Winter Holyday Magic and Fun
Welcome to the season of the lights within the dark!
Ahhhh.. we are now descending into the darkest time of the whole year, which is wonderfully full of the holidays of light….. the beautiful twinkling of lights on the Christmas trees, the miracle of the oil to light the candles at Chanukah and the candle lighting of Kwanzaa.
The original Winter holiday is Winter Solstice, which is the longest night of the year. From Winter Solstice onward the days will gradually grow longer and the nights will grow shorter.
And so the holidays are here in the darkest time bringing us light and welcoming the Sun’s return. And what better way to find your way in the dark then with candles, fire or pretty lights….
Many of the old traditions still remain over the years like honoring the Evergreen tree, which has been a tradition in many of the older festivals.
Mistletoe: The Druids regarded mistletoe as extremely sacred and Mistletoe was believed to have much healing power. To hang it over a 
doorway or in a room was to offer goodwill to visitors.
Kissing under the mistletoe was considered a pledge of friendship.
Yule Log: Other traditions aren’t as well known…. such as burning a Yule log in your fire. This tradition dates back hundreds and hundreds of years and can be found in many places including Scandinavia, Ireland, Greece and Siberia. Burning the Yule log was a celebration and offering and was believed to bring prosperity and protection. The Yule log was not supposed to burn completely, instead a small bit was kept to start next years log.
Why not honor some of the real old magic at this time? On December 21st 2009 is the Winter Solstice…. the longest night of the year! You can put a Yule log into your fireplace with magical intention (and save a piece for next year), hang some mistletoe to bless your home and guests (or kiss them), and pay special honor to the lights which help light your way in the dark. Have Fun, Happy Winter Solstice and all the other holidays and Welcome Back Sun!
