Yule for the Busy Witch

Yule falls on the Winter Solstice and the longest night of the year. The day following Yule, the Sun returns, and the days start to get longer and longer. Here are some of our favorite Busy Witch tips to celebrate Yule this year!

Colors for Yule

Everything you’ve been doing for Christmas likely came from Yule and pagan traditions. The colors are no different. So, the colors of Yule are:

• Red and Green
• Silver and Gold
• White

Wear these colors or add them to your home for abundance, joy, prosperity, and blessings for the new year ahead.

Décor for Yule

Likewise, your décor and altar setup can include any of the following items, which should feel familiar to you if you have also been celebrating Christmas for years.

• Yule trees
• Yule logs
• Evergreen wreaths
• Bells
• Images of Mother and Child
• Antlers
• Pinecones

The Evergreen is essential to Yule celebrations because it’s green all year round. It represents the ability to be strong during tough times and weathering the winter.

The Mother and Child motif also hails from pagan traditions. For Wiccans, Yule is the birth of the Oak King. And for pagans, it’s the birth of the Sun. In many traditions, you see the Goddess giving birth to the God or Mother Earth giving birth to the Sun, so you can see the connection there!

Herbs, Oils & Scents for Yule

The following scents come together for blessings, abundance, and protection. Mix and match as you see fit.

• Cedar, Pine, and Fir: For everlasting energy (they’re all evergreens)
• Cinnamon & Spice: For warmth
• Rosemary: For protection for the darker season from the winter blues
• Frankincense & Myrrh: For cleansing and protection

Gemstones for Yule

Add one or more of the following gemstones to your altar, wear them throughout the season, or hold them during meditation for clarity and grounding during this hectic time of year. They’re also great for gratitude practices.

• Bloodstone
• Garnet
• Ruby
• Gold
• Silver
• Emerald

Easy Yule Magick for the Busy Witch

Decorate with a Yule Tree or Yule Log

The Yule Tree and Yule Log come from ancient times. For instance, evergreen bough decorations during winter hail back to the times of ancient Romans, Celts, and Egyptians. All three societies used them to represent health, blessings, and continuing life through winter.

Natural, bright objects were often added to the tree, like candles, fruits, and berries. Dried orange garlands and cranberries are traditional Yule tree decorations, too!

Offerings to wildlife and their deities were also a tradition during this time of year. This is where we get the Yule log tradition. The actual Yule log comes from ancient Scandinavia and the Celts. They would burn logs as an offering to the gods in hopes of a bright spring and to celebrate the return of the Sun.

Presents and Gift Giving for Yule

This is a time for celebration! We’re getting through the darkest part of the year and looking forward to the new year. We’re around family and friends and tapping into the nostalgia that comes with this time of year. Gifts and gift-giving during this time can be a form of gratitude magick.

Spells for Yule

Spells for transformation and preparing for rebirth are perfect for Yule. This is a great time to prep for Imbolc when you can celebrate your personal rebirth and renewal.

Kitchen Magick for Yule

Aside from a Yule Log Cake – which is just so much easier to purchase than bake – the food at Yule really is a central feature of celebrations. This is the one sabbat we recommend spending time cooking.

Some of the best foods for Yule include root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips, and turnips. Since we’re in a state of hibernating a little more, we’re naturally drawn to the comfort of Mother Earth. It’s also a great time for comfort food – think cakes, cookies, or “Christmas candy.”

Pull the old recipes out from your ancestors and spend time in the kitchen with your loved ones. Creating these recipes passed down from your loved ones and eating root vegetables helps remind you that you’re part of a much larger picture. It helps chase the winter blues away!

And, of course, remember that YOU bring the magick. May you have a blessed and bright Yule!

Blessings,
Megan