12 Days of Yule: Day Twelve

Well, I did it. We’ve reached the final day of the Twelve Days of Yule. I’m really kind of relieved. It was a little tricky, and a bit crazy with all the prep for Christmas.

Today, I’m not going to talk about me. I want to talk about you guys. So, I offer you all a prompt to think over: what are your traditions? What do you all do for the holidays, religious, cultural or otherwise?

12 Days of Yule: Day Eleven

My mom and I are Pagans. Actually, I’m going to be a bit more specific. I’m an eclectic Pagan who customizes how she worships, and my mom is a Wiccan. My dad is a Christian/Agnostic.
Yeah, we’re a pretty crazy bunch, with a lot of conflicting ideas.

We’ve had to really compromise this year for the holidays (my mom converted this year). Yes, we have four Christmas trees, and we have a nativity and a pentagram. It’s a little strange when people walk in.

I think we see Christmas as an excuse to hang out with family and friends and spoil them, without really much religious overtones. Even for Yule, I don’t think we’re doing that much out of the ordinary. My extended family doesn’t even say grace unless my grandmother is there, so they really don’t have any sort of religious connection either.

Anyway, do any of you have to blend your holidays? How do you do it?

I have a question as well. I like some of the Christian holiday music. Mary’s Boy Child is probably my favourite. Does this make me a bad Pagan?

12 Days of Yule: Day Ten

My family likes Christmas specials and movies. Well, my mom does. We watch all of them. Most of them are usually about Santa and family, but some of the “informational” specials, like a History of Macy’s or whatever have some religious tones that don’t even mention Paganism.

BUT! We watched a special on Food Network, the show Good Eats had a great special. The host talked endlessly about how it was not a Christian holiday. He was very much ignoring the Christian adoption of the holiday and focused on Saturnalia and Yule.

It was a really nice surprise to be honest. I love it when we get little goodies like this. Hopefully more people will realize the history of the holiday season now.

12 Days of Yule: Day Nine

Green and Red are our traditional colours for this time of year, but what do they symbolize? Each colour resonates differently with each person, so these are just "common" associations. Do a bit of personal research to see what works, or doesn't work, for you.

Green
Uses: Healing, promotes prosperity; money, rituals for good Luck, fertility, harmony, and rejuvenation, earth mother, physical healing, success, tree and plant magic, growth, personal goals, generosity, abundance, good fortune, monetary, charity, wealth, renewal, marriage and balance, north cardinal point
Element: Earth
Direction: North
Chakra: Fourth, heart Chakra
Planet: Venus, Jupiter, Mars
Day: Friday/Venus-Love, friendship; Wednesday/Mercury-Business transactions; Thursday/Jupiter-Luck, prosperity
Number: 4
Magical Tool: Wand, Cauldron
Scent/Oil: Elder, mint, musk, sage, vanilla, pine, sweetpea, mugwort, patchouli, vervain, cinnamon, marjoram
Plant/Herb: Birch, catnip, blackberry, coltsfoot, foxglove, thyme, yarrow, feverfew, burdock, pennyroyal, plantain, briar, verbena, elder, basic, cedarwood, sage, dill, clove, mugwort
Wood: Bitch, elder, almond, hawthorn, fig, oak, palm, pine
Animal: Gnomes, Dwarfs, fishes, bee, bull, rabbit, rat, alligator, turtle, grasshopper, bison, frog
Stones: Emerald, Peridot, jade, malachite, coral, green tourmaline, aventurine, green quartz, gold, silver, rock crystal, onyx, azurite
Tarot: Emperor, sevens
Gods: Agathadaimon, Bonus, Daikoku, Eventus, Buddha, Gansea, Inari, Jambhala, Jupiter, Pluto, Tamon
Goddesses: Anna Koun, Anna Perenna, Benten, Brighid, Buddhi, Carna, Chala, Felicitas, Foruna, Janus, Kichijo-Ten, Lakshmi, Ops, The Muses, Vasudhara, Syn
Gender: either
Zodiac: Cancer, Aquarius, Pisces and Leo
Colour Codes: #008000, #00FF00 (same colour, just different codes for some reason)

