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A Festival of Light:
Many cultures have winter festivals that are in fact celebrations of light. In addition to Christmas, there's Hanukkah with its brightly lit menorahs, Kwanzaa candles, and any number of other holidays. The Pagan holiday called Yule
takes place on the day of the winter solstice, around December 21. On
that day (or close to it), an amazing thing happens in the sky. The
earth's axis tilts away from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere, and the
sun reaches at its greatest distance from the equatorial plane. As a
festival of the Sun, the most important part of any Yule celebration is
light -- candles, bonfires, and more.
Origins of Yule:
In
the Northern hemisphere, the winter solstice has been celebrated for
millenia. The Norse peoples viewed it as a time for much feasting,
merrymaking, and, if the Icelandic sagas are to be believed, a time of sacrifice as well. Traditional customs such as the Yule log, the decorated tree, and wassailing can all be traced back to Norse origins.
Celtic Celebrations of Winter:
The
Celts of the British Isles celebrated midwinter as well. Although
little is known about the specifics of what they did, many traditions
persist. According to the writings of Pliny the Elder, this is the time
of year in which Druid priests sacrificed a white bull and gathered mistletoe in celebration.
Roman Saturnalia:
Few cultures knew how to party like the Romans. Saturnalia
was a festival of general merrymaking and debauchery held around the
time of the winter solstice. This week-long party was held in honor of
the god Saturn, and involved sacrifices, gift-giving, special privileges
for slaves, and a lot of feasting. Although this holiday was partly
about giving presents, more importantly, it was to honor an agricultural
god.
Welcoming the Sun Through the Ages:
Four
thousand years ago, the Ancient Egyptians took the time to celebrate
the daily rebirth of Horus - the god of the Sun. As their culture
flourished and spread throughout Mesopotamia, other civilizations
decided to get in on the sun-welcoming action. They found that things
went really well... until the weather got cooler, and crops began to
die. Each year, this cycle of birth, death and rebirth took place, and
they began to realize that every year after a period of cold and
darkness, the Sun did indeed return.
Winter festivals were also common in Greece and Rome, as well as in
the British Isles. When a new religion called Christianity popped up,
the new hierarchy had trouble converting the Pagans, and as such, folks
didn't want to give up their old holidays. Christian churches were built
on old Pagan worship sites, and Pagan symbols
were incorporated into the symbolism of Christianity. Within a few
centuries, the Christians had everyone worshipping a new holiday
celebrated on December 25.
In some traditions of Wicca and Paganism, the Yule celebration comes from the Celtic legend of the battle between the young Oak King and the Holly King.
The Oak King, representing the light of the new year, tries each year
to usurp the old Holly King, who is the symbol of darkness. Re-enactment
of the battle is popular in some Wiccan rituals.
Many cultures have winter festivals that are in fact celebrations of light. In addition to Christmas, there's Hanukkah with its brightly lit menorahs, Kwanzaa candles, and any number of other holidays. The Pagan holiday called Yule
takes place on the day of the winter solstice, around December 21. On
that day (or close to it), an amazing thing happens in the sky. The
earth's axis tilts away from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere, and the
sun reaches at its greatest distance from the equatorial plane. As a
festival of the Sun, the most important part of any Yule celebration is
light -- candles, bonfires, and more.
Origins of Yule:
In
the Northern hemisphere, the winter solstice has been celebrated for
millenia. The Norse peoples viewed it as a time for much feasting,
merrymaking, and, if the Icelandic sagas are to be believed, a time of sacrifice as well. Traditional customs such as the Yule log, the decorated tree, and wassailing can all be traced back to Norse origins.
Celtic Celebrations of Winter:
The
Celts of the British Isles celebrated midwinter as well. Although
little is known about the specifics of what they did, many traditions
persist. According to the writings of Pliny the Elder, this is the time
of year in which Druid priests sacrificed a white bull and gathered mistletoe in celebration.
Roman Saturnalia:
Few cultures knew how to party like the Romans. Saturnalia
was a festival of general merrymaking and debauchery held around the
time of the winter solstice. This week-long party was held in honor of
the god Saturn, and involved sacrifices, gift-giving, special privileges
for slaves, and a lot of feasting. Although this holiday was partly
about giving presents, more importantly, it was to honor an agricultural
god.
Welcoming the Sun Through the Ages:
Four
thousand years ago, the Ancient Egyptians took the time to celebrate
the daily rebirth of Horus - the god of the Sun. As their culture
flourished and spread throughout Mesopotamia, other civilizations
decided to get in on the sun-welcoming action. They found that things
went really well... until the weather got cooler, and crops began to
die. Each year, this cycle of birth, death and rebirth took place, and
they began to realize that every year after a period of cold and
darkness, the Sun did indeed return.
Winter festivals were also common in Greece and Rome, as well as in
the British Isles. When a new religion called Christianity popped up,
the new hierarchy had trouble converting the Pagans, and as such, folks
didn't want to give up their old holidays. Christian churches were built
on old Pagan worship sites, and Pagan symbols
were incorporated into the symbolism of Christianity. Within a few
centuries, the Christians had everyone worshipping a new holiday
celebrated on December 25.
In some traditions of Wicca and Paganism, the Yule celebration comes from the Celtic legend of the battle between the young Oak King and the Holly King.
The Oak King, representing the light of the new year, tries each year
to usurp the old Holly King, who is the symbol of darkness. Re-enactment
of the battle is popular in some Wiccan rituals.
