I will definitely let everyone know. My daughter says that it is, âso easy to bake, she can do it,â so it looks like I will be helping her.
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Hopefully I can get it done before we have to pack everything up 
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Have fun cooking the Yule log with your daughter, @Susurrus! Share pics when itâs done- I canât wait to see your lovely cake! 
Iâve got my fingers crossed for you, @MeganB- wishing you all the best of luck with the big move! It will be wonderful to start the new year in a safe new place 
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Thanks 
Iâm hoping to do something special, without too many people knowing, on our walkthrough Monday 
The solstice is seeming to be symbolic for me this year
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To make sure I donât forget to respond to this later, here are my plans for Winter Solstice and Yule. Today I watched the Newgrange Winter Solstice lighting online. (I mentioned it twice elsewhere already, sorry.)
I live in town so a bonfire at the start of winter might draw attention. 
(No Yule log yet, but I might still buy some swiss cake rolls.) Instead, I plan on pretending a shelf on my wall alter is a birthday cake. 
Not really, but from the picture youâll see why I really need to watch my candles tomorrow.
While I celebrated Samhain 
as my new year, I think this will be a great opportunity to do some candle magic. (And letâs be honest, Advent is a giant 
magic festival. 
)
The candles I am using are:
Brown - Grounding
Green - Prosperity in the New Year
Purple - Spiritual Growth
Blue - Connecting with my Water Sign, 
, for Peace in the Chaos
Black - Remove the Negative Energy
White - Heal My Mind and Body
Silver - Honor My Goddess
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Iâve been in a pain flare for 2 days, so we werenât able to make the Yule Log Cake. I did put together a simmer pot with help My Weekend Simmer Pot
Iâm hoping for some of dislocations to ease tomorrow. Today itâs been my ribs & right shoulder, so Iâve been on the couch today.
I also havenât received my wooden spoons for my Yule charms yet. Now they wonât be here until Wednesday afternoon. They were supposed to be here yesterday!
I did make the witchâs ball & pinecone
I decorated my door with another, more festive set of Witchâs Bells
Tomorrow I have a couple of appointments & I think Iâm going to embrace my blankets for the day 
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the witchâs ball, 
Hope you have less pain tomorrow.Nice altar @praecog29! Candle magic is definitely a favourite of mine!
And Tarot spells too:
Wow @Susurrus those look really neat!
Did you remember to do the Prayer for Shipped Packages 
!?
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Since this is our first Yule we decided to celebrate a bit differently than in years past. Usually our family celebrate the 12 days of Christmas but this year my husband made me a Yule log and hand crafted candles. We did solitary Yule celebration and meditated on being thankful for all the wonderful gifts we have received all year long.
I also did a very large salt bowl.
I incorporated all this in our traditional Christmas decor as you can see in the background. 
My daughter earlier was thinking of a dear friend who was murdered on Christmas eve and I helped her get over her depression by having her help me decorate while explaining that I also feel down a bit because this is my motherâs favorite season. She died in 1996 and Christmas is very hard for me as well. But I have an ancestor altar that I did for November All Souls day to remember her and to not forget she is in a better place like my daughterâs friend. She perked up and is feeling much better tonight. We will be heading out tomorrow to celebrate Winter Solstice with my son and his fiance (plus family) tomorrow. Very different than last year.
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I love ur decorations Krissie looks really good! Looks like you have the spirit! I love all of them!
Jeannie
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A very symbolic solstice indeed, @MeganB! I hope the walkthrough goes well and wishing you all the best- a new home is a great way to celebrate the return of the sun! 
Go for those swiss cake rolls, @praecog29! 
Your candle set-up looks beautiful- youâve prepared such a wonderful collection! It sounds like your Yuletide celebrations are already off to a wonderful start. Enjoy, and may your holiday be full of light and happiness 
Your simmer pot looked lovely, @Susurrus- I hope it helped to ease your pain! Shame about the spoons. I know the post is a bit of a nightmare these days, so I second Franscisoâs suggestion- @Bertaâs lovely Prayer for Shipped Packages is perfect for that! 
