Winter Holidays - Solstice and Yule

A lot of people wish me Merry Christmas, and in England they say Happy Christmas... but NOT EVERYONE CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS. Some celebrate, Kwanzaa others Solstice/Yule, Hanukkah and whatever other holidays there are & that doesn't count the double titled holidays where they celebrate Christmas & Hanukkah etc.

Whatever other holidays there are around this time, if you celebrate it I'd like to know what its called, the date & if you would please add a few paragraphs of what its about, & how you celebrate, and so on.

Sadly I do not know of anyone who celebrates Kwanzaa so if you are reading this, and you do Please PM me!

"Supporters of using the term Holidays, in place of Christmas were originally syncretized (the combining of different belifes and practices)

They were stolen or twisted by those who made the religion and bent them to their agenda. "Christmas" symbols such as Trees, Caroling, Holly wreaths, Mistletoe, & Yule Logs are all Pre -christian (or as they have the habit of lumping all pre-Christian religions as...Pagan) symbols of the solstice.

There's also argument that as society religiously and culturally diversifies that a sect Holiday such as christmas may be non-inclusive, or offensive to non-christian and non-celebrants in general Christmas Controversy

If you do not know someone's religion, simpy say Happy Holiday(s), it covers one or as many religious backgrounds as their family has, Plus includes the New Year which I've also included a bit for here as well.

If I have missed covering any other holidays' please let me know by PM what it is

“Yule” comes from the Ænglisc “Gēola”, which refers to the winter solstice, which is celebrated between the 21^st and 23^rd of December. Another festival was celebrated later on the 24th called Mother's night or Mōdraniht and believed to be a time of sacrifice to the “Ides” (or Dísir (women ghosts) in Old Norse), a term meaning “noble woman” or “goddess”.This was celebrated not only by the Norse, but the north-western pre-christian germanic tribes

Traditional customs such as the Yule log, the decorated tree, and wassailing can all be traced back to Norse origins.

The Yule Lads

of Icelandic folklore or Yuletide-lads, or Yulemen are a group of 13 mischievous pranksters who—according to local folklore—are said to "come to town" visiting homes one by one to leave rewards or punishments for children on each of the 13 days leading up to Christmas (beginning 12 December). They depart beginning on Christmas, one per day, in the order that they arrived; each thus stays 13 days.

Modern versions of the lads sometimes portray them in a benevolent light, even dressed like Santa Claus, but other stories are dark. The lads are said to be the sons of Gryla, a mountain troll with an appetite for mischievous children.

keep an eye out for

Sausage-Swiper,

Window-Peeper,

Door-Slammer

Gully Gawk is scheduled for a visitation, waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the cowshed and steal milk.

The following are the names of the 13 Yule Men

1. Stekkjarstaur or Sheep-Cote Clod Harasses sheep, but is impaired by his stiff peg-legs. 12 December 25 December
2. Giljagaur or Gully Gawk Hides in gullies , waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the cowshed and steal milk. 13 December 26 December
3. Stúfur Stubby Abnormally short. Steals pans to eat the crust left on them. 14 December 27 December
4. Þvörusleikir Spoon-Licker Steals Þvörur (a type of a wooden spoon with a long handle – I. þvara) to lick. Is extremely thin due to malnutrition . 15 December 28 December
5. Pottaskefill Pot-Scraper Steals leftovers from pots. 16 December 29 December
6. Askasleikir Bowl-Licker Hides under beds waiting for someone to put down their "askur" (a type of bowl with a lid used instead of dishes), which he then steals. 17 December 30 December
7. Hurðaskellir Door-Slammer Likes to slam doors, especially during the night, waking people up. 18 December 31 December
8. Skyrgámur Skyr-Gobbler A Yule Lad with a great affinity for skyr . 19 December 1 January
9. Bjúgnakrækir Sausage-Swiper Hides in the rafters and snatches sausages that are being smoked. 20 December 2 January
10. Gluggagægir Window-Peeper A snoop who looks through windows in search of things to steal. 21 December 3 January
11. Gáttaþefur Doorway-Sniffer Has an abnormally large nose and an acute sense of smell which he uses to locate laufabrauð . 22 December 4 January
12. Ketkrókur Meat-Hook Uses a hook to steal meat. 23 December 5 January
13. Kertasníkir Candle-Stealer Follows children in order to steal their candles (which were once made of tallow and thus edible). 24 December 6 January

All about Yule (a variety of links on the topic)

Yule Alter and what the items symbolize

Yule a History

Dec 20 Modranecht

21 Night of the Wild Hunt

22 High Feast of yule

23 Feast of Freya and the sea gods

24 Feast of Comminuty

25 Eir's Day

26 Feast of Thor

27 Feast of Skadi and Ullr

28 Feast of Odin

29 Feast of Sunna and the Ancestors

30 Feast of all Goddesses and the Valkyrie

31 Oath Night

The Shortest Day -?

