Sabbat Series: Yule

What Is It?

Winter’s coming! It’s almost time for Yule. 

Yule takes place in December, between the 19th and the 23rd in the Northern Hemisphere, and is the shortest day of the year. This is a “Lesser Sabbat” as it occurs on the Winter Solstice, but next to Samhain, this is one of the more popular Sabbats. Yule is also one of the sabbats with historical ties as many civilizations have festivities near this solstice!

A popular folklore for this sabbat is one of the Celtic origins and is the tale of the Oak King, who represents light, and the Holly King, who represents light. The two kings engage in a battle over who reigns supreme. On Yule, the Oak King wins. This holds true until Litha, the longest day of the year when they battle once again. 

How to Celebrate?

Popular ways to celebrate this holiday are plentiful. As with any pagan sabbat, you can be sure that there will be a feast involved. Celebrate this time with your family and loved ones by hosting a meal. It’s the perfect time to bake your favorite holiday treats and indulge!

Bonus, if you’re still in the broom closet, many of these festivities you can participate in are broom closet friendly! You can create a dried orange garland to hang at your mantle, decorate a Yule log, and craft ornaments. Also, let’s not forget about our Yule tree. That’s right. I said it. Yule Tree. 

Also, as this is the time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when it is properly cold in most locations, it’s time to light a fire! So, decorate your altar and your home, and grab up your coziest blanket to sit next to the fire. And if it’s cold enough for snow? Collect some for future spellwork! 

Ways to Decorate Your Altar:

❅ Holly Leaves

❅ Gold, Red, and Green Candles

❅ Yule Logs

❅ Assorted Nuts

❅ Dried Orange Slices

❅ Snowflakes or Snow

❅ Bells

❅ Mistletoe