- Midwinter - Feb 1st - https://hearthfoxoracle.blogspot.com/p/my-sacred-wheel-midwinter.html
- Spring Equinox / First Day of Spring - March 20-23 - https://hearthfoxoracle.blogspot.com/p/my-sacred-wheel-spring-equinox.html
- Midspring - May 1st - https://hearthfoxoracle.blogspot.com/2025/04/my-sacred-wheel-midspring.html
- Summer Solstice / First Day of Summer - June 20-23 - https://hearthfoxoracle.blogspot.com/2025/06/my-sacred-wheel-summer-solstice.html
- Midsummer - August 1st - https://hearthfoxoracle.blogspot.com/2025/07/my-sacred-wheel-midsummer.html
- Fall Equinox / First Day of Fall- September 20-23 - https://hearthfoxoracle.blogspot.com/2025/09/my-sacred-wheel-fall-equinox.html
- Midfall - November 1st - https://hearthfoxoracle.blogspot.com/2025/10/my-sacred-wheel-midfall.html
- Winter Solstice / First Day of Winter - Dec 20-23 - https://hearthfoxoracle.blogspot.com/2025/12/my-sacred-wheel-winter-solstice.html
It's the Yuletide season and I'm excited! We follow a Gregorian Calendar and the Winter Solstice/Yule is the First Day of Winter and the beginning of the Light Half of the Year--the Shortest Day and the Longest Night. The Solstice, according to the mainstream calendar, falls on 20-22nd--unless you follow the lunar calendar, then it "floats" between December and January! When its observed depends on the person, culture, and tradition.
There's a lot of winter holidays. Some other winter holidays and names for the Solstice include (and not in order of celebration):
- Krampusnacht/Krampus Night/Feast of Krampus
- St. Nicholas Day
- Midwinter
- Alban Gaef
- Canol Gaef
- Winter Solstice
- Yule
- Devoriuros
- The Oreibasia
- Saturnalia
- Opalia
- Feralia
- Caristia
- Modranicht/Mother's Night
- Christmas
- Kwanzaa
- Hanukkah
- Epiphany
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Belief and the Spirits of Charity
When I was younger, Christmas was my second favorite mainstream holiday. I loved the magic of the season, the decorations, the festivities, and of course, the presents. In my family Christmas was a secular holiday, with a focus on family--especially the children. My dad claimed to be Christian because of family tradition and my mom was a borderline agnostic-atheist. Religion wasn't a big thing growing up, and the holidays were just part of American culture--you celebrated because of family tradition.
I went to Sunday school for a bit and enjoyed it, but I never connected to Yahweh or Jesus (I became a pagan when I was 8-10 years old without family guidance [well not living family anyway]). However, I did love Santa, although the reindeer took a backseat back then. In the stories, they're assholes to Rudolph, until he proves useful. As a fellow weirdo, I never liked that lesson.
And I never lost my belief in Santa either. Even after catching my parents adding Santa's gifts under the tree. That was a shocker, but I also didn't see him as a flesh and blood person--more like a spirit or a god. I didn't understand it at first, not till years later, when I learned about other cultures and Christian sects their Gift Givers and Punishers--St. Nicholaus, La Befana, Belsnickle, Krampus, Julbocken, and a couple of others. Spirits of Charity. Santa is a Spirit of Charity, which is within us. The Spirits of Charity represent hope, love, community, family, generosity, strength, healing, protection, and goodwill.
Yes, I still believe in Santa and the other entities. I know some people don't tell their kids that Santa is real because they don't want to lie to them. I get it. That's why we teach them about Spirits. A spirit can both be an incorporeal being as well as within us--our actions, our thoughts, our will, our drive. No lies, only interpretation. They can always decide for themselves later about their own beliefs and what they tell their kids, if they have any.
