I take an interest in many cultures mainly to examine their skills and customs, but not intrusively so. I believe “study” of our own ancient cultures is important before we disturb others’.
Unfortunately, in Britain, written legacy and customs from the prehistoric days are few and far between resulting in only the Roman’s relatively limited uncomplimentary accounts of our tribal activities.
Today is the Winter Solstice and we know that this was one of the most important days in the British prehistoric calendar. In fact it’s celebrated in many other cultures as well. In astronomical terms it means the Earth's tilt is farthest away from the sun; thereby making it the shortest day of the year.
It was extremely important for earlier Neolithic cultures to respect this time simply because it was so easy to starve during the winter months. The onset of longer and warmer days was surely something to be celebrated. Stonehenge is a testament to this celebration, and undoubtedly with great intention, the axis of Stonehenge is aligned to the Winter Solstice sunset.
Although we’re still not entirely sure what went on there we can presume a fair amount of animal sacrifices were carried out which may have served two purposes; firstly, to thank or appease the Gods, but more likely so that they didn’t have to feed the livestock and therefore save on food. It may also have been an appropriate time to replenish depleting food stocks with fresh meat.
In later Celtic terms the winter season began on 1st November on Hallows eve or Samhain and ends when spring begins on Imbolc or Candlemas, which is on 1st February. Therefore the Solstice can be considered mid-winter or Winter’s Day. Since the days become longer from this date, many cultures, including the Celts, recognised this as a time for rebirth.
This year (2010) an extra event took place (this morning) in the form of a full lunar eclipse. This occurs when the Earth is directly between the sun and moon. It’s a yearly event but only happens on the Winter Solstice every 450 years. The Earth's shadow prevents the moon from catching any of the sun's rays, and the moon glows red with only indirect sunlight, refracted off the Earth's edges. (I took this picture in 2007)
If you were up early to see this I hope you weren't disappointed. If you were up early to celebrate the solstice, I’m sorry to disappoint you but the true solstice takes place at 23:38 on 21st (tonight) according to precise astronomical data tracking. If you’re still up at that time, then join me outside for a wee toast to what may be the true New Year.
Yule is a more relatively modern term, possibly stemming from the Germanic peoples in the 4th Century, meaning a winter festival. This originally occurred during late December to early January.
Even though many Yule-tide customs appear to stem from the Old Norse/Scandinavian/German pagan, some were absorbed into Christian celebrations. Perhaps they were not seen so much as religious customs but traditional ones, which were required to be kept alive. Indeed today, we seem to have the remnants of many of these “seasonal” customs. Traditional customs involving plants like mistletoe, holly, ivy features quite prominently to this day.
Oaks were seen as sacred and the winter fruit of the mistletoe which grew on oaks was a symbol of male fertility and life in the dark winter months.
The tradition of bringing sprigs of Holly and Ivy into the home pays homage to the masculine and feminine elements. Both of these are said to be powerfully magical plants and are evergreen, a reminder in itself that the earth never dies, but merely sleeps during the winter months, (a tradition which was the precursor to our modern tradition of the evergreen Christmas tree). The male element is represented by the prickly holly; with its sexually potent red berries. The ivy is the female; entwining, gentle yet powerful.
Personally, I like the tradition of the Yule log. This custom may well have been brought from the earliest Celtic days when it was thought that the sun stood still for twelve days in the middle of winter. During this time a large log was dragged in to the hearth and lit to conquer the darkness, banish evil spirits and bring luck for the coming year. The Yule log also had many other connotations especially in rural England, and I’m sure you will realise that, as with most cultures, each region has a number of different interpretations.
Whatever your culture and belief; have a safe and happy holiday and all the best to your families and loved ones.
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