From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pagans bring trees in their home and decorate them, showing their love for nature
Wheel of the Year
Yuletide
is a
pagan
holiday
also known as the
Winter solstice
. Generally celebrated by
Wiccans
and
Northern
European
Christians
. "Yuletide" celebrates the birth of the
Sun
and also celebrates the "Mother" at the height of her "Greatness".
Pagans
celebrate Yuletide in many ways, most will decorate a "Yuletide" tree, keep it in their homes until most of the leaves fall off then burn the Yule log. Many
Wiccans
will decorate their alters with Yule colours and items and generally just honour the
Goddess
.
1832
The Christian holiday,
Christmas
, was created by the Christian
Romans
based around the
polytheistic
(many Gods)
Sun
God
festival
(Sol Invictis) on the winter solstice, and people in northern Europe combined it with their Yule festival. Yule is celebrated on the 25th of
December
by most Northern Europeans and the 21st of December, by Wiccans and many
non religious
groups. For them, Yule is celebrated as the longest night of the year. It is the night when the
sun sets
earliest and rises latest the next day. The Wiccan
ritual
includes thanking the
Goddess
for the past year and asking for a happiness in the year to come.
- Rouche, Michel, "Private life conquers state and society," in
A History of Private Life
vol I, Paul Veyne, editor, Harvard University Press 1987
ISBN
0-674-39974-9
- Farrar, Janet and Stewart ([1989] 1998). The Witch's God, "IX Oak King and Holly King". 35-38. Phoenix Publishing, Inc. Blaine, Washington.
ISBN
0-919345-47-6