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What does the Yule star represent?

What does the Yule star represent?

The star at the top of the tree is our own pentagram, representing the four elements of air, earth, fire and water, overseen by Spirit. Holly and Ivy were seen as the male and female principles (respectively) and were believed to bring good luck and fertility to men and women.

Why is it called Yule?

Yule comes from a name for a 12-day festival, celebrated by Germanic peoples, around the winter solstice in December and January. The Yule goat carried Father Christmas on his back and is a symbol of Christmas throughout Scandinavian countries. The Yule goat may have associations tracing back to Norse mythology.

What is a Yule Angel?

A beautiful winged angel illuminated by her magical crystal ball. she is wearing a golden pentacle and her robes are tied by a sash decorated with a dragon. She has a wreath of ivy and mistletoe.

What is the point of Yule?

In pre-Christian Scandinavia, the Feast of Juul, or Yule, lasted for 12 days celebrating the rebirth of the sun and giving rise to the custom of burning a Yule log. In ancient Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated at the Feast of Saturnalia, to honor Saturn, the god of agricultural bounty.

Is Yule a Celtic?

Yule is one such holiday, a pagan celebration with roots in Norse and Celtic cultures. Pagans in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate Yule for 12 days and centers around the rebirth of the sun, symbolized in the days getting longer after the solstice.

Why was Yule changed to Christmas?

This feast was intended to correspond with the pagan holiday, the feast of Sol Invictus, which celebrated the winter solstice and the gradually lengthening days of increased sunlight. Over time, these feasts merged to become the holiday we now know as Christmas.

Which dessert stems from a pagan fireplace tradition?

The tradition of yule logs has its roots in pagan rituals. In fact, the word “yule” is old English for a festival known to take place in December and January.

Why is Yule the longest night of the year?

Yule is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Known as Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, the sun’s “rebirth” was celebrated with much joy.

Where does the holiday of Yule come from?

Photos and information herein have been updated for educational purposes. Happy Yule and enjoy your holiday! Yule is a traditional holiday holding roots in various northern European traditions, particularly that of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples.

What do you use a yule log for?

An herb of the Sun, Ash brings light into the hearth at the Solstice. A different type of Yule log, and perhaps one more suitable for modern practitioners would be the type that is used as a base to hold three candles.

Who are the gods and goddesses of Yule?

If you decorate your home with a Yule tree, holly or candles, you are following some of these old traditions. The Yule log, (usually made from a piece of wood saved from the previous year) is burned in the fire to symbolize the Newborn Sun/Son. Deities: Goddesses-Brighid, Isis, Demeter, Gaea, Diana, The Great Mother.

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Ruth Doyle