This is an organic document, and is being regularly updated. If your interpretation of a holiday isn't mentioned, please let me know. Marc-Carlson@UTULSA.EDU Last updated 2005 ================================================================ For some traditions, these Holidays begin at Sundown the evening BEFORE the date given. To be explicit, this means that the festivals for Samhain begin on at sundown on the 30th and extend to sundown on the day of the 31st. The second "night" begins on the 31st and extends until sundown of the 1st (Halloween AND All Hallows "day"). The third "night" begins on the 1st and extends until sundown of the 2nd (All Souls "day"). 17 December * First day of the Roman Saturnalia. Saturnalia was a Roman festival beginning on Dec. 17 and was typified by drinking, gift giving, and licentious behavior likely to bring about reactions like those written below (see Jan 1) 22 December "Yule"; "Alban Arthan"; "Mid-Winter"; "Modranicht 'Mother Night'"; "Mean Geimredh"; "Yuletide";"Winter Solstice" * According to some folkorists, this, not Samhain, is the night of merrymaking to ward off the ghosts that have grown stronger as the year has progressed. On the longest night of the year, the darkness is filled with ghosts and ogres and satyrs. * For many people we see these as ghosts and ogres as psychological phenomema, the fears and depression that haunt many of us around this darkest time of the year. For these, the celebration is less one of rejoicing, but of survival, denying the darkness of the longest night of the year until it finally passes. * In some neo-Pagan beliefs the solstice represents the birth of the Sun King, while to others, the rebirth of the human spirit and the warmth of the divine in everyone (Particularly against the darkest days of Winter). Birth of The Son, the Great Youth, the Young Angus, as well as the Birth of the Bright One, Lugh -- And in that birth, we are reborn in the frozen depths of winter's despair and we can once more see the world as through the eyes of a child. * Some sources say that this is the night that the Goddess awakens from her rest to discover that she is pregnant with the Sun God. * Many sources assert many things about the custom of the Yule Log, and these will all be related here. I am unsatisfied with most of them. For the record, there is something refered to as a "Jule Leg" in Norse, referring to some form of Christmas game, although it seems a "leg" is a burial place, or grave. * Basically, the Yule Log is a single log that is large enough to burn for at least 12 hours, to light and warm the home during the long dark night. Some people use a smaller, more symbolic log, or even a candle. * Some people belief that the log should be of a specific wood (e.g. Oak, Ash). * Some feel that the remnants of the previous year's log should be used to light the log. * Some feel that the log should be charged in a Circle, and kept in a sacred space for the entire year from the preceeding Yule. * Some wish on the log, or the fire. * The fire might be used for pyromancy. * The log is the Sacred Fire, the Light of the World, the Spark of Hope in the Long Dark Night of the Soul. * Beginning of the reign of the Oak King (Rebirth, Life, and the waxing Sun), who has defeated the Holly King, (death, darkness and the waning Sun), who has ruled either since Samhain or Midsummer. * For some people, this is a celebration of the Horned God Cerrunos, and the Goddess Bridget. * t this point, most house work, such as spinning, and farm work stops for the next two weeks. * This has historically been a festival typified by drinking, gift giving, and licentious behavior; Dressing up like a stag, bull, or other wild animal and so forth. * Some neoPagans have Yule trees or decorate their homes with pine branches, or sprigs of holly, ivy and mistletoe (symbolizing fertility and everlasting life by their evergreen nature). * Some people even seem to have a "Father Winter", or a secular Santa Claus, bearing gifts. Gift exchange is also a common theme, as well as feasting and family. 25 December (Christmas) 26 December (Boxing Day) * The first weekday after Christmas, during which postmen, errand runners and servants might expect to receive gifts. * A saturnaliac hold-over in which the Lords are Servants, the Servants are Master, and the Lord of Misrule governs. * Chasing a wren, or some other small creature to prophesy the duration of the remainder of the winter. 1 January (New Years) * (Malleus Mailificarum, page 116) "...And now bad Christians imitate these corruptions, turning them to lasciviousness when they run about at the time of Carnival* with masks and jests and other superstitions. Similarly witches use these revelries of the devil for their own advantage, and work their spells about the time of the New Year in respect of the Divine Offices and Worship; as on S. Andrew's Day and at Christmas. "Carnival." These Pagan practices are sternely reprobated in the "Liber Poenitentialis" of S. Theodore, seventh Archbishop of Canterbury. In Book XXXVII is written: "If anyone at the Kalends of January goeth about as a stag of a bull-calf, that is, making himself into a wild animal, and dressing in the skins of a herd animal, and putting on the heads of beasts; those who in such wise transform themselves into the appearance of a wild animal, let them do penance for three years, because this is devilish." ...The Council of Auxerre in 578 (or 585) forbade anyone "to masquerade as a bull-calf or a stag on the first of January or to distribute devilish charms." 5 January ("Old Christmas Eve") * According to the Old Calender. 6 January (Feast of the Epiphany; Twelfth Night; Old Christmas Day) * Twelfthday" is the twelfth day of Christmas, the Recognition of Jesus by the Three Kings. In the Middle Ages it was celebrated by a major religious service sometimes marked by suspending a large "Star of Bethlehem" from the Rood Loft or "in the Body of the Church". This service was followed by much celebration, masques, revelry and gift giving. It was the last of the merry-making before the beginning of the preparation for the plowing. Some of the revelry included a "Bean King", "Christmas King" or "Lord of Misrule", determined by a bean or coin in a cake. There is some thought that this all was a holdover from the ancient Roman celebration of "Saturnalia", but that's somewhat debatable. Twelfthnight * "Wassailing." A time to sing songs, praise others, and to bless the trees to insure a good crop, either by placing a piece of toast in the limbs "for the robins", or pouring cider (or Wassail) around the roots (as an offering to the spirit of the tree). This ritual seems to occur either occurs here, Christmas Eve, New Years or on "Old Twelfth Night" (see 18 Jan). 'Wassail' and the 'wassail bowl' are the modern spelling of the Middle English 'waes hael' ("to be of good health"), and thence from the Old English 'wes hal' and the Old Norse 'Ves Heill'. The term refers to the spiced drink (often used for Christmas drinks as well), a salutation (often replied to with 'drinkhail'), carolling and singing. 7 January * This is the ritual time to return to spinning after Epiphany (and perhaps other wheel turning crafts). 8 January (St. Julien's Day - Patron of Troubles and Innkeepers) * Blessing of the Ploughs. 18 January ("Old Twelfth Night") * According to the Old Calender. * "Wassail" (see 6 Jan) may occur here instead,