Yuletide
“Every
gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle...a seed
waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to light, a bud straining to
unfurl. And anticipation nurtures our dreams.”
Barbara
Winkler
Happy Yuletide to you!
Today is the first day of winter, aka Winter Solstice. It represents
the turning point of the season. Here is a Nordic Yuletide Prayer:
“Beneath
the tree of light and life,
a blessing
at this season of [Yule]!
To all
that sit at my hearth,
today we
are brothers, we are family,
and I
drink to your health!
Today we
do not fight,
we bear no
ill will.
Today is a
day to offer hospitality
to all
that cross my threshold
in the
name of the season.”
Even if you do not
observe the Solstice, the traditions behind it are celebratory and
representative of this season of light. For instance, the original
Yule log was the entire trunk of a tree, carefully chosen and brought
inside the house. The wide end of it was put into the fireplace, with
the rest of it sticking out into the room. It was lit and over the 12
days of Christmas, slowly fed into the fire. And, it was a family
tradition, with the entire family involved in choosing the tree and
sharing the work of lighting it and keeping the fire going. The tip
of the tree was saved and carefully stored so that it could be used
for lighting the next year's Yule log.
One of the nicest
traditions of Yuletide is Wassail—nowadays mulled cider would do.
When folks went house to house singing carols, they were treated to a
hot beverage. Here's a recipe:
2 quarts
apple cider
2 cups
orange juice
2 cups
brandy or rum (optional)
1
tablespoon allspice berries
2 sticks
cinnamon
1 small
orange, sliced
1
tablespoon whole cloves
Put them
all together, heat them up to drinking temperature in a crock pot or
on the stove for several hours before serving. Don't boil it, just
keep it hot. Pour into cups through a sieve so as not to have the
spices in your drink.
Whichever holiday you
celebrate this time of year, hospitality is the attitude of the season. So, finally,
here's a Yuletide Blessing from Circle Sanctuary's website:
“May we
be filled with Joy, Love, and Harmony, and may the Spirit of the
Yuletide shine within and around us throughout the year, as the Wheel
of the Seasons continues to turn. Blessed be!”
In the Spirit,
Jane
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