Yule celebration

[Silvana]

Now, that we're just 3 days until Yule, how did you preparate yourself for this Holyday?
I have to say, this is the 1st time I celebrate a Pagan Holyday, thus my 1st Yule as well.
So far I've search for some Yule Pagan music, found two little pine tree brances to decorate my future Altar.
But I'd appreciate some advice:
Tell me how do you celebrate Yule, what are the traditions, what should and shouldn't be done on this day...

Oh, and I have a small Anatomy exam on this day. Do you think Yule will bring me good fortune? Wish me luck!
Thank you!

[SpiritTalker]

I have a small custom for winter solstice...longest night. I dress warm and go outdoors to watch the sunset,then come indoors & light lots of candles, turn out the electric lights, & light the tree (if I have one.) I'm one of the few who likes fruit cake & egg nog. then settle down and watch some hopelessly sentimental video . And I always make a large bowl of popcorn for the birds to feast along with me.

[Bychan Wulf]

Congratulations on your first Yule. It is going to be my first ritual as well. I looked up some ideas for this holiday and found some useful stuff here, if you are interested: http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/yulethe ... t_Yule.htm
I plan on decorating my Yule/Christmas (we have to celebrate both) tree, setting up the altar, maybe do some praying too and in the end doing a cleansing ritual.(the moonphase is also appropriate)

I'll probably say that once more, but Good Luck on your exam!!

[Firebird]

The coven just celebrated Yule. We had a great time.
Circle was cast by lighting the candle of the person to your left. It was nice watching the flame go around, like the growing light.
Later we lit the Yule log which further represents the baby light getting bigger. We also did some tarot card readings and had a gift swap. Yummy foods and sweets, mulled wine and spiced apple cider rounded off the night nicely.
Will still do something on Tuesday, probably go to the top of the mountain here (locally) and watch the sunset.
Bb, Firebird

[Silvana]

Thank you guys for sharing your traditions with me.
I already set-up The Yule Tree, and I have to work a bit more on my Altar. (I'll post pictures soon)

All these last days I've been busy-busy with learning Anatomy. I will probably even dream bones at night *laughs*.
However I will find the time to celebrate Yule. After all the exam is in the morning, and I will have the whole day after to enjoy this wonderful Holiday!

[freyja13]

I have some advice: Don't get caught up in doing everything right according to your ritual. If you mess up something don't worry go back and do it again same goes with words. If you've messed up the text go back and say it again. Take your time. Ground and center.
In the Norse tradition, there are the 12, sometimes 13, days of Yule where each day has a focus and ritual.
The reason I bring this up is so you don't feel like everything has to happen on the 21st. Yule can be celebrated up until the first week of January or 12 days after the 21st.
Have a happy Yule and I hope I was able to help.


Blessings,

freyja13.

[samikcha]

I am taking a big pause and a big slow down and a deep reflection of this year and clearing away some should haves and could haves so that I can do some real goal setting stuff later .

love love love:*

[samikcha]

By the way, I can't go out much so I don't know if I can get traditional decorations... in fact today I asked my sister to get me bubble maker and I will blowing some gratitude bubbles into the atmosphere..

love love love:*

[IsaacIcarus]

By the way, I can't go out much so I don't know if I can get traditional decorations... in fact today I asked my sister to get me bubble maker and I will blowing some gratitude bubbles into the atmosphere..

Gratitude bubbles! That's adorable, I might just try that. I'm going to try and get some fir branches for my altar today. Very excited.

[Yex]

My family and I did our Solstice celebration earlier to-night. We turn off all the lights in the house, put a tea light in each room in the house; and then, after I say a few words about the darkness and the return of the light, etc, we light a big candle. Then, one of us (my wife) goes from room to room with the big candle lighting the tea lights, whist the others (myself and my daughter) make a lot of noise (I rattled my rattle, she shook some jingle bells, we both chanted Awen). This year, since we now have a fireplace, we closed by using the big candle to light a starter log to place in the fireplace, then set upon it a wood log which we had all three put our intentions into beforehand. Then we toasted with sparkling apple cider and ate dinner around the fire, and my daughter fell asleep to a movie. Once she was asleep, my wife and I drank some ice wine.

Now I am alone, save for the cat, sitting by the fire. I had read that there was some folklore regarding using the shadows cast by the Yule log fire for divinatory means, so I tried my hand at that, and while I didn't get any visions, staring at the dancing shadows definitely sent me into a light trance, perhaps aided by slight tipsiness.