The celebration of Winter Solstice (also known as Yule) is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world. THE SOLSTICE THIS YEAR IS ON TUESDAY DECEMBER 21st.
When people were hunters and spent most of their time outdoors, the seasons and weather played a very important part in their lives. Because of this, people had a great reverence for the sun. The Norsemen of Northern Europe saw the sun as a wheel that changed the seasons. It was from the word for this wheel, HOUL, that the word YULE is thought to have come. The Norsemen lit bonfires, told stories and drank sweet ale at Yuletide.
Romans held a festival to celebrate the rebirth of the year at this time. Saturnalia ran for seven days from the 17th of December. It was a time when the ordinary rules were turned upside down. Men dressed as women and masters dressed as servants. The festival also involved decorating houses with greenery, lighting candles, holding processions and giving presents much like we still do in America today. A similar example existed in Britain. Before the arrival of Christianity, the Druids (Celtic priests) would cut the mistletoe that grew on the oak tree and give it as a blessing. Oaks were seen as sacred and the winter fruit of the mistletoe was a symbol of life in the dark winter months, used much as it is still today to give a bright red to the shortest days of the year. The Druids also began the tradition of the yule log. The Celts thought that the sun stood still for twelve days in the middle of winter and during this time a log was lit to conquer the darkness, banish evil spirits and bring luck for the coming year.
Remember that many of these customs are still followed today. They have been incorporated into celebrations of Christmas. In our household we have reverence for all the sun gives with lighting of candles, greenery and mistletoe along with the Yule log and wreath. We also observe a Celtic celebration of the 12 days culminating in the commemoration of the arrival of the Wise Guys on Epiphany (January 6). This year we have, once again, invited a Wise Guy to join us for dinner where we will start a new tradition of serving Native American spaghetti (the sauce is made with Colorado buffalo made newly available now in our area) dinner followed by the sharing of Wise Words.
WHATEVER YOUR HOUSEHOLD’S CUSTOMS, TRADITIONS AND OBSERVANCES we pray and hope for YOU AND YOURS a very fruitful and happy time to honor the best of the past and to plan for the best in the future. Most of all we pray for you a PRESENT MOMENT TO ENJOY the joys of just being with LOVED AND CHERISHED friends and family at this special time, whomever and wherever that may be!
From our home to yours, PEACE & PROSPERITY ~ Mom Nanhi & Pop Leslie, BNB Ministries.