Red
Uses: Love, passion, good health, energy, strength, enthusiasm, element of fire, stamina, career goals, charity, fast action, lust, moon blood, driving force, survival, sexual love and potency, fertility, courage, will power, increases magnetism in rituals, romantic atmosphere, south cardinal point, draws Aries and Scorpio energy, enthusiasm
Element: Fire
Direction: South
Chakra: Root Chakra
Planet: Mars
Day: Tuesday
Number: 5
Magical Tool: Sword, cauldron, incense burner, candle
Scent/Oil: Dragons Blood, Basil, Pine, Cinnamon, Mullein, Musk
Plant/Herb: Sunflower, Nettles, Holy Thistle, Crowfoot, Hops, Wormwood, Cranesbills, Chilli Pepper, Chives, Spikenard, Onion, Cornflower, Rose, Mustard, Garlic Rosemary, Dill, Hibiscus, Woodruff, Tobacco, Pepperwort, Heather, and Yew
Wood: Redwood, Cherry
Animal: Bear, Horse, Wolf, Ram, marsupials and night creatures, Tigers, Lions, Badger, Alligator, Ants, beetle, Cardinal, porcupine, Chicken, and Peacock
Stones: Ruby, garnet, bloodstone, spinel, red tourmaline, red topaz, agate, rubelite rhodonchrosite, Quartz crystals, tigers eye, pyrite, tektite, diamond, red jasper
Tarot: The magician, cups, fives
God: Achilles, Ares, Atlas, Hercules, Mars, Thor, Zeus
Goddesses: Athena, Eris, Kali, Minerva
Gender: Male
Zodiac: Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Capricorn, Sagittarious
Colour Code: #FF0000

12 Days of Yule: Day Eight

Yule symbols are pretty universal during the winter season, so no doubt you already know most of these!

Holly berries and leaves
Apples
Winter birds such as Cardinals
Fairies
Lights
Snowflakes
Candles
Stags
Suns
Moons
Gingerbread men
Mistletoe
Acorns
Bayberry and cranberry garlands
Wreaths
Santa’s
Mirrored Glass Globes
And of course, the Yule Log.

These symbols are so popular today, because they are ancient symbols, so we don’t really think they have much symbolic value.
Nice short post compared to my last three days!

12 Days of Yule: Day Seven

Our Yule Decorations

This is pretty much a photo post with all our decorations. But, it’s also a prompt: Share your decorations with me! This isn't the full album, but there is a link to that at the bottom of the post.

This is our fairy tree. The "presents' under it are actually wrapped up tarot card boxes.
This is our personal family tree. It has the presents for the people in the house under it (me, my mom and my dad). It's all Star Trek ornaments. The lights are all red for Red Alert!


This is a very blury image of our tree in the front hall. The presents under it go to the extended family, which are getting packed up in buckets now that the christmas party is done.

This is our 4th and final tree, the miniature tree with our mini ornaments.
My mom got this about a million years ago. It's a tin nativity set. We put it out because it's really pretty and for my dad, who is still Christian. That's how we blend religions...we include him. Doesn't stop him from teasing us though.

The other pictures, including close up, are located here.

12 Days of Yule: Day Six

These are some great crafts for kids and adults alike.

Solstice Dream Pillow
Materials
- ¼ ounce of the following: dried chamolmile, mugwort, catnip, hops, lavender
- Whole oranges and lemons
- Cinnamon sticks
- Allspice berries
- Myrrh or frankincense resin lumps
- 4 by 7 inch pieces of lightweight fabric (two per bag)
- Bits of ribbon, embroidery floss, scraps of lace, beads, ect for embellishment

This is a craft to do while you stay up all night on the Solstice.

Take the first five dried herbs and mix them in whatever proportion s you desire/have on hand. Mugwort is the dreamer’s herb, so the more of that you use, the more psychic your dreaming will be. Hops will lead to a sounder sleep for insomniacs. Catnip will make your cat go nuts and sleep on your face.

As the night passes, eat the oranges and drink lemon tea. You may retain the peels if you desire and dry them in an oven, but you do not have to.

Crumble everything up small, and put them into the bags. You can pre-make the bags, leaving one side open. It’s easier if you want to embroider or embellish the bag. Be sure the bag isn’t too hard, as you will want to sleep on it.

