Hi Witchy Mama,

I posted on facebook but I thought I would share this with you and anyone else who might like to use it. It is my Yule Log Ritual...appropriate for just about any age.

Yule Log Ritual
by Mariposa de la Tierra

A Yule Log rests on the table waiting for light.
Too help brighten the very longest night.
The log has three holes and in each one a candle I place
To illuminate the dark and make this my sacred space.
The Forest King glows with the candle of green
And red is where the Winter Goddess is seen.
To help brighten the Spirit on this longest night,
I add a brilliant gold-sparkled candle of white.
Adorned with balsam, pine cones and oil of bayberry,
For peace, prosperity and a Yule that is merry.
This Winter Solstice, Lord and Lady, please bring back the Sun
So the days will get longer when this night is done!
The Wheel will keep turning and the Sun will return
But this night is the time for the Yule Candles to burn!
I light the three wicks but let not the wax melt away.
For good luck, they are lit again on New Year’s Day.
~~~Blessed Be the Yule Season! So Mote It Be!~~~

Hi Witchy Mama,

I posted on facebook but I thought I would share this with you and anyone else who might like to use it. It is my Yule Log Ritual...appropriate for just about any age.

Yule Log Ritual
by Mariposa de la Tierra

A Yule Log rests on the table waiting for light.
Too help brighten the very longest night.
The log has three holes and in each one a candle I place
To illuminate the dark and make this my sacred space.
The Forest King glows with the candle of green
And red is where the Winter Goddess is seen.
To help brighten the Spirit on this longest night,
I add a brilliant gold-sparkled candle of white.
Adorned with balsam, pine cones and oil of bayberry,
For peace, prosperity and a Yule that is merry.
This Winter Solstice, Lord and Lady, please bring back the Sun
So the days will get longer when this night is done!
The Wheel will keep turning and the Sun will return
But this night is the time for the Yule Candles to burn!
I light the three wicks but let not the wax melt away.
For good luck, they are lit again on New Year’s Day.
~~~Blessed Be the Yule Season! So Mote It Be!~~~

One thing my girlie and I do for Yule is to take the Solstice as a time to give to others and less about the overblown sense of "gimme" of the season. We celebrate the entire month and into January, taking each week to focus on aspects of the holidays and how they have deep pagan roots, and if not find where they come from. We celebrate Feast of Lucia, in Sweden its St Lucia however over the years I have found a strong connection with Freyja in this day. One tradition of this day is to serve lussekatter, or Lucia Cats, cats connect with Freyja plus there is a prevalent "Light" focus (in Sweden the eldest daughter wears a wreath of candles as she serves everyone the lussekatter). We also celebrate Sinterklaas which is a nod to my Dutch ancestry as well as looking at the spirit of giving, father winter, generosity, etc.

So, for the season we make birdseed treats for the birds; we donate toys, clothes, etc. that are outgrown. Any gifts shared with each other are strictly handmade, plus we try to have a great feast and invite friends and family. We send them home with goodies made by us. It really lessened the stress of shopping (which I hate).

(if this is as incoherent as I think it is I apologize, it took me three hours and umpteen interruptions to get through) ;)