Simple Celebrations for Yule

If you’re new to Wicca or haven’t really observed the Sabbats yet, you might find that it can be a little bit of an intimidating prospect at first. If you are fully aware of what it is that we are celebrating at this time of year it should be fairly easy to come up with some simple ways to honor the Gods and mark this special Sabbat. So let’s start by reviewing what exactly Yule is.

Yule is the celebration of the Winter Solstice. This is the time when the earth’s axis is has the earth tilted as far away from the sun as possible. It’s important to note that this doesn’t happen at the same time for the whole world. When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest away from the sun and experiencing Yule, the Southern Hemisphere is being pushed closer to the sun, making this time of year Litha, or Summer Solstice for them. So while in the US, for example, we will be experiencing the shortest day and longest night of the year on December 21st and celebrating Yule, our Aussie brothers and sisters “down under” will be experiencing the longest day and shortest night of the year.
Also, because this is an event that is determined by the movement of the earth and sun, the date is not a constant one. Most books on Wicca will place the date either as being between December 20th and 22nd or as being stationary on December 21st. It does vary and this year, 2009, the date will be Monday, December 21st.

At Winter Solstice we stop to reflect on a few different things. With this being the dark time of the year we tend to find that we spend more time indoors, more time doing things on our own and being focused on inner and solitary pursuits. We also take the time to honor the God who is reborn at this Sabbat. The God comes back, reborn as the Child of Light, bringing with him the returning light of the sun (i.e. son). We give thanks to the Goddess for carrying the God through his journey of rebirth in the Underworld and giving birth to him. Some of the magick that we commonly work during the Yule Sabbat include spells for renewal and rebirth, spells to help bring hope into our lives, and spells for cleansing. Some people also feel this is a good time for spells for love, especially spells of familial love such as healing rifts with mothers.

Celebrating Yule can be very simple. Keep in mind, magick and honoring the Gods at a Sabbat doesn’t need to be elaborate but it just needs to have honest, heartfelt intent and desire. If in your heart you are truly grateful for the return of the light, the coming spring, and truly desire hope and renewal for your life in the New Year, then you the simplest act along with that intent is all you need. If this is your first time celebrating Yule, here are some simple things that you can do to honor the Sabbat.

My Yule altar from 2008

~ Hold a Sunrise Ritual ~
Many people make a habit of working rituals at night; often this is because of their personal schedules and not being able to have time for rituals during the day. If you’re looking to try something different and something that really falls in line with the purpose of the Sabbat, a sunrise ritual is very appropriate for Yule. Find a place outside (or inside if the weather where you are is too bad for you to be outdoors) where you can watch the sun come up. Prepare yourself a chalice of orange juice that has been blessed and as the sun comes up toast the God’s return and speak words of hope for the New Year. If there is something that you are in need of set your into out into the Universe and then drink from your chalice. Save some to take outside and pour on the earth as an offering to the God.

~ Have an All Night Ritual ~
This is something that you can do on your own or you can do this along with the Sunrise Ritual if you wish. At night after the sun has gone down, get together a gold candle (or white if you can’t find something in gold) and some incense if you’d like to use it. If you have a window where you will see the sun come up through, work there for the night. Place your candle on the window sill, if it’s safe, or on a small table or altar. Light the candle and spend the time during the night in vigil await the God’s rebirth. During this time you can do journey work and meditations focusing on your own rebirth if this is something that you need. If you’re looking for a fresh start on something like your spiritual practice, you can use this as a time to do journey work to go to the Underworld, visit with the Goddess to speak with her about your what you can do as part of your rebirth process, and then experience the process of rebirth with the God when the sun rises. There are many ways that you can take this idea and rework it to fit your needs, but at its core this is a ritual of honoring the process of the labor of the Goddess and the birth of the God.

~ Create a Simple Altar and Make an Offering ~
Something that is very simple and easy to do is create a small Yule altar and make an offering to the God and Goddess. This is also a great thing that you can do if you have children that you are raising as Pagans because it is something like the idea of leaving cookies for Santa, because what are we really doing as kids when we leave cookie and milk for Santa? We’re leaving an offering of cakes and ale to the spirit of giving that is embodies by the mythical figure of Santa and in return we receive generosity and abundance through gifts (which just happen to take a physical form rather than a spiritual form). Lay out an altar cloth on your working surface and get yourself three candles, one white, one red and one green. Place the red candle on the left for the Goddess, the green candle to the right for the God and the white candle in the center for unity and hope to light the way for the God’s return. Place a chalice of mulled wine or cider on the altar along with a plate of nuts or sugar cookies. Take a little time to meditate on the purpose of the Sabbat and what you hope to see be reborn in your life and what you wish to lend hope to. Light you candles going from left to right; light the red one thanking the Goddess for keeping the God through his transformation and carrying him back to us. Light the white one of light the path for the God. Then light the green one and welcome back the God as the Child of Light, Son of the Goddess. As you light these candles you can use different chants or speak words either prepared or “on the fly” honoring each of the elements. You can chant, drum, use a rattle, or do something else that will help you to call or sing back the God. When you feel his return offer up and partake of the cake and ale, leaving some on the altar for the God and Goddess.

And don’t forget to check over here at this point from a few days ago for some correspondences for Yule that you can use to put together your altar and rituals.
Mood: sleepy