When you do eventually go to bed, put one of these into your pillowcase.

Yule Cinnamon Ornaments
These are not for eating but for decoration

- ¾ cup applesauce
- White glue
- 1 ounce cinnamon
- 1 ounce ground cloves
- 1 ounce ground nutmeg
- 1 ounce dried ginger
- Cookie cutters
- Dough

In a medium bowl, stir together the cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and ginger Mix in the applesauce and glue. Work the mixture with your hands 2-3 minutes to from a ball. If the mixture is too wet, add more cinnamon, too dry; add more applesauce.
Lightly dust a clean surface with cinnamon. Roll out the dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters, and use a toothpick to make a hole at the top for hanging with a ribbon.

Dry in a slow oven 200 degrees F (100 degrees C) for several hours, or air dry in a sunny spot for 4 or 5 days. When dry, decorate with gingham and/ or ribbon.

Twelve Herb Yule Sachet
- 7 parts jupier
- 4 parts cinnamon
- 4 parts allspice
- 4 parts ginger
- 4 parts caraway
- 2 parts nutmeg
- 2 parts rosemary
- 2 parts lemon
- 2 parts orange
- 1 part clove
- 1 part bay
- 2 pinches orris
Tie up in a small square of green, red, or Yule print cloth and give as gifts or scent the house for Yule.

12 Days of Yule: Day Five

Today is a little different. Instead of giving you a brief history of Yuletide food, I’m going to give you some recipes!
Feel free to share your Yule recipes, and to try these ones out.

DRINKS

The Candy Cane
- ¾ ounces of berry flavoured vodka. Smirnoff makes a really good raspberry flavoured one
- ¾ ounces of peppermint schnapps
- ¾ ounces of white Crème de Cacao
- ¼ ounces of grenadine
- Soda water
The original recipe calls for half and half, but it tasted better without it

1. Pour the vodka, peppermint schnapps, white crème de cacao and grenadine into a cocktail shaker with ice
2. Shake well
3. Pour into a martini glass rimmed with crushed peppermint candy (to rim a glass, crush the candy in a bag and pour onto a small plate. Then wet the rim of the glass in water, or one of the liquors. We used the soda water. Then, while the rim is wet, plate it in the plate of crushed candies. Twirl it a bit, then carefully turn it over. The glass will be rimmed!)
4. Top off with soda water

This should make 2-3 drinks, depending on your tastes.

Wassail
Wassail is the traditional drink of Yule. We had seen a wassail recipe on a TV special on the Food Network, but it sounded disgusting. This is a recipe that is less like egg nog, and more like warmed, spiced apple cider. This drink has no alcohol, so the little ones can enjoy it as well.
This batch makes ten cups of wassail.

- 1 quart apply juice
- 1 quart apple cider
- 8 oranges
- 4 lemons
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 16 cinnamon sticks. Ten will be for garnish
- 10 whole cloves
- 10 whole allspice betties
- ½ teaspoon of mace

In a large pot, combine apple juice and cider. Wash and slice the oranges and lemons and add them to the pot. Create a spice pouch by wrapping 6 cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice and mace in a piece of cheesecloth or muslin and add that to the pot as well. Simmer for at least 30 minutes. Ladle into mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick.


FOOD

Chocolate Peppermint Yule Log
This will show you how to make the cake itself and the peppermint icing. The icing can, of course, be substituted for whatever you like.

The cake:
Makes one 12 by 17 inch cake. The cake can be rolled, wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature up to a day. After the one day, you may unroll the cake and put the icing on it, then roll it up again to make it easier.

- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
- 1/3 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
- 2/3 cup sifted cake flour (Not self rising)
- Pinch of baking soda
- 7 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 12-by-17 inch rimmed baking sheet. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper, and dust with cocoa; tap out excess. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, and baking soda.
2. Combine eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a missing bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water; whist until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. With an electric mixer on high speed, whisk until mixture is thick, pale, and tripled in volume. This should take about six minutes.
3. In three batches, sift flour mixture over egg mixture, folding it in after each addition. While folding in last addition, pout in melted butter; fold in thoroughly.
4. Gently spread batter evenly in prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Tap pan against counter to remove ait bubbles. Bake until cake is springy to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes
5. Run a sharp knife around the sides of cake, and invert onto a kitchen towel dusted with cocoa. Starting at the long side, roll cake into a log, incorporating towel. Let cool completely seam-side down.