At least you have the other crafts to do- and they are stunning! Really well done, Krissie. Thanks for sharing your treasures!
Absolutely lovely, @Magdelina! I hope you and your husband had a lovely meditation. Your decorations are beautiful- thank you so much for sharing! Enjoy your happy solstice celebrations with your loved ones 
Hooray, @Jeannie1! Everything looks very festive and so nice- well done! Hope you are having a wonderful Yule 
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The holidays bring a lot of joy but also a hectic haze! Iâve been bustling around getting things ready for my Yule celebrations and Christmas festivities with my partner.
The tree is here and ready 
, and I got some lovely mistletoe to decorate the apartment with:
It looks like I was in tune with @Berta, who has shared some lovely information about mistletoeâs lore, history, and important role in Yule: Why we kiss under the mistletoe 
and Mistletoe and Butterflies 
.
I blessed the mistletoe under the light of the moon for one night before hanging- soaking up that Waxing Moon energy 
and getting ready for the return of the sun after the solstice 
I also came up with a little Green Witch home blessing to say while decorating:
Seasonal spirits of joy and wealth
Ward off the darkness, bring us good health.
Evergreen tree and mistletoe-
The seed of next year will soon start to grow!
The decorations are a combo for the solstice/Yule, Christmas, and New Yearsâ celebrations- so Iâve got 3-in-1 covered! 
And what would a holiday be without a little baking? 
(A close-up shot because Iâve already eaten 3/4 of it
)
A seasonal crisp with apples, pears, cranberries, and ginger 
. Plus a hearty helping of some of the other warming holiday spices talked about in the Fiery Brew Group Ritual a few weeks back.
Still got lots to do, but everything is slowly coming into place! Iâll be cooking up a special Yuletide meal tonight and doing a Solstice meditation to welcome in the light again 
Wishing a very Happy Yule to all! 
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And itâs time for a friendly reminder that this challenge closes:
TOMORROW: Dec 22nd, at 7:00 AM CET (Central European Time)
If havenât posted yet and youâve got some fun holiday preparations done, weâd love to see them! Feel free to post about your magickal holiday cheer by the deadline.
Blessed be!
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Love everyoneâs beautiful pictures. I feel like I have just had a âHoliday Tour of Homesâ
Nice bundle of Mistletoe @BryWisteria. I wish I had your recipe for that yummy crisp you made. I have never added pear and cranberry - that is a healthy twist.
@Jeannie1 I Love your beautiful bells and I love the way you decorated your Yule Log. 
@Magdelina your hubby did a great job on your Yule Log AND HANDCRAFTED CANDLES!!! That is truly the pioneer spirit at work. Youâll appreciate that Emily (my daughter in Wyoming) cut a small tree to decorate her table, (avoiding the dogs tail). The ornaments I sent her this year were too heavy for the branches! Made me think of Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.
@Susurrus I love your ornament with the inspiration tag and your pinecones (a favorite I had to add to the old BOS). I have to ask if you made your bells. They are stunning!!!
@praecog29 Thanks for your candle array! I love candles (when they donât blow up) and that is a lovely way to celebrate solstice. To be honest, it never crossed my mind to use a bit of candle magicâŠlike two favorite in one - as long as I am burning candles why not add purpose. Perfect!.
@Susurrus and @SilverBear I love the simmer pots. One of my favorite holiday memories was drinking homemade Wassail after Christmas Caroling. I miss the smell and taste of that spicy drink. You inspire me to see if I can make a small batch at home. (Wonder where Dad stashed the Rum)⊠
If I canât find all the ingredients I know I can at least use your simmer pot idea and make the house smell festive and protected.
