Love your crafts @Susurrus! Iām sorry you werenāt up to baking. Hopefully today youāll feel better. Good luck with your appointments!
What a gorgeous Yule Log @Magdelina! That looks awesome!
And your log @Jeannie1 looks great as well, Iām sad I canāt make it out to the forest to find one now.
You know Iāve 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!
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.
āSusan Cooper, The Shortest Day
This was a bit of a challenge to set up since I have an active spell on my altar and didnāt 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 Motherās 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!
When Jupiter and Saturnāthe two biggest planets in our solar systemāmeet, itās termed the āGreat Conjunction.ā Whatās even more special is that itās 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 findsā¦ 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. Donāt forget the bow!
I didnāt get out to see the Star today like I wanted to, it was too cloudy. So I set out to do the Solitary Yuletide Ritual from here on Spells8. I donāt have a log, so I set up the candles in front of my computer so I could read from that. LOL.
I meditated on the lightās return and the new things I want to do this year. Like, get my health better, and continue writing.
Then I followed a family tradition. Every year, during the holidays, my family would see how many times we could watch the different versions of the Christmas Carol. So Iām watching Patrick Stewartās version now. A lovely memory that brings me closer to my parents.
So thatās what Iāve done for Holiday Cheer. Hope yāall are having a good one! Blessed Solstice!
Iām sorry youāve had a hard day love, but that soon charm is beautiful! I bet it smells good too with the cinnamon tied to it. ~HUGS~ Take care of yourself love!
I believe it was cleansing energy in my home somewhereā¦ because I ugly cried about 5 times today.
Social Security couldnāt do my appointment because my decision is still in the processing center. So she had her manager call down there to speed it up & she will keep checking on it & call me as soon as it is in her office.
Then my Dr didnāt add the wrist to my MRI so I have to wait until tomorrow when heās in the office. My friend that works there is going to talk to him for me.
Then just EVERYTHING hit me multiple times today like a ton of bricks in waves. I did make an appointment to claim bankruptcy & Iām applying for mortgage assistance as we are behind. It was just a hard day & I didnāt get to make my fresh new simmer pot & it was too cloudy to see the star.
Iām doing okay right now, Iām having some winter spice tea & making the spoons & ugly socks with my daughter.
and I am sending you lots of hugs. That is a lot to be dealing with at one time. The wheel will spin and this will pass. Let the tears flow. I think that is appropriate for all you are managing. I did hear that there should be more stimulus checks coming, but I donāt know if it will be enough to help you with everything. Take care. Keeping you in my thoughts.
Francisco,
I wanted to burn the Yule log tonight since Itās my first Yule, I have decided to burn the logs! I wanted to watch the star aligned tonight! Itās really cold outside I hope I last. I know that Saturn and Jupiter are going to align tonight and this has not happened in centuries and the last time it has happened was 200 years ago so I can use any this energy moving forward! This is a special year that I have come to a new place in my life! A time I will always cherish! This winter solstice is very special! Something I can can write down in my bos! That is if I could see it with the naked eye Iām not really sure if Iām gonna be able to do that
Blessed be
Jeannie
I know I offload a lot in the forum. I usually journal & talk to a couple of choice friends. Its just been so heavy the last couple of weeks.
Iām sorry if it brings anyone down & I know everyone is dealing with a lot this time of year & through the pandemic. Iām just comfortable here. I dont mean to upset anyone. Iāll be more mindful.
Iāve taken the steps that I am able to right now. Now Iām back to waiting. Iām happy that I found things to wait for though! It will get better, Iām just in the valley right now & starting the climb!
Thank you for letting me be able to open up.
@Amethyst I hope you are doing well. I was thinking about you today & your appointments.
I hope everyone had a great Solstice & continued Yule!
Sweet @Susurrus, wishing you all the best. Itās nice that you can open up here, I donāt mind at all and Iām sure others wonāt either. On the contrary I think it creates this lovely atmosphere of trust when we can share the depths of our souls here.
As to this challengeā¦ Iāve been getting very personal with my inner darknessā¦ Iāve been doing shadow work and connecting with Lilith and others sharing her archetype, and also finding a fragment of her in my system too. Iām starting to own it better, so this kinda feels like my personal solstice. Maybe Iām going to have a better capacity to embrace the light too, who knows? Iām letting whatever comes come naturally.
Tomorrow Iām going to get a Christmas tree to share with my family, an actual living one. I insisted on this part, because itās been decades since last having one and I have fond memories of the lovely scent and feel of the needles! Also I promised to help my brother whoās preparing our Christmas dinner for the very first time, with some magical assistance! Would anyone happen to know a good spell for this?
Merry YULE everyone! Hope everybody has/having a wonderful and beautiful Solstice. This is my first Yule and was pretty excited to get my Altar ready and figure out, how I will incorporate a Yule log into the festivities .
It was pretty nasty day so I didnāt go to the park. However, i walked my dog and just enjoyed the cold air and watch her enjoy herself. For the Yule log, i realized i had some large tree branches that i collected over the summer from a storm that scattered them.
I put three of them together and tied them with different color ribbons. The branches werenāt too stable therefore I couldnāt just put candles on top. So, i tied the 3 candles to the branches with . Also, could not find the corresponding color candles - I used red, green, and pink- bought Xtra festive candles and lit my altar. Put 3 tarot cards out- The horn God, lord and the Lady and the Maiden.
Than proceeded to call the quarters, meditated and performed a spell.
I sat at the altar, celebrating for over and hour. ( Oh,I danced too! Lol) The energy tonight was pretty intense, strong, and powerful.
Overall, was a pretty great first time experience!
Happy to have been a part of it.
Francisco,
I have decided to light my candles till the 24th! Iām not sure what to do! Honestly! I ran out of time I have been working hard and I came home and cooked my Yule log! I just donāt know, what to do? What do you think? What do you do for the Winter Solstice? Do you have any poems that you read or any traditions that you have for the winter solstice?
Jeannie
Blessed be
Walter,
Really extravagant! Looks amazing!
You are a really creative and I love ur pics! Looks like you put so much time and preparation into your alter! I am in aw of your service! I love ur works! Works very well oh faithful friend!
Merry part
Jeannie
Jeanine, thank you so much!! I loved your altar as well! You actually gave me the idea to tie the logs together! (Thank you!) Like you mentioned, i had different idea in my head, but just doesnāt plan out sometimes and need to improvise. Lolā¦ Iām loving everyoneās Altar!!
Travel Witch,
I was thinking of getting Mistletoe, sorry that you canāt get any logs for Yule! I went to the store to get the mistletoe and didnāt even know what it looks like! Lol
The store ran out of mistletoe!
I always hear about it but never seen mistletoe!
I wanted it for good luck! Why do you hang mistletoe?
I just know that the darkness is gone and know we have the inner light inside us! As one we all shine!
Be blessed with the renewal of the solstice!
Jeannie
I felt the same! I just did the Yule ritual on the site. However, i couldnāt find smaller candles and these will burn more than a few days! Iām thinking of burning them for the week until they burn out! ( Not sure if thatās correct to do? ) However, i did create my first own spell tonight. Hope was correct! I just followed my gut and intuition. The energy was so intense tonight! I really felt it ! I think almost fell into a trance, only way I can describe it.
Blessed be.
It just means more to me at Yule. I continue my Motherās 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.
. Also, could not find the corresponding color candles - I used red, green, and pink- bought Xtra festive candles and lit my altar. Put 3 tarot cards out- The horn God, lord and the Lady and the Maiden.
