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Yule Correspondences
(Ornate Pentacle Holiday Stocking by Jinx of Mtcoffinz Underground available on etsy.) Lesser Sabbat – Winter Solstice, circa Dec 21 Other Names: Jul (“wheel”, Old Norse), Saturnalia (Rome ~December 17 & 18), Yuletide (Teutonic), Midwinter, Fionn’s Day, Alban huan, Christmas (Christian~December 25), Xmas, Festival of Sol, Solar/Secular/Pagan New Year Animals/Mythical beings: yule goat (nordic), reindeer stag, squirrels, yule cat, Sacred White Buffalo, Kallikantzaroi-ugly chaos monsters(greek), trolls, phoenix, yule elf, jule gnome, squirrels, wren/robin Gemstones: cat’s eye, ruby, diamond, garnet, bloodstone Incense/Oils: bayberry, cedar, ginger, cinnamon, pine, rosemary, frankincense, myrrh, nutmeg, wintergreen, saffron Colors: gold, silver, red, green, white Tools,Symbols, & Decorations: bayberry candles, evergreens, holly, mistletoe, poinsettia,mistletoe, lights, gifts,…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: The Christmas Tree Straight away, I know many of you will be wondering why I’m bringing Christmas to the table, when most of us are looking forward to Yule or the Winter Solstice. Well, it’s because I absolutely adore the tradition of the Christmas tree. And, despite what many people think, it’s not an inherently Pagan symbol, although there are definite Pagan roots, pardon the pun. Christmas trees are so popular today that they are grown in all 50 American states, including even Hawaii, and most other places in the world. From candlelit trees in Germany in the 1800s to fiber optic light shows…
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Modern Yuletide Tales
**This is an excerpt from my first book, A Modern Celt: Seeking the Ancestors. The Winter Solstice has always been an incredibly magical time for me, despite not being (as far as we know) typically a Celtic festival. Here are some of my more mysterious experiences during the shortest day and longest night. My most precious memories of the winter solstice all seem to be of going to a specific lakeside on the longest night. I remember it always feels later in the day than it is, because despite it only being early evening it is already pitch black, and once you move away from the roads there…
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Pixie Witch Kitchen
Spicy Crispy Yule Stuffing This is my favorite stuffing recipe that my mom taught me to make years ago. It’s just something she did one day and it was amazing. I changed it up a bit to make it spicier but if you don’t like spicy foods just don’t add the pepper. Most stuffings are soft and soggy but this one is nice and crispy. My friends and family always ask me to make it during holiday dinners. So now its time to share it with you and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we do. Its also vegan friendly just change the butter into the cooking…
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Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times
Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times for December 2019 (Photo by Osman Rana on Unsplash) Bright Blessings! The Winter Holidays are upon us, and it seems there are as many different celebrations as there are different kinds of people circle in our Pagan Communities. No matter what you celebrate, though, it is undeniable that Christmas somehow influences you at this time of year. Whether you are like me and get sick to death of it all very quickly, and decry the fact it lasts so long, or you are somebody who enjoys it all, it is very much a part of our culture. One thing that strikes me is…
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This Month’s Freebie From Artist Chiara Torsi of PaperCatLab on Etsy
Yule Coloring Page From Artist Chiara Torsi of PaperCatLab on Etsy Download Your Free Coloring Page PDF Here: yule free coloring page Chiara Torsi is an italian artist, writer, painter and illustrator. She had the chance to grow up in an artsy family because her father is Maestro Luciano Torsi, a professional painter. She is a doctor in experimental psychology. In April 2017 published an essay book (currently on sale) about artificial intelligence and affective computing (“Emozioni umane e Affective Computing“) but she never stop making art. In the middle of a bad time of her life, she felt the need to share her art with…