12 Days of Yule ~ Day 2

2nd Day of Yule – The Winter Solstice
December 21st

"The Winter Solstice represents the shortest day and the longest night. From this day onward Caillech Bheur gains strength and eventually breaks winter's spell. Celebrate Caillech's return and the fertility she brings!"

Yule (from the Anglo-Saxon 'Yula', meaning 'wheel' of the year) is usually celebrated at the Winter Solstice. It is a Lesser Sabbat or Lower Holiday in the modern Pagan calendar, one of the four quarter-days of the year, but a very important one. This year it occurs on December 21st with the Solstice being at 5:38 p.m. Central Standard Time. Pagan customs are still enthusiastically followed ~ the burning of the Yule log, the drinking of Wassail, and lighting the tree (which in times gone by was lit with candles). It is a time for reverence, joy and celebration.

On this beautiful and most celebrated of nights, the Mother Goddess gives birth to the Sun-God, thus setting the 'wheel' in motion again. The days start to get longer and we can look forward to warmer days and the coming of spring.

Tonight Brian and I will be celebrating the Winter Solstice at Circle Sanctuary, which I'm really looking forward to. We'll most likely celebrate at the weekend with our ham, some spiced cider and the burning of our Yule log. However, I am planning on getting up during the night (early morning) to take in the lunar eclipse and perhaps celebrate in my own quiet way with a nice cup of tea. Maybe I'll even make some homemade muffins. After all, it's not in every lifetime that you get a chance to celebrate a solstice with a total eclipse of the moon.

Weather permitting, the lunar eclipse will be visible from 12:33 to 4:01 a.m. Central Standard Time Tuesday, with the total eclipse starting at about 1:41 a.m. The last time a lunar eclipse happened on a solstice was 372 years ago, in 1638.

Sunset Prayer

The longest night has come once more,
the sun has set, and darkness fallen.
The trees are bare, the earth asleep,
and the skies are cold and black.
Yet tonight we rejoice, in this longest night,
embracing the darkness that enfolds us.
We welcome the night and all that it holds,
as the light of the stars shines down.

From our home to yours . . . may the Blessings of the Goddess be with you and yours and all joy and happiness be yours in the New Year!

What is a Wassail Anyway?

I grew up singing that song 'Here we come a-wassailing . . .' but never knew what the heck it meant. So this year I decided to check into it and see what it means and what it means in a Yule celebration kind of way.

Wassail ~ A salutation or toast given in drinking someone's health or as an expression of goodwill at a festivity; the drink used in such toasting, commonly ale or wine spiced with roasted apples and sugar; a festivity characterized by much drinking.

In centuries past, villagers or townspeople got together in groups and went from door to door, singing and drinking to the health of their neighbors. This concept actually harkens back to pre-Christian fertility rites - except in those ceremonies, villagers traveled through their fields and orchards in the middle of winter, singing and shouting to drive away any spirits that might inhibit the growth of future crops. As part of this, they poured wine and cider on the ground to encourage fertility in the crops. Eventually, this evolved into the idea of Christmas caroling, which became popular during the Victorian era, and is still seen today in many areas.

While I'm not sure about going out in the middle of winter and pouring cider all over the apple trees in the neighborhood, I sure don't mind drinking a cup or two of wassail. Enjoy!

Crockpot Wassail

8 cups apple juice or cider
2 cups cranberry juice
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
2 oranges
Whole cloves
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon Allspice
1 teaspoon Ginger
1 teaspoon Nugmet
3 cinnamon sticks (or 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon)
1/2 cup - 1 cup brandy (optional)

Turn the crockpot on high and pour in the apple cider (or juice) and cranberry juice. Mix in the honey and sugar until dissolved. Stud the oranges with the cloves (25 to 30 should do the trick) and place in the pot. Add the diced apple, Allspice, Ginger and Nutmeg. Finally, snap the cinnamon sticks in half and add those as well. Cover the pot and cook on high for 1 hour. Change the setting to low and allow to simmer for 3 more hours. About half an hour prior to serving, add the Brandy if you choose to use it.

Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green.
Here we come a-wand'ring so fair to be seen.
Love and joy come to you,
and to all your wassail, too,
may the Gods bless you, and send you a Happy New Year,
the Gods send you a Happy New Year.