Blessed Yule and Winter Solstice

 Blessed Yule from The Coexist Cafe!

Pretty much anyone who knows our religious paths and who walks into our home around the holidays often feels a bit confused by the existence of a modest tree strung with lights and Dollar Store ball ornaments. Why on earth would this couple, comprised of a Jew and a Pagan, have a Christmas tree in the corner of their living room? And by god, they're playing holiday music, too, and kissing under a sprig of mistletoe! What is going on here?

It comes to many peoples' surprise to learn that what we know as Christmas today actually has roots in Nordic divination, Celtic fertility rites, and Roman Mithraism. After all, the births of so many Pagan gods and heroes, like Oedipus, Theseus, Hercules, Persus, Dionysus, Apollo, and most notably, Mithra, happens on the longest night of the year; their stories also talked of birth, death, and resurrection. Oddly close to the story of Jesus of Nazareth, though much older in origin. No wonder Martin Luther, John Calvin, and the Puritans abhorred and refused to acknowledge it! Christmas is teeming with Paganism!

More than the celebration of the births of various gods, though, is the acknowledgement of the year's cycle. The Winter Solstice nods to the longest night of the year, and welcomes the return of the sun and birthday of the new Sun King, Son of God... whatever. Bonfires and Yule logs are lit and people bask in their warmth, as they will as the sun returns to warm the earth again.

Long before the world had heard of Jesus, Pagans have observed the Winter Solstice by bringing in the Yule log, wishing on it, and lighting it from the remains of the log from the year before. Magic and rituals were abundant, jokes were told and riddles were played with zest, large quantities of liquor and hot meat were consumed, corn dollies were carried from home to home while caroling, fertility rites were practiced as the Goddess gave birth to the new Sun God (standing under the mistletoe could often bring girls more than a kiss!), and divinations were cast for Spring. I imagine most of these sound incredibly familiar.

So does the tree that stands in our living room. More than just a vestibule under which gifts are stored for Yule, the Yule tree came to replace the log that was lit for twelve hours to bring good luck. On its boughs were hung lit candles, and as the years went on, it was adorned with trinkets and gifts from the earth. Today, we light our trees with twinkling (fire-resistant) lights and elaborate, often nostalgic ornaments, making its existence in our house not only festive, but highly appropriate!

It only makes sense that Pagans around the world are attempting to reclaim many of their customs of old revolving around Yule, and that, due to the fact that Christmas traditions are based upon older Pagan ones, they would look very similar to what is already done today. While the interpretation behind the Yule tree, mistletoe, feasting and drink, and caroling may be slightly different, the idea is still the same: This time of year truly is magical, and may Goddess bless us... every one.