"On the first day of winter,
the earth awakens to the cold touch of itself.
Snow knows no other recourse except
this falling, this sudden letting go
over the small gnomed bushes, all the emptying trees.
Snow puts beauty back into the withered and malnourished,
into the death-wish of nature and the deliberate way
winter insists on nothing less than deference.
waiting all its life, snow says, "Let me cover you."
- Laura Lush, The First Day of Winter
Today is a cold, dry, winter day. Our first cold of the winter. I have put up the tree, with our two year old
great granddaughter, Averee. It carries
symbolism of my way of life.
I have, for many years, when we celebrated
Christmas at home, had birds, holly, snow, nests, feathers, on our Christmas
tree. The joy in celebrating and gatherings are
ancient. The coming solstice is a time
of rejoicing because it meant the darkest night and the coming of more light. Many of the old symbols and traditions still
hold because the early people were forced to hide their beliefs in
incorporating ways to have them fit into the new beliefs. It was a trick that still holds true today.
Once the celebrations were Roman in that
the festival of Saturnia was held to honor the Roman God Saturn ( Dec 17 - 24).
Santa Claus, himself is representative
of the God Odin. It was a gathering and
feasting time. The Aerra Geola moon
begins to grow fuller as the Yule begins towards the end of November and
usually is celebrated for two moon months.
I put up the symbol of Holly to
celebrate this. It is a roman symbolism
the masculine (the God Odin) of this season. It was usually placed outside the
door, on windows and hearths. The
prickly leaves were symbolism of warding off anything negative coming into the
house. The berries represent hope for
the future.
Mistletoe is the feminine symbolism used
by Druids in special winter ceremonies.
The green elves symbolize the fertility of the feminine, Mother Goddess.
The mistletoe grows on the Oak trees and the leaves were gathered by maidens
who used golden scythes to cut the branches where the mistletoe was. It was believed that the women must catch the
mistletoe in order to have a fertile upcoming year. If the branches fell to the ground it was
thought that the fertility would fall to the ground and the sacred energy would
not be caught by the people. The sprigs were distributed amongst the townsfolk
and were hung over doorways to protect against the negatives of Mother
Nature. It could also be worn by newly
joined couples, as amulets, for the chance of being fertile. It was also put
above the headboards of their bed.
Decorating with things of the natural
world honored Mother Nature..feathers, pinecones, acorns, etc. Wreaths were begun with the Romans in pagan
times. They represent the wheel of the
year and were hung throughout the home.
They were also given as gifts of goodwill and friendship. The Christmas tree and boughs symbolize that
which does not die (eternal life), since the evergreen does not lose its green
and look dead like other trees. The
popcorn strands were to encourage and gift winter birds.
Wassail means 'good health', and was a
strong ale of honey, spices, apple cider, etc.
Soaking a Christmas cake in liquor is also representative of this.
Decorating in green and red represent
pagan colors of fertility where red represents Odin, white represents new
beginnings and hope and new light coming.
Gold represents the Roman Sun.
As well, the Christmas balls are
representative of the sun and stars in the heaven. It is also an ancient symbol of fertility (eggs). It is
to note that the stars are early symbols of the pentacle.
Christmas Carols is also an ancient
tradition of honoring winter. Children
would sing from house to house and be given tokens and sweets and little gifts
to show willingness to share in prosperity at whatever level they could.
The lights of Christmas began with
bonfires and candles being lit and kept lit for the darkest days. It represents the light within the homes,
warmth and the warding off of darkness. The
lights were seen as a way to beckon more light.
Bells became in ancient time because
they were used to ward off evil in the darkest of days. Bells were rung in early morning to chase
away the darkness and encourage the sun to shine during the day.
Even elves were part of the ancient
times in that it was thought little people helped to encourage the sun to come
and get the earth warm.
Gingerbread was actually a bread served in
the times of the crusades during the darkest coldest part of their
crusades. It was only allowed at this
season in the 11th century, but was originally made in the coldest months
because ginger was a medicine to ward off winter sicknesses.
The giveaway was also celebrated in
ancient cultures as people would go through their belongings and find things
that they no longer used or needed and it was handed out to the community to
those who needed more. It is also why we
do pre-Christmas house cleaning. It is
symbolic of getting rid of negative energy that has accumulated.
This time was seen, by the ancients, as
a time for quiet work within the house and buildings. It is a time for reflection and remembering
of good memories so they might start the new year with good thoughts, having
cast off negative ones.
I honor the goddess of this moon, the Maiden,
the Mother, the Crone. I become all
nurturing and desire gathering. Our
world has so changed and there is little time to evoke the memories of harder
times than we have ever had. And, so, my
tree is up, decorations starting, and I am well into preparing baking and gifts
and gatherings. I hope this helps you take a few moments to remember our
ancestors and how they still influence our holidays.
©Carol Desjarlais 11.29.19
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