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.”

This holiday falls between December 21st & 23rd depending on the Solar calendar.

Wiccans and Pagans celebrate the Winter Solstice or Midwinter Sabbat which celebrates the birth of the sun god from the earth Goddess.

In ancient times they were celebrated on the 25th of December, however with the integration of the Julian calendar & messing up time it now falls on the 21st as its the longest days and the start of the coming renewal of the land. The holiday was usually celebrated for 12 days (could this be where the 12 days of Christmas came from maybe it should be renamed Paganmas)

Pre-Christianity

The Norse celebrate Jol or Yule

Yule Cat

Winter Solstice

The Yule Log is a symbol of the bonfires pagans would set to symbolize the coming of the sun. Any type of wood can be used, but you may want to check out this list for what you want it to signify.

Oak: Brings healing Strength and wisdom

Holly:inspires visions and reveals past lives

Birch: for new beggingings

Willow: to achieve desires

Aspen:Understanding of the Grand Design

Pine: Prosperity and growth

On Yule Night Carve a symbol of your hopes for the coming year into the log, burning the log releases its power and save a piece from this years Yule log for next years kindling. The yule log is usually decorated with Ribbon, flowers and greenery as well as herbs for magical intent, for instance use White sage for a cleansing of the old year coming into the new year.

Some of the herbs and such you may want to use...

Cedar- waelth protection purification healing & promoting spirituality

Carnations- COurage, Strength Protection Healing Vitality increases Magical power.

Cinnamon- Love

Cloves- fertility

Corriander seeds- love

Holly- Protection & dreams

Juniper- Exorcism love healing and protection

Lavender- Love awakener

Mistletoe- health fertility, success banishing Evil, Protection

Pine- Healing wealth protection fertility purification Exorcism

Rosemary- Health love protection increase intellectual powers, peace blessing, consecrations, very powerful cleansing, & purifying Exorcism

Roses- Love courage luck health protection beauty

Ribbons- use according to their corresponding magic color

You cannot celebrate a 'Christian' holiday without celebrating a pagan one. You are just celebrating Christian Blasphemy as they say "ye shalt not Steal and that they did for their own greedy agenda.

The True Origin of Christmas

scents in various forms, from spices, you can toss in the fire, to scented oils and so on.

if it's a spice more likely you can use it in the fire, besides of course your holiday meals!

• Cinnamon
• Pinecones

  (toss in fire) but be sure the grate is over the fire

• rosemary, cinnamon sticks,
• (dried) orange peel for kindling, as the oil in it, helps it to burn longer
• cloves,
• nutmeg,
• incense sticks or cones (in Pine, cinnamon or apple cinnamon spice,) Tho' they will burn quickly
• Rainbow flame matches/sticks or powder (I don't remember what it was, but I remember my uncle putting this in the fire & the flames turning a variety of colors. (not sure if it had a scent but was a bit entertaining at least when a child, not sure about now, thjo I do like to watch a candleflame dance)
• Java-log (made of recycled coffee grounds) it emits up to 78% less carbon monoxide & 66% less creosote then wood fires
• gingerbread
• sugarcookies
• Orange w/ Cloves (can be made as tree ornament or just for the fruit bowl)

More Yule and Solstice gifts on Amazon.com Widgets

Candlemas is a time, when people are initiated, into wiccan covens & each group's outlook depends on the exact or important meaning of each holiday as well.

• Finland -December 6 Independence Day
• Kenya- December 12 Jamuhuri Day
• Bangladesh- December 16 Victory Day
• Saturnalia december 17-23 (ancient Romans)
• Austria, & Liechtenstein, Luxemberg -

  Dec 25th Christmas

  Dec 26 St. Stephen's Day

• Dominican Republic- Dec 5 Discovery Day Commemorating the arrival of Christopher Columbus (& I don't mean the director)
• Canada , Uganda Gibraltar Antigua & Barbuda

  December 24th

  December 25th Christmas

  December 26th Boxing Day

• Channel Islands December 15 Homecoming Day (Alderney)
• Albania - Dec 8 Public Youth Day

  Dec 25 Midwinter Christmas

• Argentina- Dec 8 Immaulate Conception

  Dec 24 Christmas Eve

  25th Christmas day

• Armenia- Dec 7 Spitak Rememberence Day
• Australia Australia Holidays

Holidays by Country List