scandinavian winter solstice traditions

Solstice and Equinox Traditions Midsummer The growing and harvesting of crop s, management of domestic animal s, and the ability to hunt wild game … 8 Pagan Holidays ExplainedYule: Winter Solstice (Dec 20–23)Imbolc: The Promise of Spring (Feb. 2)Ostara: Spring Equinox (March 19–22)Beltane: Festival of Fire; Mayday (May 1)Litha: Summer Solstice (June 19–23)Lughnasadh: First Harvest (August 1)Mabon: Autumn Equinox (Sept. 21–24)Samhain: Halloween; Witches' New Year (Oct. 31/Nov. 1) Winter Solstice Pagan winter solstice traditions of Yule are decorating the Yule tree, burning the Yule log, exchanging of presents, kissing under the mistletoe, or caroling. Sharing food, an important part of any celebration, is particularly meaningful during the solstice, as it represents faith in the return of the sun and the harvest. St. Lucia’s Day. The pagan Scandinavian and Germanic people of northern Europe celebrated a twelve-day "midwinter" (winter solstice) holiday called Yule (also called Jul, Julblot, jólablót, midvinterblot, julofferfest). Celebrating Winter Solstice. Some believe that celebrating the birth of the “true light of the world” was set in synchronization with the The Lucia procession and other Scandinavian Christmas traditions will be the focus of the annual Scandinavian Christmas Fair on December 4th, at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. While the modern Scandinavian holiday marking the … The winter solstice celebrations at Newgrange in Ireland are among the most difficult to attend in the world. Winter Solstice 2020: Traditions, History & Cultural ... The oldest evidence we have for a possible Scandinavian yuletide feast, was described by the 6th century Byzantine chronicler Procopius, who mentioned that the inhabitants of Scandinavia (called “Thule”) celebrated a feast for the returning sun, some time after the winter solstice (Nordberg 2006: 156).The earliest Old Norse … The Celtic winter solstice was later mixed with the Roman tradition of Saturnalia, the Scandinavian Yule tradition and Christian Christmas. Let’s start with my personal favorite, the Yuletide, of the Germanic/Scandinavian Tribes. Most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed over the winter, making the solstice almost the only time of year that fresh meat was readily available. It heralds the beginning of longer days, after the shortest and darkest days of the season. Winter Solstice or December Solsticemostly happens on December 21 or 22. Winter Solstice Traditions. The ritual was observed in the 6th century by the Byzantine chronicler Procopius, who … The pagan Scandinavian and Germanic people of northern Europe celebrated a twelve-day "midwinter" (winter solstice) holiday called Yule (also called Jul, Julblot, jólablót, midvinterblot, julofferfest). The ancient Norse used the Yule log in their celebration of the return of the sun at winter solstice. It has been celebrated in just about every culture around the globe for thousands of years. The Solstice and Other Winter Holidays Yule-Wiccan Traditions. The Winter Solstice, aka the longest night and shortest day of the year, is one of the world’s most ancient holidays. For many of us, it will be a dark and cold day of the year. Unlike Europeans, the Chinese didn’t change their winter holiday traditions much – the festival’s history can be traced to the Han Dynasty (206 BC -220 AD). The actual date of the winter solstice differs from year to year, and can occur any day between December 20 and December 23, though it mostly falls on 21st or 22nd of December. Dong Zhi is the time when families gather together to feast. Nowadays, when we hear about the Yule log, most people think of a deliciously rich chocolate dessert. Here are some winter solstice celebrations from around the world and the history behind them. Yule, or the winter solstice, is recognized as one of these Sabbats. These were called minni. What I describe below is most characteristic of the small Baltic country of Latvia but many of these traditions are shared by its Baltic and Scandinavian neighbors. The winter solstice will occur on December 21st, 2020. The Scandinavian Santa Lucia Celebrations Explained ... pre-Christian traditions and rituals were ‘tagged on’ to new religious ones. Yule Lads. According to the old Julian calendar, December 13, the date traditionally given for St. Lucia’s martyrdom, was also the longest night of the year. Germanic/Scandinavian Winter Solstice. In modern times Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day, which falls on December 25. The ancient Germanic/Norse year was divided into two seasons: Summer and Winter. St. Lucia’s Day St. Lucia’s Day is a Scandinavian festival celebrated in Sweden, Norway and in some parts of Finland. Hǫkunótt - a Norse pagan Yule feast. Between these two festivals was the festival of Midsummer (Lithasblot) at the Summer Solstice, and the festival … Modern Solstice Traditions Around the World. That same log is then burned for 12 continuous days. In Scandinavia, fires symbolize the heat, light and life-giving properties of the Sun, with a Yule log burned on the hearth in honor of the Scandinavian god, Thor. For the ancient Scandinavians, the beginning of the end of winter was a very important reason for celebration. For people throughout the ages–from the ancient Egyptians and Celts to the Hopi–midwinter has been a significant time of ritual, reflection, and renewal. And it’s a great excuse to throw a party. The first toast was to be drunk to Odin "for victory and power to the king", the second to the gods Njörðr and Freyr "for good harvests and for peace", and third, a beaker was to be drunk to the king himself. Other Winter Solstice Traditions. So for Sweden I would say St Lucy's Day. Julbord. In old Europe, it was known as Yule, from the Norse, Jul, meaning wheel. Celebrations of the winter solstice didn't end in ancient Rome or Norway. ️ ⛄ Thank you Cary! Although not exactly taking place on the Solstice, it is connected to that historically I think. Another winter solstice celebration with close ties to Christmas is Yule, a midwinter holiday that was celebrated throughout Northern Europe by Norse and Germanic peoples. According to the Chinese, Yang symbolizes the positive, and Yin is negative. Winter Solstice is still celebrated there a few days before Christmas, and anyone can buy tickets to experience the sunrise and Druid and Pagan traditions. Modern traditions sees families embracing a variety of dishes; whether traditional Christmas fare, to families of different ethnicities sharing dishes from all over the world. Mistletoe The winter solstice is one of the oldest pagan holidays celebrated by people all around the world. Yule (modern Jul in Scandinavia) is said to have begun as a sun celebration, complete with feasts and parties. Pre-Christian, winter solstice celebrations of feasting and beer drinking. There is actually one source that describes this pagan winter solstice ritual before Christianity got its grips on the Scandinavians. This took place each year arou… For the ancient Scandinavians, the beginning of the end of winter was a very important reason for celebration. One of those traditional winter solstice celebrations was the Yule Goat. In Wicca … This is an interesting one since 12 days of Christmas is a tradition far more popular in the United States than it is in Scandinavia. Nevertheless, the 12 days of Christmas originates from the 12-day long midwinter feast celebrated by the Vikings every winter solstice (the shortest day and longest night of the year).
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