Peppermint Icing
Makes about 8 cups. You will need a candy thermometer

- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup
- 6 large egg whites
- ½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract

1. Combine 1 ½ cups of sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved and mixture is clear, about 4 minutes. Without stiffing, bring to a boil over high heat, occasionally washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Continue to boil until syrup registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form With mixer running, gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar. Reduce speed to low: carefully pour hot syrup down side of bowl. Raise speed to medium-high, and mix until cool, thick and shiny, 12 to 15 minutes. Mix in peppermint extract. Use immediately.

Caraway Breadsticks
Makes 3 dozen
- 1 ¼ ounce package of active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- 3 ¼ cups flour

Blend the year and ¼ cup of the warm water. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, until foaming. Mix in the remaining water, sugar, nutmeg, sage, caraway seeds, and salt. Add the egg and the shortening, beating vigorously with a spoon. Sift the flour, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Divide the child dough into three dozen small pieces. Roll into eight 1-inch pencil-like strips and place them 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Let rise for about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the breadsticks for 12 to 15 minutes.

Caraway seeds are used to help fertility, health, strength, intellect, protection, and anti-theft

For Santa’s Reindeer
Everyone leaves out milk and cookies, but what about the reindeer? We used to leave out carrots and celery, but there are many recipes for magic reindeer food. Most of these recipes are harmful to any birds or small animals that happen to eat some too. This is a nature-friendly version you and your kids can throw out on Christmas Eve so the reindeer aren’t forgotten.

- ½ cup oatmeal
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup red or green sugar crystals (you can find these in the cake decorating section of your local supermarket)

In a small zipper food storage bad or empty shaker container, mix the ingredients above. Sprinkle it outside for the reindeer to eat on Christmas Eve.

12 Days of Yule: Day Four

Welcome to Day Four of the Twelve Days of Yule. Today, I’m going to tell you about different winter traditions from around the world. This is by no means a complete list.

Bodhi Day: This is a Buddhist festival, on December 8th, celebrating the day the Buddha (Siddhartha Guatama) experienced enlightenment

Samhain: October 31-Nov. 1. This is the Celtic New Year, and the mark of the beginning of winter

Winter Solstice: Dec. 21: this is the longest day of the year

Imbolc: February 1 or 2 (there is some debate), this marks the official end of winter for the Celts

Chinese New Year: This happens in late January-early February, and is considered the end of winter on the Chinese calendar.

Saint Nicholas’ Day: Dec. 6th, a Christian feast day

Christmas: Dec. 25: This is the so-called day that Christ was born. The original date was stolen from the Romans (see below)

Twelfth Night: January 5; this is the end of the twelve days of Christmas

Candlemas: February 2, this is the day when Christ was supposedly presented at the Temple.

Yule: The Germanic winter solstice festival, celebrated on Dec. 21

Diwali: The festival of Lights in Hinduism. This is a five day festival that celebrates good over evil. It occurs between mid October and mid November

Hanukkah: this is an eight day Jewish festival commemorating the miracle of the oil after the desecration of the Temple in 165BCE

Purim: This occurs in late February or March, it celebrates the victory of the Jews over the Persian Empire.

Eid ul-Adha: This is a Muslim holiday commemorating the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael. This date changes, as it is based on a lunar calendar. For the first decade of the 21st century, it will fall in the winter months

Inti Raymi: This is a winter solstice festival, though it is celebrated in June, as it is in the Southern Hemisphere. This is an Incan celebration that is still celebrated in Cuzco.

Matariki: Another Southern Hemisphere festival. This is the celebration of Maori New year, when the Pleiades star cluster rises.

Yalda: A Persian festival that celebrates the winter solstice, and the victory of light over dark (good over evil).

Saturnalia: This is the Roman winter solstice festival, taking place from Dec. 17 to the 25. The Christians adopted this holiday so that the Roman soldiers would convert. This is the feast of Saturn.

