Winter Solstice marks the end of fall and the beginning of winter. Commemorating this time, Yule is the pagan holiday where the old and new meet. In the Northern Hemisphere, Winter Solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the Summer Solstice. Winter Solstice (also known as Yule) is one of the eight major sabbats in The Wheel of the Year. Four of these are solar, quarter holidays based on the relationship of the Sun to the Earth. These solar holidays are the Spring and Summer Equinoxes, and the Summer and Winter Solstices.
Darkness is our path from when we begin our lives and to when we end them. The Dark is intrinsically a part of us. During Winter Solstice, the veil hangs heavy. The first of the three dark harvests begins at Samhain when the veil is the thinnest, we visit with our ancestors and take stock of what we have harvested. Yule continues down this path as well, but it also brings with it the promise of brighter days ahead.
Winter Solstice is a common time of veneration with traditions in nearly all cultures throughout the world. Modern witchcraft practices tend to be more based in Euro-American traditions, much drawn from the Celtic path. Many Northern American and Northern European strains of witchcraft either are Wiccan, or closely follow Wiccan Yule traditions to some level.
However, Yule is not the soul dominion of Celtic or Norse pagans. Throughout the world this time of year is venerated and commonly is when we take stock of what we have accomplished over the course of the year, where we are now and what awaits us in the following months ahead.
In many pagan traditions, Yule was a festive marathon of partying as well as getting in touch with the mystical. The idea of the holiday season stems from Yule, as in many cultures it was celebrated as a 12 day celebration. These extended celebrations were based around the agricultural calendar. Our agrarian ancestors used this time to take a break: the fields were under frost, the harvest was done, and it was time for some R&R and festivities.
What we consider ‘Yule’ has its origins in various types of pagan spiritualities. ‘Yule’ comes from the Old English word ‘geol’, meaning ‘Christmastide’. It’s believed that this word finds its roots in the Old Norse name for the pagan winter festival ‘Jól’. Jól means “a large celebratory feast”, which Norse heathens celebrate starting about December 20th, lasting until around December 31st. It is from Yule that the “twelve days of Christmas” originate. It could be ventured to say that Yule Season in its broader sense actually begins during the first week of December, as various spiritual holidays begin around this time.
Yule embraces the duality of darkness and celebration of the sun’s return. This is a sabbat of gratitude for what we have in our lives, and what we have achieved for the year coming to an end. It is also the time for acknowledging those we have lost while honoring the enduring cycle of life. Yule is when we honor our endurance, what we have dealt with and our resiliency.
Today, Yule is celebrated by witches, pagans, Wiccans, Satanists as well as other secular nature lovers honoring the cycles of the seasons. All types of pagans from various magical paths celebrate Yule. Yule signals the return of brighter days, marking the sun’s return in the chilly Northern Hemisphere. As you will see, many pagan Yule traditions have been incorporated into Christmas and mainstream celebrations far and wide. In fact, most of what we think of as ‘Christmas’ traditions are super pagan Yule practices. Maybe all those fundamentalist Christians clutching their pearls about the paganism in Christmas are actually correct. They just need to chill out, like, a lot.
Wicca/Druidry/Celtic/Anglo-Saxon Traditions
Every witchcraft path applies their own distinctive symbolism and rituals to celebrate this ancient festival. Winter Solstice is a common time of veneration with traditions in nearly all cultures throughout the world. Modern witchcraft practices tend to be more based in European-based traditions, with much drawn from Anglo-Saxon and Celtic paths. Many North American and Northern European strains of witchcraft either are Wiccan, or closely follow Wiccan Yule traditions to some level.
For Wiccans as well as many witches who do not identify as Wiccan, Yule is a celebration of the sun god’s rebirth. Typical rituals are decorating altars with sun symbols and evergreens. Candle rituals centered around reflecting on the past and future are typical for this sabbat.
In some Celtic-based witchcraft, Mabon (whose name means ‘son’) is a deity from the Welsh epic “Culhwch and Olwen”. Born on the equinox, Mabon is kidnapped three days later, then held captive in the Otherworld. Mabon is the Child of Light, and his disappearance coincides with the waning sun. King Arthur eventually rescues him, liberating Mabon on the Winter Solstice, allowing light to increase with the return of the Child of Light. Despite the antiquity of this myth, however, the deity’s association with this sabbat is recent and associated with Gardnerian Wicca, rather than earlier traditions.
Many who practice druidry commemorate the Winter Solstice as a time of equalibrium between the light and dark. Celebrations take place at dawn on the morning of the solstice celebrating the rebirth of the sun. Stonehenge famously hosts a huge Winter Solstice gathering every solstice.
