At long last we’ve entered into the dark time of the year, which marks both the end of an old year and the beginning of the new. This time is of special significant to many cultures and religions. Notably Christians celebrate the birth of their savior while many traditional religions mark the darkest night of the year—the Winter Solstice—as a special holy night just a few days earlier. Additionally, for many the New Year’s itself, as marked by the Gregorian calendar, is an incredibly important day in its own right.
We hope you have exited 2017 happier and healthier than you began it. Either way, we wish you a very merry 2018. As always, we’ve gathered some reading to keep you occupied ;-) . Happy holidays!
--Aryós Héngwis
Yuletide / Winter Solstice / Christmas Posts:
- Jennifer Miller. “Being True to Myself at Yule”
- Nimue Brown. “Celebrating the Mistletoe”
- Catharine Clarenbach. “Celebrate Solstice with Me”
- Mark Green. “Courage”
- Francesca de Grandis. “Creating a Yule Morning Tradition for Children”
- Rachel Patterson. “Frankincense & Myrrh”
- Tasha Halpert. “The Gift of Giving”
- Aquarian Tabernacle Church. “Happy Yule from the Holly King”
- Tasha Halpert. “Holiday Goodies for Home or Potluck”
- Rachel Patterson. “Holly & Ivy”
- Erin Lale. “How Do I Celebrate Yule?”
- Steven Posch. “In Search of the Tusked God”
- Colleen DuVall. “A Liberal Dose of Yuletide Spirit”
- Mark Green. “Love”
- Tasha Halpert. “Love for Giving”
- Rachel Patterson. “The Magic of Mistletoe & Pine”
- Kate Delaney. “Outdoor Ideas & Eight Great Reads for Yule”
- Sandra Kynes. “A Pagan Perspective on the Poinsettia”
- Mark Green. “Stillness”
- Steven Posch. “What Do You Call the Eve of Yule?”
- Steven Posch. “What Do You Say When They Wish You Merry Christmas?”
- Joanna van der Hoeven. “The Winter Solstice”
- Molly. “A Winter Solstice Blessing”
- We’Moon. “Winter Weavings”
- The Cunning Wife. “Yuletide Household Lore & Traditions”
- Shawn Sanford Beck. “Of Yule Trees and Straw Men”
New Year’s Posts:
- Mark Green. “5 Favorite Posts of 2017″
- Janet Boyer. “78 Tarot Tips for the New Year”
- We’Moon. “2018 La Luna!”
- Mark Green. “The Cauldron of Hope”
- Robin Fennelly. “Here’s to a New Year of Empowerment”
- Steven Posch. “The Horned One and His Ladee”
- Eileen Troemel. “Letting Go”
- Jennifer Miller. “Peas, Collards, and Prosperity Magic”
- Candise. “Priestessing My Marriage”
- Molly. “Special Year-End Meditation
- Tim Titus. “The Top 10 Pagan Quotes of 2017″
- Nicole Kapise-Perkins. “Unmoored”
- Diotima. “A Very Persistent Illusion”
- Karen Clark. “The Yes Magic of New Year’s Resolutions”
Birth Posts:
- Steven Posch. “Born, Born Upon This Morn”
- The Cunning Wife. “The Magic of Childbirth”
- Sara Mastros. “Tethys Speaks”
Darkness Posts:
- Steven Posch. “Dark Stranger”
- Steven Posch. “A Good Year for Trolls.”
- Bee Smith. “Hello, Darkness”
- Jude Lally. “The Night Mare of the Winter Solstice”
- Steven Posch. “No Night Could Be Darker Than This Night”
Light Posts:
- Judith Shaw. “The Cailleach, Dark Winter Goddess”
- Catharine Clarenbach. “A Light Shines in the Darkness”
- Bee Smith. “Lighting Winter Solstice Sympathetic Magic”
- Steven Posch. “The Other Side of Night”
- Genn John. “Yin/Yang Quartz Crystals”
Winter Posts:
- Steven Posch. “Jack Pumpkinhead Must Die”
- Erin Lale. “Slavic Pagan Holidays in Winter”
- Diotima. “Still, Still, Still”
- Dr. Mays. “Traditional Winter Storytelling”
- Suzanne Tidewater. “What Place of Joy”
- Steven Posch. “Winter Is Icumen In”
- Kate Laity. “Winter Crone”
- Danu Forest. “Winter Signs and Sainings”
- Molly. “A Winter Woman”
Cool Stuff We Found:
- 3 Ingredient Happy Hour Wassail
- 22 Celtic Winter Solstice Customs & Traditions
- Celebrating Kwanzaa
- Full Moon Fatigue
- Happy Winter Solstice
- Have A Very Buddhist Christmas
- A Holiday Reminder to Help Your Hosts with Domestic Labor
- Goddess of the Sacred Feminine
- The Medieval Origins of Christmas Traditions
- More People Are Celebrating Christmas without Religion
- New Year’s Animation
- Ojalá: A Costa Rican Sense of Luck
- Top Skywatching Events of 2018
- Why Do We Really Light Candles on Hanukkah?
- Yule Aesthetics
Top image by Robbie Shade