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The Krampus and Yule Goat Riders
Our Spirits of Charity are Krampus Goats, Yule Goats, and their Riders...and there's more than one small team--there's lots of children in the world, and one small group can't do it all. Like the Gods have helpers, so do the Spirits of Charity. I have written stories for my kids, too. Stories tying the Goats and House Spirits to Thor, His Goats, and even Krampus together. Stories inspired by the many different myths and theories...
In my stories, Yule Goats and Krampus Goats are descended from Thor's Goats, Tanngrisnir ("teeth-barer") and Tanngnjóstr ("teeth-grinder"). They are companions of the Goat Riders--House Spirits of various names, such as Tomten and Nisser, who care for, train, and either deliver gifts or bad luck. The Krampus Goats keep an eye on the children, sending their own lists back home and dishing out bad luck and nightmares. Come Yule Eve, the Krampus Riders return home, and the Yule Riders visit homes and fill stockings with treats, needs, and small gifts.
On December 5th, we give offerings to the Krampus Riders to fuel them. On Yule Eve, we thank Krampus, bidding them safe journeys. And we give offerings for the Yule Riders to strengthen and thank them.
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Old and New
For a long time, Samhain and Halloween were my favorite holidays, but since having children, Yule's my favorite--despite the rush and greed and how the season just brings out the ugly in people. We don't do the Black Friday thing, but the tree goes up and the decorations come out. This is a family tradition that's stuck with me. I've hung onto many family traditions, as well as incorporated some Pagan ones, and come up with some of my own.
If you've been reading this series, you've probably realized that I'm not one of those Pagans who's a stickler about the Old Ways. I could care less about how my ancient Pagan Ancestors practiced--I still love learning, though. The truth is I'm not going to know exactly how they practiced or how they believed. No records kept/survived, only traditions passed down. Then traditions either trashed or transformed or adopted and adapted to other faiths, such as Christianity and Judaism. I'm one of the Tree Keepers in my family, and I have certainly done extensive work on my family tree. I've traced the places and the cultures, I learn the traditions and stories, and I teach my family about what our Ancestors--Pagan and not--may have practiced and believed. But I can't say for sure, you know?
Plus that was then, this is now. Some ways are cool. Some ways I incorporate. But if I don't feel a connection or something doesn't make sense, there's no point in forcing something that ain't there. I'm eclectic and don't belong to any one path. I research, I experiment, I tweak, I reinvent. I do what works for me. Paganism is a very DIY spiritual path. I'm always looking at my path and seeing what still fits and what needs to change. My Sacred Wheel has undergone many many changes over the decades, and will continue to do so. Nothing is static, so why should my Holy Days be?
Unlike my Christmas' of childhood, Winter Solstice is more spiritual and Yule is more secular with a focus on family fun and charity. I've tried to get my Pagan husband to have the Winter Solstice be about the spiritual stuff and have the gift giving be on Christmas, but he's a stickler--"We're not Christian." Well, neither were you or I when we were kids and we still celebrated it. Last year, due to money stress, the Yule Goat and Tomten were on time with their stockings on the Winter Solstice, and then we did the gift exchange on Christmas. It was nice and spread out, which is how I like my busy festivities.
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Holiday Tree
Our Solstice/Yule Tree is our altar. It has ornaments for our Kindreds and our family. It also has representations of the 3 Hallows of ADF Druidry: The Well - Tree Skirt, The Tree - Tree, The Fire - the Lights and Reindeer Topper with the Sun in Her Antlers.
Next year, I'm planning on making a wooden reusable Odin Countdown. I may still use cotton balls or maybe white marbles to mark the days. Ah, it'd be fun if I could find small wooden figurines of the Norse Gods or things associated with Odin or Yule and just paint them white. Ideas are churning...
Our Yuletide:
- December 4th is Messenger's Day, where I honor Hermes and all ethical, honest delivery people, from truck drivers to merchandise processors to postal workers.