@Francisco thank you for adding your lovely tarot spread. Something must have happened in a past life that has me jumpy around those cards. I havenât been able to figure out my anxiety about them. It is NOT rational. My heart pounds, my hands shake and I would define my emotion as âfearâ. It is a real love/hate relationship I have with them. So strange. I admire anyone who has the gift to work with Tarot. I find the images beautiful and intriguing. It truly frustrates me.
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Love your crafts @Susurrus! Iâm sorry you werenât up to baking. Hopefully today youâll feel better. Good luck with your appointments!
What a gorgeous Yule Log @Magdelina! That looks awesome!
And your log @Jeannie1 looks great as well, Iâm sad I canât make it out to the forest to find one now.
You know Iâve never seen Mistletoe around here, not even in the shops when I was young? Holly, sure, but not misletoe. Go figure. Sounds like you have a wonderfully festive day planned out today @BryWisteria! Hope you have a good one!
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So the shortest day came, and the year died,
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
âSusan Cooper, The Shortest Day
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This was a bit of a challenge to set up since I have an active spell on my altar and didnât want to disturb it too much. Here is my yule log I made from a branch that fell from our birch tree last fall. Pretty simple compared to all of your beautiful creations. I set out my Yule memory box. The Witch bells are always on my bedroom door but I love their sound this time of year. I also have had a permanent small jingle bell wreath in the shape of a star that is always up. It just means more to me at Yule. I continue my Motherâs tradition of changing out the large wreath on the front of the house. Right now it is pine boughs and pinecones, lights and red ribbon.
Bells on the doors sound sweet and so clear
Holly and mistletoe herald the year
Love and light enter all hearts on this day
Peace and protection we beg you to stay
Friends and family held dear in our hearts
Our spirits hold tightly and never apart
God Yule to you -everyone -Welcome the sun
May warmth, love and peace be yours - darkness is done!
-Berta
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When Jupiter and Saturnâthe two biggest planets in our solar systemâmeet, itâs termed the âGreat Conjunction.â Whatâs even more special is that itâs happening on night of the winter solstice.
WREATHS
Wreaths are part of many ancient traditions dating back to the earliest civilizations. The circle is a symbol of immortality; throughout history, wreaths have been associated with life, rejuvenation, and renewal. Originally, wreaths were worn around the head, neck, or waist.
The Greeks awarded laurel wreaths to their triumphant athletes, in the Persian Empire they were worn on the head as a symbol of importance, and ancient Romans wore them like crowns. In Sweden, candles were incorporated in the wreaths to celebrate the return of light after the winter solstice. Nowadays we use them in a window or on a door as a sign of welcome during the holidays.They can be used flat on a table for decoration or as an advent wreath, which also has candles, one for each Sunday between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
YULE LOVE THIS WREATH
Need: a circular frame - (a wire frame can be a wire coat hanger into a circle)
Floral wire
Side cutters for cutting the wire
Pruners for cutting the greens
Ribbon
Misc. greens, herbs, nature finds⊠etc.
IMAGINATION and CREATIVITY
There are no hard and fast rules for wreath-making. Whatever pleases you is a success!
Every wreath starts with a base of some sort; it can be wire, straw, vine, or wood. Stalks of woody herbs like rosemary, lemon verbena, artemisia, or summer savory can be wrapped into a circle to make a fragrant base. Attach the wire to the base by winding it three times round and securing. Gather small bundles of bunches of evergreens together and wire them to the base. Continue making similar bundles of greens. Overlap the bunches to hide the stems. Tuck small bunches of herbs and other interesting greens into the base using more wire to hold them if necessary. Using greens of different colors and textures will give your wreath its richness. Add cones, dried flowers, berries, and fruit for accents. Donât forget the bow!
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Beautiful @berta! Youâre lucky you have a log, I donât. It looks really nice and rustic. And I love the charm you wrote!
And the instructions for the wreath! Very cool! Hope youâre having a blessed solstice!
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