Blessed Yule to One and All

Blessed Yule to all of my readers and their families. May the light of the full moon shine upon you and bring you the forgiveness and love of the season. 

I shared my family's two Yule trees with you at the end of November but I have not shared my favorite decoration in the house.  My Yule altar.  

Yes, it's a fireplace.  The mantel, however, acts as my altar.  As I do currently live with my parents, I have to tolerate their gas fireplace.  My new house has a wood-burning fireplace.  I won't be able to perform my ritual until my parents fall asleep.  Despite being "out of the broom closet" with my mother, my father isn't too keen on my partaking in the craft.  It will be brief and quiet and will most likely end outside under the light of the full moon.  I hope to get some great pictures to post on the blog either tonight or tomorrow.

I've always felt that the winter months brought a time of deep reflection and forgiveness, especially since most of our time is spent indoors, sheltered from the cold.  The fireplace/altar in my parent's home is a place where my family gathers together.  It is a place where we can sit and read or watch television together.  We may not utter a word to one another, but our physical being of sitting together brings us closer.  It's especially a place that I can feel some closeness with my father as he and I, although both very alike, constantly butt heads.  We're both very stubborn individuals and we are both strong in our beliefs.  Neither of us can agree to disagree.  However, in front of the fire, we can be at peace. 

 I hope wherever your place of comfort is in your home, you can find some peace, forgiveness, and relaxation.   Enjoy the light of the full moon and embrace this rare occasion.  Use her light to wash yourself of the negative energy in your life.  I know I need to.

Blessed Yule.  Blessed Solstice.  Blessed be.

Meowy Yule

He looks so pleased with his Mommy for doing this to him.  Say, "Merry Yule," Frankie! MEOW! (help me!)

Yule is almost here . . .

So, I've been a slacker with the blog.  Again.  Who knew buying a house would take away all my time?  I've been trying to put together so ideas before Yule on Tuesday.  I've been ripping apart the house for my favorite Winter desert: Red Velvet cake.  Guess what?  I own 20+ cookbooks and not one of them has a recipe for Red Velvet Cake in it!  The one I used to use was from a Southern Living December issue a couple of years ago (my mother keeps them all).  Now, it's missing in action.  I think the fae took it.  They always do this!

The picture is from another issue of Southern Living, but it isn't the same recipe.  This one is much too dense.  If only I could find it!

Second Yule Tree

This one is my favorite, mainly because of the 5-pointed star on top.  It will most likely follow me to my new house and I'll be purchasing a pre-lit one for my mom to replace this one.  The fake tree branches cut apart my mother's hands so a pre-lit one will help prevent some of the pain.  I'll probably come over and help her spread the branches so all she'll have to do is decorate it.

Normally we have three trees in my parent's house but this year we'll be sticking with two.  Basically no one wanted to go fish the third out of the storage container.  Oh well!

Yule is coming!  I can't wait!  Now if only it would snow . . .

The Yule Tree

Bringing Nature inside our homes during the winter months reminds us that although the outer world is bleary and sleeping, our Mother is still alive underneath.  There is no bigger representation of the rebirth of light during the Winter Solstice than the Yule Tree.  It is the time of year when we say good-bye to the Holly King and welcome the birth of the Oak King again. 

Every year, on the day after Thanksgiving, my family drags the holiday decorations out of the attic and starts putting them up.  However, for the past few years, the task of putting up our three trees (Christmas trees to them, Yule Tree to me), has fallen on my shoulders.  I'm not sure why it's happened but it seems like I'm the only one that gets giddy with the merry feelings of the season.  I'd like to share with you some of items from my Grimore that I do during Yule besides putting up three trees.

Yule Ideas

• Keep a bowl of warm water with cranberries and orange zest on your hearth.  
• Keep Holly for the Goddess and Mistletoe for the God on your altar
• Meditate starting on the first of December, picturing the light coming back into our lives.  Using incense scented with bayberry, frankincense, myrrh or cinnamon always helps me focus.
• Share stories/myths about the Solstice with family and/or friends.
• Decorate your home with loved ones - don't be like me, doing it alone.

I'll post more Yule items throughout the month.  I was thinking of doing a monthly series on it.  What do you think?