Is anyone celebrating the traditional festival of Yule this Christmas?
Sorry for the euphemism, Christmas is the Pagan festival of Yule!
Santa Claus is obviously the Green Man of the woods, sent as a spirit of plenty at this time of good cheer. This is when Mabon, the New Sun is born, the original Christ Spirit. I'm not trying to upset Christians, but Christmas is as old as the sun, millennia before the New Testament was agreed on people gathered to celebrate the birth of a new ecliptic for the Earth.
This is all new to me so I looked it up at wikipedia.
QUOTE |
Yule is a winter festival commonly identified with Christmas in modern times,[1] but which originated as a pre-Christian pagan festival celebrated by the Germanic peoples from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar.[2] When the Julian calendar was adopted in northern Europe, Yule was placed on December 25, the date of the Roman winter solstice, Bruma,[3] so as to correspond with the Christian Natalis Domini celebrations,[4] later known in English as "Christmas". It is nowadays a religious festival celebrated by many Neopagans. The word "Yule" comes from the same root as the word "jolly[citation needed]." Modern Yule traditions include decorating a fir or spruce tree, burning a Yule log, hanging mistletoe and holly branches, giving gifts, and general celebration and merriment. |
Sorry I still stick to the birth thing. I know that this date was chosen and the true birth date is unknown for Christ. I also believe it was chosen because of the other celebrations to give a counter stance for Christians on this day. It matters little if it is the actual date Christ was born as for the christian community it should be about remembrance.
For the rest Happy Yule!
It's not just Yule that influenced the celebrations of Christmas. Celebrations were common around the Winter Solstice by just about every culture as the sun waned, then seemed to stand still, and then be "reborn" becoming "stronger" every day heralding the coming of warmer times and the growing seasons.
Saturnalia was a Roman Festival that the current season owes much of its merrymaking to. Source 4
The Celtic Peoples celebrated the Winter Solstice, evident in the orientation of Newgrange. Source 3 . It is often referred to as Alban Arthan Source 8
There's even direct evidence that some of the Native Americans of the Southwest held a regard for the Winter Solstice. Navajo and Hopi Hogans (traditional eight sided structures) would have their doors oriented to the rising of the sun at Winter Solstice.
The Mayan Calendar is said to end on 12/21/2012, the Winter Solstice.
As I said, Nadolig Llawen to you all.
As the Holly King sits on his throne may we share love and mince pies and remember those that have none.
A child is born every year, no matter their creed or colour.
Our inner child is what needs to be nurtured in festive celebration.
Its such a irony that Bethlehem is in a war zone, a focus for peace in a theatre of struggle.
I'll be honest, I really never think much in the actual child birth. I just look forward to some gifts and sharing time with friends. That may be the selfish and dark side of me, maybe one day I will get a visit from the ghosts of Christmases past.