Anglo-Saxon English holiday ‘geol’ was a festival stretching across several days, closely tied and very likely passed along from the Norse 12 day celebration. ‘Modraniht’ (Mother’s Night) is marked on December 20th and is thought to have played a large role in Yule celebrations in pre-Christian Britain as a time to honor and give thanks to female goddesses and ancestral spirits believed to watch over the family in times of need.
From the Gaelic (Scottish, Irish, and Manx) myth, the Cailleach is a divine hag, associated with the creation of the landscape and with the weather, especially storms and winter. The word literally means “old woman, hag”, and has been applied to many folkloric and mythological figures in Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man.
Illustration by John Duncan in Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend (1917)
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. She appears in the late fall, as the earth is dying, and is known as a bringer of storms. She is typically portrayed as a one-eyed old woman with bad teeth and matted hair. Mythologist Joseph Campbell says that in Scotland, she is known as Cailleach Bheur, while along the Irish coast she appears as Cailleach Beare.
Cailleach, the enigmatic Winter Hag, embodies the harshest aspects of winter. She brings the cold and snow, a reminder of the trials this season presents. But Cailleach is not merely a bringer of darkness; she is a symbol of transformation. Her ability to turn to stone and back echoes the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. She brings her gifts of shadow and silence – how to be still and listen.
In Gaelic mythology, Cailleach is a divine hag who rules the winter months between Samhain and Beltane. She is credited with the creation of mountainous terrain as well as winter weather, especially storms.
The tradition of predicting the remaining duration of winter at the start of February comes from Cailleach! Legend says if she intends to make winter last a while longer, she will make the weather bright and sunny so she can gather firewood for the next few months, but if the weather is gray, it means she’s asleep and will soon run out of firewood, implying that winter will soon yield to spring.
Norse/Heathenism/Germanic Cultures
Germanic and Norse tribes celebrated Yule as part of a 12-Day winter saga. These paths loves them some sagas! Lasting 12 days in what is called ‘Yuletide’, the festivities kicked off on the Winter Solstice, going into early January. This was a time of ritual, feasting and heavy drinking all in honor of the sun coming back. If you’re from or been to the locals these tribes came from, if you know you know. The feasting and drinking were also in honor of Odin (who I’ll be getting to later on when I talk about some Winter Solstice/Yule deities). The Yule log was a central theme, and traditions mimicking Odin’s Wild Hunt were all part of this transformative, mystical and balls out time of year.
Italian Strega
Winter Solstice is related to the Roman holiday, Saturnalia, which traditionally took place around December 17th, lasting about a week. Much like Mardi Gras, Saturnalia was a time-out-of-time. Wars and disputes ended, people exchanged gifts, and the hierarchy was overturned. Often known as the Festival of Lights, candles were lit and greenery was placed on doors. Many witches following Italian/Mediterranean-based paths today celebrate Saturnalia (as do those who just enjoy some good old mirth makin’).
According to myth, the Uranian Roman solar god Mithras was said to be born on the winter solstice, and his festival – Sol Invictus (“the unconquerable Sun”) – took place around December 25th. Mithraism was loosely inspired by the Zorastrians who during Yaldā Night or Chelle Night celebrate the winter solstice on the night of December 20th or 21st in the Gregorian calendar, which is the night between the last day of the ninth month and the first day of the tenth month of the Iranian solar calendar. There has been speculation that the mystery cult Mithraism eventually evolved into Christianity, and his legend was merged with that of Jesus: two Capricorns said to be “the light baring child”.
Editor Karen Bellenir writes in Religious Holidays and Calendars:
“In many Pagan traditions, the concept of rebirth is expressed
through the birth of a Divine Child. The celebration may include a
vigil on the eve of Yule in anticipation of the birth. The child born at
Yule is given different names in different legends. In Egyptian mythology
the child is Horus; in Greco-Roman it is Apollo; in Norse it is Balder;
in Phoenician it is Baal; and in Celtic it is Bel.”
La Regla Lucumi/Santeria
In La Regla Lucumi, or Santeria, December 17th – which corresponds with the Catholic feast day for Saint Lazarus of Bethany, honors Babalu Aye, the Orisha of healing, sickness, infections diseases and death.
Lilith Dorsey writes:
“According to Catholic doctrine Lazarus was the brother of Martha
and Mary Magdalene...among the Yoruba traditionally he is known
as Sonponno, but he is also known by the names Omolu and
Sumbu.”
Japan
The Japanese holiday – Toji – takes its inspiration from the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang. In Japan, the winter solstice symbolizes this philosophy. On December 21st, the harmony and balance of life force is observed. It’s thought that the ‘yin’ of darkness and cold are at their most dominant on the shortest day of the year. Once the yin passes the yang of light and warmth begins to arrive, and thus the promise of spring.
