10 Ways to Celebrate Yule

The word is descended from the Old English geol or geola through the Middle English yole which referenced Christmastide (which includes the 12 days of Christmas) and was cognate to the Anglo-Saxon name for the entire midwinter season giuli which included December and January, – all evolved from the Old Norse jol which rose from the Proto-Germanic *jehwlą, meaning “festivities” or “to play”.

Thus the word Yule at its root possibly means “the festivities” as related to the midwinter season.

Yule Celebrations

The referenced pre-Christian winter festivities were celebrated by Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon peoples in some of the coldest and darkest regions of Europe during the midwinter season.

Many modern Christmas traditions were absorbed from this festival, including that of the yule log, decorating with greenery, getting drunk, and being jolly (the word jolly may also be a close relative to the word Yule, via Old Norse rubbing up against Old French).

Though ancient Yuletide customs probably included sacrifices as well.

Heathens who generally honor the traditions of ancient Germanic peoples often attempt to recreate ancient Yuletide festivities as closely as possible in a literal or symbolic sense as appropriate to modern sensibilities.

Many modern Neo-Pagans reference their midwinter celebrations as Yule, whether attempting to recreate ancient practices or celebrating new traditions based on them.

Create some ice art.

With overnight temperatures below freezing in most of the US, it’s the perfect time to make some impermanent art.  Fill a rum cake pan with water, evergreens and cranberries and leave it outside to freeze.  When it’s rock solid, place a candle in the center hole, light it and leave it on your front porch to welcome guests in from the cold during your holiday get together.

Make hot cocoa from scratch. 

There is nothing more heartwarming than a piping hot cup of real, homemade hot chocolate.  Invite over some friends or gather your family to enjoy an evening in your living room around this delicious treat.

Start an indoor winter project. 

The weeks and months following Yule are the coldest of the year.

They bring us closer to the hearth and the home, making it the perfect time to turn inwards and begin projects of deep reflection.

Try starting an indoor project that you plan to carry through to the spring, like making a quilt or learning to knit.

Need some more ideas?  Check out 10 Winter Crafts for Witches.

Build a Yule fire. 

Yule is most often associated with the Yule log, but you can also “season” a fire with traditional Yule herbs.  Toss in a handful of cedar, a sprig of rosemary and a few pinches of frankincense to warm the house with the spirit of the season.

Buy a potted evergreen.

Adorn it with traditional Yule decorations.  Have everyone in the house write a holiday wish for the coming year on a piece of paper and bury the wishes in the root ball.  When the holiday season is over, plant it in your yard as a reminder of hope and happiness throughout the year.

Donate your time to a local charity or homeless shelter.   

People are always lamenting the expense of the holiday season and its focus on materialism, but the true spirit of Yule is the giving of love and light to those around us.  Nothing brings us closer to our spirits than service to our communities.In the cold weather months, there is an abundance of ways to give to those in need.  Find one.

Make a natural wreath for the door. 

Bundle up and go for a walk to gather evergreens like cedar branches from a nearby forest.  Use only items found in nature, like pine cones or uniquely shaped pieces of wood, to decorate it.

Bake something for the neighbors. 

Yule is the perfect time to connect to your community and nothing brings people together like rich, sugary, forbidden foods!  Make something that includes seasonal spices such as cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

Make your own witch balls. 

You may have noticed this time of year, the craft stores carry these clear Christmas balls that you can open and put stuff in.  These are the perfect vehicle for making witch balls.   

Gather the kids and tell the story of the Oak King and the Holly King. 

This classic tale is, of course, central to the Celtic Yule festivities.  Make it part of your tradition!  Have everyone in a circle cuddle up with some blankets and your homemade cocoa, and have the most theatrical person in your circle (you know the one) tell this story with imagination and flare.