? The Yule tree lights and ornaments originally symbolized the sun, moon and stars as they looked on the Tree of Life. The Yule tree decorations also represented the souls of the departed who we remember at the end of the year. And then there is the modern day gift giving which originated from hanging sacred presents on the Yule tree as offerings to deities such as Attis and Dionysus. And to think all of this sprung from the pine groves equated with the Great Mother Goddess. - Hanging mistletoe and holly. Druids considered Mistletoe to be very magickal and referred to it as the Golden Bough. Druids believed Mistletoe to possess great healing powers. Plus Mistletoe gave mortal men access to the Underworld. Once in our history Mistletoe was once thought to resemble the genitalia of the God Zeus. The white berries represented Zeus' sacred semen. This is in contrast to the red berries of Holly, which symbolized the sacred menstrual blood of the Goddess. Mistletoes symbolic life giving essence is representative of divine substance and immortality for those who hand it at Yule. While we merely kiss under the mistletoe, in ancient times sexual orgies accompanied the rites of the great oak God Zeus. - Another custom dating back to Pagan roots is the burning of the Yule log. Originally the Yule bonfire was meant to give renewed life and power to the sun, thus the sun was reborn with the shortest day marking the time of year when the days started becoming longer. Traditionally Yule logs are oak, with the oak tree symbolizing the Cosmic Tree of Life, per Druid lore. Pine is also used to represent the dying Gods Attis, Dionysus and Woden. - Of course modern day Santa Claus has Pagan/Witchy roots too. In ancient times he was known as "Christ on the Wheel" to the Scandinavians...a title for Sun God who was reborn at the time of the Winter Solstice. - Placing cakes in the boughs of the oldest apple trees in the orchard and pouring on cider as a libation was an old Pagan Yuletide custom practiced in England, and known as Wassailing the Orchard Trees. It was said the cider was a substitute for the human or animal blood offered in primitive times as part of the Winter Solstice fertility rite. After offering a toast to the health of the apple trees and giving thanks to them for producing fruit, the farmers would then enjoin the trees to continue producing abundantly. - Traditional Pagan foods of Yule/Winter Solstice Sabat are roasted turkey, nuts, fruitcakes, caraway rolls, eggnog and mulled wine. - Use bayberry, cedar, pine and rosemary incense at Yule. - Traditional Yule Sabat candle colors are gold, green, red and white. - Traditional Yule Sabat gemstones are cats eye and ruby. Sources of information include (1)"Power of the Witch" By Laurie Cabot and (2)"To Ride A Silver Broomstick" By Silver RavenWolf