Hogmanay Trollolay!

The roots of Hogmanay perhaps reach back to the celebration of the winter solstice among the Norse, as well as incorporating customs from the Gaelic New Year's celebration of Samhain. In Rome, winter solstice evolved into the ancient celebration of Saturnalia, a great winter festival, where people celebrated completely free of restraint and inhibition. The Vikings celebrated Yule, which later contributed to the Twelve Days of Christmas, or the "Daft Days" as they were sometimes called in Scotland. The winter festival went underground with the Protestant Reformation and ensuing years, but re-emerged near the end of the 17th century....

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com and can be found in its entirety here: Hogmanay Trollolay!

Diet Ice

Use this method to empower water to remove excess weight from your body.

• 1 ice tray
• Water, to fill the ice tray
• Yellow food coloring
• Lemon wedges...

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Book of Shadows, and can be found in its entirety here: Diet Ice

A Christmas Spell for Clairvoyance

If one goes on Christmas night in the morning twilight into a wood or forest without uttering a word or letting a sound be heard, without looking around, without eating or drinking, without seeing any fire, and follow a path leading to a church, when the sun is rising, he will see...

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Book of Shadows, and can be found in its entirety here: A Christmas Spell for Clairvoyance

Christmas Spell

This is an old old spell - and posted here for educational and informational purposes only. Mistletoe berries are poisonous. This is the reason there will be dreams - some of them bad - some of them possibly fatal - so do not make or ingest this mixture!




Steep mistletoe berries, to the number of nine, in a mixture of ale, wine, vinegar and honey; take them on going to bed, and you will dream of your future lot. A storm in this dream is very bad; it is most likely you will then marry a sailor...

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Magickal Apothecary, and can be found in its entirety here: Mstletoe Dreaming

Swedish Yule Bread

Magical Attributes: Generosity, goodwill, empathy, service, and depending on which goodies you put into the dough other blessings will abound.

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 3 tablespoons hot water
• 2 envelopes active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)
• 1/4 sup sugar, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt ...

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar (hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com) and can be found in its entirety here: Magickal Swedish Yule Bread

Yuletide Incense

• 3 parts frankincense
• 3 drops orange oil
• 3 ...

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Magickal Apothecary (hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com) and can be found in its entirety here: Yuletide Incense

"Yule - A Celebration of Light and Warmth"

Yule, also known as Midwinter and Winster Solstice, occurs on the Winter Solstice. This is the time of year when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky (Northern Hemisphere) and the Sun enters the sign of Capricorn. This usually happens between December 20th and December 23rd. The sun will only rise higher and higher in the sky from this point onward. Since it appears that the sun's light is growing as each day passes after this one, this holiday is celebrated as the birth of the sun.

The word Yule comes from the Old Norse "iul," meaning wheel ,and refers to the 'wheel of the year', (or the idea of the year, seen as a wheel turning as the seasons change)....

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The Yule Story

Also known as Mithras (for the Persian Sun God), Saturnalia (for the Roman God of sowing and husbandry) and The Great Day of the Cauldron (from Druid Legend). It is the celebration of the return, or rebirth, of the Sun God, the Lord of Life. The celebrations were traditionally performed with the utmost solemnity, yet also with the highest rejoicing, for they resolve the paradox of Death and Rebirth. It represents the redemption of the world from Death and Darkness, as such it is a celebration of hope and joy amidst the gloom of winter.

The word Yule can be traced to the Celtic word `Hioul" which means wheel. This festival is an important point in the turning of the wheel of the year. Wreaths were made to symbolize this wheel, combining solar significance with tree-god significance. In ancient times Celts venerated trees as earthly representatives of the Gods, and it was felt that nothing short of the sacrifice of a mighty tree-god would cause the receding sun to take pity on them and return....

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar (hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com) and can be found in its entirety here: More Yule Myths and Lore

The Herbs and Plants of Yule

Herbs of Yule
Bayberry, blessed thistle, laurel, pine, sage, yellow cedar.

Evergreens

• symbolizing: Continuity of Life, Protection, Prosperity
• types: Pine, Fir, Cedar, Juniper, other evergreens
• forms: boughs, wreaths, garlands, trees ...

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website The Pagan Calendar (hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com) it can be found, along with even more information on Yule, here: Yule

Some Correspondences for Yule

Activities of Yule:

• Burning the Yule log
• Caroling
• Decorating the Yule tree
• Exchanging of presents...

I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar (hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com) it has been combined with more information, and can be found here: Yule