Other names for this holiday include Winter Solstice, Midwinter, Yuletide, or Alban Arthan.

On or around December 21st

"In the midst of darkness, light is reborn."

Yule is the time when the dark half of the year finally begins to reliquish itself back to the light. Also known as the Winter Solstice, it is the day with the least amount of daylight throughout the entire year, and subsequently, the longest night as well. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. As such, Yule is the celebration of the return of the sun.

As such it represents the return of the sun to the world of man. For without the return of the sun, the earth would remain frozen and void, all life dying upon it's fridged surface. Therefore, the celebration surrounding the Winter Solstice signifies the return of light and life to the world. The sun's return means that spring is on its way,and with it, the birth of new animals and the softening of the soil to soon be tilled.

An ancient Yule tradition is the burning of the Yule log. The burning of the Yule Log on the eve of the Winter Solstice is a symbolic of usher the sun's warmth once more back into our lives. The sun's return means that spring is on its way, and with it, the birth of new animals and the softening of the soil to soon be tilled.

Traditionally, the Yule Log (often of ash or oak) was lighted on the eve of the solstice and must be kept burning for twelve hours, for good luck. It provided warmth and light, and in the hearts of those celebrating the Solstice, encouraged the return of those attributes to a world sore pressed by cold and dark.

In present times, instead of being burned, the Yule log is instead often decorated with three candles and with holly and mistletoe. It is kept in a place of honor in the home for several days prior to Yule. On Yule Eve it is lighted in order to encourage the light and warmth of the sun to return us once more. The holly and mistletoe are both strong fertility symbols.

The Yule log in some homes is replaced, or accompanied by, a Yule tree but, instead of burning it, burning candles were placed on it. Some pagan families feel bringing a live tree into the home gives the wood spirits a place to keep warm during the cold winter months. Bells are often hung in the limbs so children can tell when a spirit is present. Food and treats might also be hung on the branches for the spirits to eat and a five-pointed star, a symbol of the five elements, placed atop the tree.

Yule is a time of awakening to new goals and leaving old regrets behind. It is a time to show appreciation to friends and loved ones, often symbolically done by the giving of heartfelt gifts.

Some celebration ideas for Yule include:

• Decorate a tree inside or outside your home with festive baubles, treats and lights.
• String popcorn and cranberries for your tree for the spirits, or hang the strings in your outdoor bushes as a treat for the birds and squirrels.
• Bring as much greenery (holly, mistletoe, evergreens) into your home as you can to remind yourself that life goes on even in the darkest of times.
• On solstice night, after making sure you have a candle and matches handy, turn out all the lights in your home. After dwelling on the dark for a few moments, light the candle and welcome the light back into the world. If you wish, gather together a number of candles beforehand and light them all from the central candle (which should be gold or yellow). Then go through your house turning on every light.
• Place light in another's life by spending some time helping out someone who is less fortunate than yourself. Perhaps volunteer at a local shelter or hospice.
• Decorate a Yule log and burn it in your hearth on the night of the solstice or the morning after.