Yule Activities (Patreon)

Not sure what you want to do to celebrate the Winter Solstice? You can perform a solitary ritual, a group ritual or do some general activities, even with kids! Here’s a list below of some ideas for you if you’re feeling stuck!

General Activities

- Sing pagan solstice carols

- Ring bells to greet the Solstice Morning

- String popcorn and cranberries and hang them on an outdoor tree for the birds.

- Donate food and clothing to others.

- Decorate the Solstice, or Yule, Tree.

- Perform magic for a peaceful planet

- Hang little bells on the Yule Tree to call the spirits and fairies.

- Gather up the Yule greens after Twelfth Night and save. At Imbolc, burn the greens to banish winter and usher in spring.

- Glue the caps onto acorns and attach red string to hang on the Yule Tree.

- Decorate an oak Yule Log with ribbons, fir, yew, ivy, birch and holly.

Solitary & Group Activities

- Private Meditation on Traditional associtations of Yule. (ex. Birth, Rebirth and the Return of the Sun)

- Private ritual Volunteer at a Homeless Shelter or Soup Kitchen.

- Have a "Yule" Party and exchange gifts with people in your group.

- Hold a Group Ritual or if your are active in the community host an Open Sabbat celebration.

- Donate things to Homeless shelters or Battered Women's shelters. Give to people who would otherwise have nothing in this season of giving.

- Volunteer at an Animal Shelter.

Activities for Kids!

- Light Candles

- Read stories with a Christmas/Yule theme. Try Meagan and the Winter Solstice by Kat Dyer

- Talk about the history of Yule with your child(ren).

- Make DIY Yule ornaments (cinnamon sticks, salt dough ornaments, cinnamon spell ornaments, pine cones, witch balls, dried oranges and more!)

- Decorate Yule tree

- Create garland out of popcorn and cranberries to feed wild animals or decorate your home

- Bake Yule moon cookies and other recipes

- Let your child be your guide. Don't just start offering them a lot of information that they may or may not need to know. If they ask questions, give them simple, but honest answers.

EXPLANATION & INFORMATION

Look for these illustrated books at your local library to teach your children about the Winter Solstice and some general traditions associated with it in various cultures:

•The Shortest Day by Wendy Pfeffer (for ages 4-8)

•We Celebrate Winter by Bobbie Kalman.

STORIES

•Grandmother Winter by Phyllis Root (for ages 4-8) Impressive scratchboard-and-watercolor illustrations highlight a fanciful tale regarding the origin of snow, based on Mother Holle from German folklore.

•Jan Brett’s Snowy Treasury, and Trouble with Trolls; Jan Brett’s signature artwork is full of intricate details that showcase Norse life and art. (ages 3 and up)

•The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren (for ages 4-8)

For stories aligned with the 12 Nights of Yule theme:

From D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths by Ingri & Edgar Parin d’Aulaire (for ages 5 and up), read:

•“Frigg and the Goddesses” for Modranecht,

•“Odin’s Eight-legged Steed” for the 2nd night of Yule,

•Stories about Thor and Frey for the 3rd night,

•“Njord, Frey and Freya” for the 4th night,

•“The Creation of Man” for the 5th night,

•stories about Thor for the 7th night,

•“Skade, the Ski-goddess” for the 8th night,

•“Odin, the All-father” for the 9th night,

•“The Creation of Man” for the 10th night (Ancestor theme),

•“The Valkyries and Valhalla” for the 11th night, and

•“The Creation of the World” for the 12th night of Yule.

*Equivalent stories may also be found in Gods and Heroes from Viking Mythology by Brian Branston, which has a more Pagan-friendly tone and ending.

Sources:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/tressabelle.wordpress.com/2012/12/09/kids-activities-for-yule/amp/

https://www.angelfire.com/wa3/angelline/yule_activities.htm

https://pixabay.com/photos/cinnamon-stars-cinnamon-sticks-2991174/