Since prehistory, the Winter Solstice has been a significant
time of year in many cultures and marked by a wide variety of festivals and
rituals.
Yuletide was the pagan celebration of the season for many Germanic-based cultures and can last anywhere from weeks to months. All of us have borrowed traditions from Yuletide without even realizing it. Consider the Twelve Days of Christmas! This is the period from Christmas until January 6th, and I personally refuse to take down my decorations at home until this date. After all, there’s some German in my ancestry.
Perhaps you have a fireplace. Do you burn the Yule Log? This seems to be more of an English custom. Again, this goes through a period of about 2 weeks (or the 12 Days of Christmas) to signal the onset of Winter and provide light on the longest night of the year, as we begin to look forward to the return of the sun. You may also partake of some wassail around the fire – or maybe you just prefer your favorite wine.
Do you have a Christmas tree, or wreath or other evergreen in your home? Join together with friends and family for a Christmas feast? Join others to loudly sing songs of revelry? All traditions related to Yuletide.
As you ponder what fun activities you may partake of this Christmas season, here’s a link to one in our community you may like to participate in. Hospice of Davis & Wapello Counties “Longest Night of the Year” service.
May you enjoy all the blessings of this holiday season no matter how you celebrate it!
Merry Christmas!
contributed by Melody Lowe
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