Lupercalia: This is a Roman end-of-winter festival celebrated on February 15th.

12 Days of Yule: Day Three

This post could, technically, fit in with Day 9, which is the symbols of Yule and Winter, but it was requested.

The Yule Log is the representation of the rebirth of the God, and the coming sun. As the log burns, it gives off heat, and thus represents the coming sun. The log is traditionally oak or pine. The log is then covered in appropriate sun symbols, and burned, usually for the Twelve Days of Christmas. In some cultures, the new log was lit by using a small piece from the log burned the year before.

The tradition of burning a Yule Log was German at first, though it gained popularity. It was popular in the British Isles in the 17th century, but died out during the Industrial Revolution.

Today, the Yule Log is a symbol of the holiday season, and many television stations will broadcast a burning fireplace on Christmas morning. This is not a true Yule Log, as it is not carved or blessed in a Pagan sense.

A Yule Log is also a kind of dessert cake made of a dense sponge-like cake, and rolled into a log shape. It is usually chocolate.

12 Days of Yule: Day Two

There are many different Winter deities, form various pantheons. Here is a short list of deities associated with Yule.
- Aket (Egyptian)
- Apollo (Greek)
- Changing Woman (Native American)
- Chronos (Greek)
- Eve (Christian/Jewish)
- Father Sun (Native American)
- Gaia (Greek)
- Heket (Egyptian)
- Helios (Greek)
- Horus (Egyptian)
- Janus (Roman)
- Jesus (Christian)
- Kwan Yin (Chinese)
- Lilith (Christian/Jewish)
- Llew/Lugh (Celtic)
- Ma’at (Egyptian)
- Metzil (Aztec)
- Nox (Greek)
- Oak/Holly King (Celtic)
- Pandora (Greek)
- Pax (Roman)
- Ra (Egyptian)
- Saturn (Roman)
- Ukko (Finnish)
- Virgin Mary (Christian)
- Yachimata-Hiko (Japanese)
- Yemana (African)

Yes, I did include the Christian Virgin Mary and Jesus, simply because they are associated with the holiday. This list is by no means complete, but it should give you a good grasp.
Stay tuneed for tomorrow: the Yule Log

12 Days of Yule: Day One

Welcome to the Twelve Days of Yule! Today is day one, all about Yule!

Yule is the date of the Winter Solstice, which is usually December 21st. This is the longest night of the year, and when the days grow longer. Between Summer and Winter Solstice, the days grow shorter as the Earth turns farther away from the sun. The winter solstice marks the coming of spring, as the days are “reborn”.

In many Wiccan Yule stories, the Goddess gives birth to the Sun on this day. Some women stay up all night to help the Goddess give birth.

Just like for Christians, Yule is a time of celebrating with family and friends, exchanging gifts, and feasting.

Yule is the next holiday after Samhain. While Samhain was a celebration of death, Yule is a celebration of life. It doesn’t just mean physical life, but also new ideas. As winter is perceived as a quiet time, we can listen to our own ideas and creativity.

The Christians took December 25th as their date of birth for Jesus to help the Pagans, who had numerous winter celebrations, convert. Theologists tend to believe that Jesus’ actual birthdate was in the spring.

Yule is also a representation of the last of the three “stages” of life. This is the time when the Mother has grown into the Crone, and the Hunter is now the Sage. As winter ends, so does these stages of life, and they are reborn as Children.

Yule is, basically, the celebration of the rebirth of the Sun. This is why we exchange gifts, much like the same way the Christians do.

Happy Yule!

12 Days of Yule Starts Tomorrow!

Letting everyone know, my 12 days of Yule starts tomorrow with a breif history of Yule.
These are going to be fun, festive days, so be sure to check them out!

12 Days of Yule Count-down

Just a heads up here: on DECEMBER THRITEENTH I'm going to start a 12 days of Yule series. Each post will be holiday themed, from our Christmas trees (yeah, trees. We have four) to traditional Yule foods.
So, the posts will run from Dec. 13 to the 24th. But, I do need ideas. 12 posts is a lot; I was struggling with 7 for Halloween Week.
Anyway, any suggestions?