This is a wonderful little ritual that I found in Jason Mankey’s Llewellyn’s Little Book of Yule. I am sharing it because it is wonderful and because I want some advice! I’ll get to that after I share it.
Spirits of the Holiday
Whether we realize it or not, most Yuletide celebrations revolve around the idea of holidays past, present, and yet to come. Many of us decorate with heirlooms passed down over the generations. For me, going through the decorations and ornaments we own every year is very much a rich and satisfying journey down holiday lane. Many homes add one or two new wrinkles to their holiday celebrations every year, so no Yuletide celebration is ever just like the one before it. Yule is also one of those holidays that many of us plan for months and weeks in advance; we ask relatives if they are visiting for the holidays long before Halloween. While we tend to focus on the here and now when it comes to holiday celebrations, the spirits and energies of those we’ve lost along the way are often near at hand.
Both of my grandparents left this world many years ago, but their spirit lives on at Yule in the things they left me and the traditions they inspired. I just can’t imagine a Yuletide without one foot planted firmly in the past while my eyes look toward the future. The Spirits of Past, Present, and Yet to Come are the kinds of energies found in most homes at Yule, so why not invite them in? For this exercise you’ll need three taper candles. They can be any color that appeals to you, but I prefer red and green, as those colors are generally associated with the holidays. Once you have candles picked out and put in sturdy candleholders, place them in a prominent place where you celebrate the holidays. For me, this means my fireplace mantel. Place your Candle of Holiday Present in the middle of the space you’ve selected, with the Candles of Holidays Past and Yet to Come flanking it. This is an exercise I do at the very start of the holidays, when I’m setting up my Yuletide decorations. Since I recommend using long pillar candles here, you might use the same candles several years in a row.
Place something that connects you to past holiday celebrations near your Candle of Holidays Past. This could be a decoration from a deceased relative or a picture of them. It could also be something you made when you were young during the holiday season. Whatever it is, set it by your candle, then light the candle and say the following. If you do this with a partner or the entire family, substitute “We” for “I.”
I invoke the Spirit of Holidays Past. May those I’ve lost remain a part of my Yuletide celebrations, and may the memories I cherish be a part of the magic created in this space. Hail the Spirit of Yuletides Past!
Next, place near your Candle of Holiday Present something you cherish that you received during the past year. This doesn’t necessarily have to be Yuletide-related, but it can be. If you’ve added a new family member, you might place something representing that family member here. When we got our cat Summer, we put one of her favorite toys here for the duration of December. Once you’ve selected your item, light the candle and welcome in the energies of the present:
I invoke the Spirit of Holiday Present. May this year’s celebration of Yuletide be joyful and bright. May all who enter this space create new memories full of happiness and love. Hail the Spirit of Yuletide Present!
Figuring out exactly what we might want in the future can be challenging. When a planned holiday visit from a loved one doesn’t quite pan out, I’ll sometimes place their picture near the Candle of Yuletides Yet to Come. Another option here is something representing how you see yourself celebrating Yule in the next few years. I want my wife and me to celebrate Yule together both happy and healthy and long into the future, so in years past I’ve placed tokens of our love near this candle. If you are away from home and hope to return for the holidays soon, placing something representative of home here before you leave is also a great option. When you’ve selected your token representing the future, light your final candle and say:
I invoke the Spirit of Holidays Yet to Come. May those I love and cherish be a part of my celebrations long into the future. May the Yuletides yet to come be as joyous as those in years past, and may I always be filled with anticipation for the holiday season. Hail the Spirit of Yuletides Yet to Come!
Let your candles burn for however long you can attend to them, making sure to blow them out when you leave the room. For the rest of the holiday season, light them when you are trying to create new Yuletide memories and cherishing those from holidays past. I light them whenever I have company or I’m doing something holiday-related.
Mankey, Jason. Llewellyn’s Little Book of Yule (Llewellyn’s Little Books 14) (pp. 95-96). Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD… Kindle Edition.
The thing is, I want to do this ritual this year. Sally made me a lovely Yule Log for Yule last year and I thought it would be great to use it!
But I have no idea what to use as a token for Christmas Future.
I don’t do pictures that much, I’m not planning on going on a trip. I plan on next Yule being just like this one if I can help it. Maybe with less doctor visits but that’s about it. Help me! LOL!
Oh, and enjoy the ritual!
