Yule: Origins and Customs

by Lisbeth Cheever-Gessaman

Celebrations During the Winter Solstice, Yule Log and Mistletoe

Yule is the name for the pagan festival which celebrates the Winter Solstice and many present day customs originate from those traditions.

Yule Correspondences:

• Incense: Pine, Cedar, Rosemary, Bayberry, Juniper, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Myrrh
• Metal: Gold
• Stones/Gems: Sapphire, Turquoise, Serpentine, Peridot, Jacinth
• Colors: Red, Green, White, Silver, Gold
• Foods: Nuts, Apples, Oranges, Mulled Wine, Turkey, Goose or Ham , Popcorn
• Herbs and Flowers : Holly, Mistletoe, Rosemary, Oak, Spruce, Pine, Ivy, Fir, Poinsettia
• Animals: reindeer, the stag, mouse, deer, horse, bear

Yule Customs and Origins

Nearly every ancient culture held a celebration to mark the shortest day of the year and the return of the Sun. Celebrated annually on the