Yule love this holiday or my name isn't Kathy Howe.
Isn't that just the catchiest title ever?
Jen asked me in an earlier post:
"When is Yule? And how will you celebrate?"
For those of you that don't know Yule is the Winter Solstice which means it is the darkest day or, the day when there is the least amount of sunlight. This year it falls on Wednesday, December 21st and I will be ringing it in officially with Keri and her friend Marge in the ever lovely town of Stillwater.
There are several definitions of Yule here if you'd like to read more on the topic outside of my ramblings.
For me, Yule is the new year, it is when the days start getting longer again - a rebirth of the sun if you will. The kids and I celebrate Yule Eve - the night before Yule. Yule officially comes at about 10:30 am on the 21st.We celebrate the solstice by finding ways to honor and remember things like:
1. Earlier in the year (autumn) we watched flowers die, grass turn brown and leaves fall from trees. Despite all the "death" that we witnessed there is still much life around us. We bring in a pine tree to recognize that not everything dies or hibernates for the season. The pine tree is unchanged by the coldness and darkness. We will also spend time this week looking for animal tracks in the snow to remind us that there is still a lot of life around us. For Yule we will clip pieces of the pine tree to decorate our Yule log with.
2. With all the darkness during this season we celebrate light and the rebirth of the sun. We do that by decorating our pine tree with lights, lighting candles and having fires in the fireplace. On Yule this year we will decorate and burn our very first Yule log, light our house with candles and tree lights. The kids are also planning to do a sun art project for Yule.
3. In my family we also celebrate diversity during this season. Our tree is always decorated with a lot of colorful balls, ornaments and lights - the different colors that are on our tree represent diversity in people, beliefs, traditions, etc. We talk about all the different ways that people celebrate during this time of year - hannukah, kwanza, christmas, yule. We talk about the fact that there is no right or wrong way to celebrate the season and we talk about the different traditions and celebrations that are going on all around us. We also talk about the right to not celebrate. What people do with their time during this season is a personal choice and we always respect different choices people make for themselves.
4. For Yule this year the kids have suggested a few things. Sissy Bear suggested that we eat fruit for snacks and with our Yule dinner because those are things that come from the earth and we should always respect and be thankful for the earth.
5. Boo suggested that we bake a cake for Yule to celebrate the rebirth of the sun and the birthday of Jesus. After combing the pantry for a cake mix (which I was sure I didn't have since I've never baked a cake) I found apple muffin mix and they decided they would rather do that because it ties to the fruit suggestion that Sissy Bear made. So Jesus and the Sun are getting birthday muffins complete with birthday candles for Yule this year.
6. Since Yule is like a new beginning we will also write or draw on a green piece of paper something that we want more of in our lives or in the world around us. On a red slip of paper we will write something down that we want to get rid of or keep away from our lives or the world. Once we have our things written or drawn out we will toss them into the fire with the Yule log and send their smoke out into the universe like wishes for our new year.
7. Last but not least we will talk about what it means when they hear that this is the season of giving. My definition probably varies from the definition of others. For me, it isn't about giving people unnecessary things that they can buy on their own. The season is about giving gifts from the heart and it is also about remembering and giving to those that are in need. Last year we adopted a family of 10 for the holidays...or was it 12...I can't remember. This year we are going to make a cash donation to a dining site that feeds hungry families. Did you know a donation of $100 can feed 42 people? That is astounding to me. We are going to give 42 people something to eat for the holidays.
And that is what Yule means in my house.
The next Jen question on my radar is "How do you feel about Christmas". I'll try and answer that later today.
Jen asked me in an earlier post:
"When is Yule? And how will you celebrate?"
For those of you that don't know Yule is the Winter Solstice which means it is the darkest day or, the day when there is the least amount of sunlight. This year it falls on Wednesday, December 21st and I will be ringing it in officially with Keri and her friend Marge in the ever lovely town of Stillwater.
There are several definitions of Yule here if you'd like to read more on the topic outside of my ramblings.
For me, Yule is the new year, it is when the days start getting longer again - a rebirth of the sun if you will. The kids and I celebrate Yule Eve - the night before Yule. Yule officially comes at about 10:30 am on the 21st.We celebrate the solstice by finding ways to honor and remember things like:
1. Earlier in the year (autumn) we watched flowers die, grass turn brown and leaves fall from trees. Despite all the "death" that we witnessed there is still much life around us. We bring in a pine tree to recognize that not everything dies or hibernates for the season. The pine tree is unchanged by the coldness and darkness. We will also spend time this week looking for animal tracks in the snow to remind us that there is still a lot of life around us. For Yule we will clip pieces of the pine tree to decorate our Yule log with.
2. With all the darkness during this season we celebrate light and the rebirth of the sun. We do that by decorating our pine tree with lights, lighting candles and having fires in the fireplace. On Yule this year we will decorate and burn our very first Yule log, light our house with candles and tree lights. The kids are also planning to do a sun art project for Yule.
3. In my family we also celebrate diversity during this season. Our tree is always decorated with a lot of colorful balls, ornaments and lights - the different colors that are on our tree represent diversity in people, beliefs, traditions, etc. We talk about all the different ways that people celebrate during this time of year - hannukah, kwanza, christmas, yule. We talk about the fact that there is no right or wrong way to celebrate the season and we talk about the different traditions and celebrations that are going on all around us. We also talk about the right to not celebrate. What people do with their time during this season is a personal choice and we always respect different choices people make for themselves.
4. For Yule this year the kids have suggested a few things. Sissy Bear suggested that we eat fruit for snacks and with our Yule dinner because those are things that come from the earth and we should always respect and be thankful for the earth.
5. Boo suggested that we bake a cake for Yule to celebrate the rebirth of the sun and the birthday of Jesus. After combing the pantry for a cake mix (which I was sure I didn't have since I've never baked a cake) I found apple muffin mix and they decided they would rather do that because it ties to the fruit suggestion that Sissy Bear made. So Jesus and the Sun are getting birthday muffins complete with birthday candles for Yule this year.
6. Since Yule is like a new beginning we will also write or draw on a green piece of paper something that we want more of in our lives or in the world around us. On a red slip of paper we will write something down that we want to get rid of or keep away from our lives or the world. Once we have our things written or drawn out we will toss them into the fire with the Yule log and send their smoke out into the universe like wishes for our new year.
7. Last but not least we will talk about what it means when they hear that this is the season of giving. My definition probably varies from the definition of others. For me, it isn't about giving people unnecessary things that they can buy on their own. The season is about giving gifts from the heart and it is also about remembering and giving to those that are in need. Last year we adopted a family of 10 for the holidays...or was it 12...I can't remember. This year we are going to make a cash donation to a dining site that feeds hungry families. Did you know a donation of $100 can feed 42 people? That is astounding to me. We are going to give 42 people something to eat for the holidays.
And that is what Yule means in my house.
The next Jen question on my radar is "How do you feel about Christmas". I'll try and answer that later today.
3 Comments:
You amaze me more every time I read your site. You are such a fantastic mother teaching your kids not to be prejudice at all. Some day I hope to grow up to be as wonderful as you. Also, thanks for more information on the holidays, as you celebrate them. It's always fun to hear others traditions.
Well said! I agree wholeheartedly.
Winter Solstice Greetings to you and yours!
Wow, thank you Kathy!
Seeing as we are having a Solstice party (which we should have called a Yule party) at my house on Wed. night, I will try to implement some of these traditions!
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