Yule Traditions

[Firebird]

So the Yule holiday will be upon us quicker than you know.
Thought it would be fun to share what sorts of traditions we all have for this time of year and are those trads new, or did they come from a family member? Are they strictly Yule/ Solstice oriented?
Also do you all also celebrate just the solstice?? or still honor or recognize the other surrounding holidays like Christmas or Hanukkah, and is that because it is what your family does.
Our group was discussing this the other day and some of the difficulties of raising a child in a pagan household in this commercial season.
Bb, Firebird

[Panthera]

I celebrate Yule and Christmas. In France, we don't have Thanksgiving.

I celebrate Yule before Christmas. Because I like both celebrations. It's true Christmas has a commercial side. But deep down, we all like to make and receive at least one gift.

It should be noted that my region is very attached to santons and therefore to the crib with little Jesus. But I decided not to put any under my sapine tree.


I think that for children, it is especially important to offer them decoration activities,cook together and eat.

[YanaKhan]

When I was a kid, we didn't celebrate Christmas. For me it's just a New year's eve moved 6 days earlier, nothing special.

I celebrate Yule for some years now, I make a special dinner with uneven nimber of vegetarian meals (which is actually what people do for Christmas here, I just do it for Yule ) and if I'm not ill at the time, I smoke the house with frankinsence to cleanse it. But not every year.

The bread contains a coin and whoever gets it, is going to have good luck the whole year. The food stays on the table the whole night.

[SpiritTalker]

I have always loved decorating the tree - the lights, the sparkles & shiney colors, and hanging a stocking on the fireplace or any suitable ledge. It was like a treasure hunt.

[Firebird]

For many years I enjoyed staying up with coven mates until dawn. Some of us would gather to watch the sunset, then it was off to my house to build the Yule fire which usually was included in a bringing back the light ritual. Then it was a party, and when the sun rose we were able to greet it with a Hail and Welcome! those who were left would part ways or hit the sleeping bag. I just don't have the energy to do that anymore.
I would like to modify it some how, and figure saluting the Sun on either end of the holiday would be a good alternative. Now I'm thinking to watch the Sun set on Solstice Eve. as part of ritual, then greet it at dawn on the Winter Solstice, the next day (likely in a solitary way).

I celebrate Christmas also, though my family would do the celebrating on Xmas eve. however it was a holiday that was more about seeing distant family rather than honoring a baby born in a manger. In fact we never went to church except one time my dad insisted we go to a midnight service at a local Lutheran church. We lit candles outside, that was nice.
For me the best tradition was my grandmother baking lefse' and fattigman, both Scandinavian favorites she brought to the holiday from her Norwegian roots. one a potato like tortilla and the other a yolky cookie. They also ate lutefisk which I could never even bring myself to try. My aunt still sends lefse' air mail. It really feels like the holidays when that package arrives!

I'm off to pay some bills!
bb, FF

[Firebird]

Something I would like to make a regular tradition is find a tree in nature and going to decorate it with animal friendly foods.
I steer away from sparklie inorganic types of decorations like ribbons, bows, tinsel and garlands. One time I left glass balls that was a bad plan. also no wires or hooks, if something must be attached a cotton string is all I've used.
I've decorated with dried persimmons, orange slices, whole apples, dog chews, peanuts, popcorn (loose), millet sprays and I make bird suets with pine cones spread with peanut butter then rolled in wild bird seed.
Then it would be fun to post a wildlife cam to watch the critters come to the feast!
BB, Firebird

[SpiritTalker]

No food traditions beyond filling the bird feeders & make popcorn to strew around. The opossum especially likes salmon cat food. I just gave the cats their new catnip-filled bananas & they're passed out for a while

[.]

So the Yule holiday will be upon us quicker than you know.
Thought it would be fun to share what sorts of traditions we all have for this time of year and are those trads new, or did they come from a family member? Are they strictly Yule/ Solstice oriented?

I can only envy those that have tradition, so I'm traditionally pragmatic.
I'm looking forward to celebration, but this time is a bit tougher prehaps than pre-Samhain concerning my last few years.
Samhain dangerous but nice.
Yule quite dark.

I was nervous about getting Samhain right. I'm just curious about Yule.

Blessed be the celebration

[Firebird]

I made fattigman!!! Damned be the gluten!

[.]

Actually Yule this time

it falls on Saturday, longest night unfolds into Sunday.
Some tables in Hygromanteia state last hour of the week, day of Saturn, hour of Mars to be open for protection by Banael.
Reminds me of banishing and makes me wonder about the nature of year's closure.

Perhaps I'm wrong and the nature of pagan feast has its own very specific shade far from my musings.

[SpiritTalker]

I placed a battery candle in the window last night as the eve, & I’ll do it again tonight for longest night. This morning I’d waited for sunrise over the rooftops then fed the birds a large bread roll cut into small pieces. May they never hunger. I guess that’s my tradition. Then I came inside & fed the singing cats & made some toast & tea for me