What do pagans do on winter solstice?
The sacred day is also called Yule to pagans celebrating the birth of the new solar year, according to Circle Sanctuary, a prominent pagan group in America. Dozens of pagans and druids head to Stonehenge, an iconic site in England, to pay tribute to the sun during the solstice.
What does December 21 celebrate?
The winter solstice, the longest night of the year, falls on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and June 20 or 21 in the Southern.
What does Yule mean to pagans?
the winter solstice
Yule is a pagan celebration of the winter solstice, which marks the longest night of the year and therefore the return of the sun.
How do you celebrate the solstice?
Here are some customary ways to celebrate the solstice—you might notice that some resemble beloved Christmas traditions.
- Build a Yule Altar.
- Make an Evergreen Yule Wreath.
- Burn a Yule Log.
- Decorate a Yule Tree.
- Exchange Nature-Based Gifts.
- Give Back to Nature.
- Celebrate in Candlelight.
- Set up a Meditation Space.
Why is the winter solstice spiritual?
Many cultures, religions and spiritual traditions have honored the winter solstice. Often, this time of greatest darkness has encouraged humanity to gather amongst loved ones and celebrate the rebirth and return to the light.
Why is the winter solstice so important?
Since prehistory, the winter solstice has been a significant time of year in many cultures and has been marked by festivals and rituals. It marked the symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun; the gradual waning of daylight hours is reversed and begins to grow again.
What is the spiritual meaning of winter solstice?
What holiday is December 21st 2021?
The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere is marked by the winter solstice, which occurs on Tuesday, December 21, 2021, at 10:59 A.M. EST. For the northern half of Earth (the Northern Hemisphere), the winter solstice occurs annually on December 21 or 22.
Do you say Happy solstice?
As told in the Celtic legend of the battle between the Oak King- representing the light of the new year and the Holly King. During the Yule, the Oak King conquers the Holly King until Midsummer. Greetings include “Happy Solstice,” “Merry Yuletide,” and “Happy Yule.”
What did pagans call Christmas?
Pagans celebrate Yule, a holiday that takes place during the Winter Solstice, usually just a few days before Christians celebrate Christmas. The two holidays have similarities since Christmas is rooted in both the Germanic Yule, as well as the Roman Saturnalia.
What does solstice literally mean?
To Stand Still
The solstice (combining the Latin words sol for “Sun” and sistere for “To Stand Still”) is the point where the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest point in the sky for the year and thus ancient astronomers came to know the day as one where the Sun appeared to stand still.
How do you have a pagan Christmas?
Things like kissing under a mistletoe, carolling, wreaths, and even gift-giving were all aspects of pagan holidays that were adapted into Christmas celebrations in the early years.
What is the Wiccan holiday calendar?
The Wiccan holiday calendar traditionally begins with Samhain. In modern times, we call this Halloween or the Day of the Dead. The four greater sabbats are the ones that fall exactly between the solstices and equinoxes.
What is the Wicca wheel of the year?
The world of Wicca is governed by the Wheel of the Year–our annual cycle of eight major holidays (sometimes called sabbats). Each of these holidays highlights a sacred aspect of our magickal craft, and they’re honestly one of the best parts about being a Wiccan.
Are Wiccan holidays the most popular ancient holiday?
Nonetheless, there are some other less popular ancient holidays, which nevertheless hold significant importance to various groups of individuals, and one such is the Wiccan Holidays.
Is Yule a Wiccan holiday?
In any case, Yule is only one of eight Wiccan holidays that exist on the Wheel of the Year. Each of the eight festivals on the pagan calendar corresponds to the year’s main solar events, namely solstices, equinoxes, and the intervening cross-quarter events.