- December 5th is Krampus Night. Now, traditionally, Krampus Night is the night before St. Nicholas Day in some parts of Europe. Krampus isn't some evil villain--he works with St. Nicholas. The Saint rewards the good and Krampus punishes the bad.
Since we don't celebrate St. Nicholas Day, I've had to tweak Krampus Night to better suit our path. My family does talk about the traditional Whos and the Whats, as well as who the Krampus Spirits are to us. I have encountered these entities before and They love being shared and talked about.
We have a big ritual with jingle wands, masks, and dancing--building up energy to fuel the Krampus Spirits, helping them come to our world to do their jobs. We have a Funko Pop Krampus that we move and hide almost everyday, and the kids enjoy hunting for it. On Yule Eve, we give offerings to Everyone and Krampus leaves. My kids LOVE Krampus--the cutesy stories and the scary ones. - December 19th-31st: 12-13 Days of Yule. There's just too much fun to be done within a day or three, so that's why I decided to adopt the Days of Yule recently. We don't always do things in the same order, or how others do for their Days. That and I don't always have the spoons for it!
- Baking.
- Ornament Crafting.
- Some people have the Christmas Pickle, while we have the Yule Pumpkin.
- Deep clean of the house, with lots of donating unnecessary stuff, crocheted items, and money to our favorite charities.
- Favorite holiday movies and books.
- Honoring various Entities of Home and Hearth, Charity, Delivery, Winter, Ancestral Veneration, Ethical Hunting and Harvest, Protection, Fiberarts, etc.
- Solstice Eve:
- 1 Gift Exchange.
- No electronics, save for music and movies.
- Family game night.
- Yule stories--I read stories that I wrote about the Yule Goats and Tomten, as well as other stories about our Family Deities and Spirits. Stories about other Spirits of Charity and other's winter holidays.
- Offerings to: Hestia, Vesta, Hekate, Brigando, Frigg, Freyja, Loki, Baldur, Tomten, Nisser, Krampus, Reindeer Mother, Elen of the Ways, Deer Mother Cailleach, Cernunnos, Frau Holle, Mother Hulda, Perchta, Óðinn, Sleipnir, Skadi, Ullr, Baba Yaga, Hermes, Artemis, Hephaestus, and the Disir and Alfar.
- Offerings of: I'm a big believer that actions are best, but really anything from the heart, too, be them traditional or whatever you have on hand. Here are what my family likes to give on this night (I let my kids pick their own offerings):
- Olive/Vegetable Oil
- Tea
- Water/Snow/ice
- Oatmeal/Cornmeal with water, cinnamon, and butter
- Carrots
- Oats
- Whiskey/Wine/Juice
- Hot Chocolate
- Cookies
- Yellow Icing
- Butter
- Candies
- Black Coffee
- Meat (particularly wild meats if we have it)
- Coins
- Winter Solstice:
- The First Day of Winter - We start off with a breakfast with solar representations and energies.
- I bake either a Yule Log or a Solar Cake.
- The kids dive into their stockings to see what the Yule Goat and Tomten brought them.
- I put on a fireplace on Netflix and we have our gift exchange (Want, Need, Wear, and Read).
- As a family we cook the Solstice Feast.
- In the evening, we have our favorite holy day ritual that honors Reindeer Mother, with masks, jingle wands, and dancing. We bake cookies or mini cakes in the shape of reindeer, decorate with solar colors, and give to Reindeer Mother, giving her energy to carry the sun into the sky, as the Light Half of the Year begins.
- Dec 24th: Mother's Night: Honoring Frau Holle, The Madonna, and the Disir. No fiberarts on this night.
- Dec 25th: The Polar Express. We watch the movie with hot chocolate and yummy treats.
- Dec 31st/Jan 1st: We burn the Yule Bundle, releasing our joys and wishes to the Holy Ones, with hopes they'll be granted within the new year.
- Jan 1st: Year Ahead Reading.