Conclusion
By now you can see that Yule is not the soul dominion of Celtic or Norse pagans. While most of us no longer work the land like our ancestors did, throughout the world this time of year continues to be venerated and commonly is when we take stock of what we have accomplished over the course of the year, where we are now and what awaits us in the following months of the coming new year.
Coming back full circle, in modern paganism this is traditionally thought of as the time when the Crone aspect of the goddess greets the birth of the child (the sun). At Winter Solstice we are thick in the darkest part of the year, and the veil between our world and the shadow world is thin. This longest night of the year is the holiday of the Ancient Crone aspect of the Goddess. The sun, bringing with it the light, is the ‘divine child’ – which represents the new solar year. Time and life as we experience it is ushered through another rotation around the sun. In Tarot, the Devil card corresponds to Winter Solstice. Lucifer is known as the light bringer, and with their divine light is divine wisdom. Many Satanists also use this as a time for wicked partying the way only our social justice, free speech lovin’ unholy skeptical atheist pals can!
Yule celebrates the night, dreams, deep wisdom, aging, death and rebirth. Pagan holidays are earth-centered, and celebrate the natural cycles of death and rebirth. These special days mark the time in the year when we take note of what is meaningful to us in the here and now. We take stock of time and place, marking the passage of time.
Take this time of the Winter Solstice to honor yourself. You deserve it. You’ve been through a lot, and often you are the one who is taken for granted the most. You are a future ancestor, and you hold the possibility of change and empowerment. Especially care for yourself if you are a person who is marginalized. We are living in dark times, when those on the fringes – the Indigenous, trans, gender queer, immigrants, ethnic and
religious minorities and more – are witnessing brutal attacks against our identities. Remember, however you self-identify, the sheer act of going about your day is an act of resistance. The daily routines others take for granted can be an act of battle to those who are othered, and fatigue is natural. Show up for yourself, nourish yourself, and care for yourself. As Black feminist poet and activist Audre Lorde said:
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that
is an act of political warfare.”
Treat yourself with the honor you would bestow upon a beloved ancestor. Mythologize yourself. You are a living mythology, and by doing so you craft a spell which shapes the possibilities to come. Craft your own history.
There is so much wisdom we can glean from our ancestors, and take inspiration from those who came before in order to build a better world now and for the future. When feeling defeated, channel the ancestors’ activism and courage to continue this work of justice, which is a perpetually ongoing one. May our actions be geared towards love and liberation so that in the dark night of the soul of Yule, the ever-burning flame burning bright despite the darkness is tended to. As Leonard Cohen says in ‘Anthem’:
“There is a crack, a crack in everything/That’s how the light gets in.”
We would be remiss to view this as a heavy, fearful time. Death does not mark the end. Time isn’t linear, and the Winter Solstice also marks the time when light and life return once more. Instead, death is viewed as something to be in awe of. The dark is not scary or evil: much good comes from it. Without the dark, we cannot have light. The Winter Solstice is the ultimate dualistic time of the year.
In the dark, we are able to gaze into the universe, and the Winter Solstice is that essential bridge for us to cross in order to release what has passed over to the land of death, the greater collective and the unknown beyond. As the saying goes, “as above, so below”.
As we welcome the winter through our Yuletide merrymaking, we are invited into a world of rich fragrances, ancient symbolism and sparkly, icy hues. We are encouraged to celebrate the return of light while also embracing winter stillness all while honoring the cyclic nature of our natural world.
Sources:
Jailbreaking the Goddess: A Radical Revisioning of Feminist Spirituality, Lasara Firefox Allen, Llewellyn Publications, 2016
Religious Holidays and Calendars: An Encyclopedic Handbook, Karen Bellenir, Omnigraphics Inc, April 1, 2004
Brades Acres. A Guide To The Wheel Of The Year. Bradesacre.co.uk https://bradesacre.co.uk/a-guide-to-the-wheel-of-year/
The Wheel of the Year: The Calendar of Pagan Festivals Explained, James Brigden, www.history.co.uk Crowwing, L. (2024, April 28). Everything You Need To Know About Samhain. TheBusyPagan.com. https://thebusypagan.com/pagan-holidays/samhain/
Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, Scott Cunningham, Llewellyn Publications, 1997
December 17th Feast Of Babalu Aye, Lilith Dorsey, Voodoo Universe with Lilith Dorsey, December 17, 2014, https://www.patheos.com/blogs/voodoouniverse/2014/12/december-17th-feast-of-babalu-aye/?fbclid=IwAR3Ak7w0yLq-ZCcG9axvXhjir3NggeIgxTPbtEIFd_pv4R3b6pbM8i8TPfI
Grossman, Pam; Hundley, Jessica. The Library of Esoterica: Witchcraft. Köln, Germany. Taschen. 2021.
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