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Some Winter Correspondances (UPG and not):
Deities & Spirits: Reindeer Mother, Elen of the Ways, Deer Mother Cailleach, Cernunnos, Frau Holle, Mother Hulda, Perchta, Óðinn, Sleipnir, Skadi, Ullr, Baldur, Sunna/Sol, Baba Yaga, Morena, Beaivvi, Saulė, Hermes, Artemis, Hephaestus, Khione, Ancestors (Disir and Alfar).
Hearth Mothers & Spirits: Hestia, Vesta, Hekate, Brigando, Frigg, Freyja, Loki, Disir, Tomten, Nisser...
Spirits of Charity: Yule Goat/Julbocken & Tomten/Nisser, Santa Claus and Reindeer, Krampus, La Befana...
Energies/Themes: Rest, Introspection, Community/Family, Hope, Healing, Generosity, Warmth, Protection, Re/Birth of the Sun, Return of the Sun...
Symbols: Trees, Wreaths, Reindeer, Suns, Moons, Stars, Snow, Straw Goats, Tomten/Nisser/Gnomes, Foxes, Sleighs, Isaz, Sowelo, Othala, Gifts...
Colors: Red, White, Green, Yellow, Orange, White, Black, Browns...
Animals: Reindeer, Goat, Horse, Cardinal, Chickadee, House Sparrow, Dove, Stag, Wolf, Crow, Boar...
Foods & Drinks: Pork, Goose, Turkey, Deer, Dried Foods, Canned Foods, Root Veggies, Bone Broths, Soups, Stews, Egg Nog, Hot Chocolate, Coffees, Teas, Homemade candies and baked goods, Family Recipes...
Activities: Baking, Ornament Making, Telling Ghost Stories, Spirit Work, Sledding, Winter Camping, Charity Work, Donations...
Some Books About Winter Solstice, Yuletide, and a couple of other holidays—Pagan and Non, Adult and Children:
Allsburg, Chris Van. The Polar Express. Childrens.
Amiti, Loreley. The Solstice Fairy. Childrens.
Barks, Elias. Krampus Baby!. Childrens.
Campus, Jenn. A Guide to Celebrating the 12 Days of Yule (Heathen-style).
Converse, Kathleen. Luke & the Longest Night. Childrens.
Cooper, Susan. The Shortest Day. Childrens.
dePaola, Tomie. Strega Nona's Gift. Childrens.
Hartman, Jennifer. Old Mother Frost. Childrens.
Hendren, Trista. Livingstone, Glenys. Christ, Carol P. Shannon, Laura. Aldred, Kay. Morganfield, Megha. Sedgemore, Lynne. Shaw, Kat. Smith, Sharon. Daly, Pat. Songs of Solstice: Goddess Carols.
Hulda, Grani. Yule: Learn About Paganism with Grani Hulda.
Hopman, Ellen Evert. Once Around the Sun.
Jackson, Ellen. The Winter Solstice. Childrens.
Kleven, Elisa. Sun Bread. Childrens.
McCoy, Edain. Sabbats: A Witch’s Approach to Living the Old Ways. 1 May 2001.
McFadden, Robin. The Solstice Badger. Childrens.
Messner, Kate. Over and Under the Snow. Childrens.
Morrison, Dorothy. Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth.
Pfeffer, Wendy. The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice. Childrens.
Pesznecker, Susan. Yule: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Winter Solstice.
Tarares, Matt. Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever. Childrens.
Washington, Donna L. Li'l Rabbit's Kwanzaa. Childrens.
Ziefert, Harriet. Snow Party: A Story of the Winter Solstice. Childrens.
Thanks for all of the Hearts, Follows, Subscribing, Purchases, Bookings, and Recommendations. I really do appreciate the support.
Face to the Sun.
Trust in Joy.
Follow the Bees…
~ Priestess Foxlyn
ADF. Our Own Druidry. ADF Publishing. 2009. Pages 60-72.