Winter

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Winter Solstice: December 20-23

Yule, Midwinter, Christmas and Winter Holiday.

Yule or Yule-tide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic peoples as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas.   The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar.   The festival was placed on December 25 when the Christian (Julian) calendar was adopted.   Some historians claim that the celebration is connected to the Wild Hunt or was influenced by Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival.   The term "Yule" is still used in the Nordic Countries and to a lesser extent in English speaking countries to refer to Christmas. Customs such as the Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, Yule singing, and others stem from Yule.   In modern times, Yule is observed as a cultural festival and also with religious rites by some Christians and by some Neopagans.   (editor's note: This is straight out of Wikipedia.   More original thoughts to come.)

Imbolc: February 2

Candlemas and Groundhog's Day.

In Irish, Imbolc derives from the Old Irish i mbolg , which means in the belly, referring to the pregnancy of ewes.   Another name is Oimelc, which means ewe's milk.   Though lambing can vary according to location, it was generally around this time which also marked the beginning of spring in some areas.   If not spring exactly, the people recognized that winter was at least waning, would start hoping for fertility and asking the god or goddess of choice for blessings.   In the land of the Celts, that goddess was Brigid who is associated with poetry, holy wells, springs of water, healing and childbirth as well as smithcraft and sacred flames.   When the Christians came they turned her into St. Brigid and in the modern Irish calendar, Imbolc is variously known as the Feast of Saint Brigid, and the first day of Spring.

One folk tradition that continues on St. Brigid's Day (or Imbolc) is that of the Brigid's Bed.   The girls and young, unmarried women of the household or village create a corn dolly to represent Brigid, called the Brideog (little Brigid or young Brigid), adorning it with ribbons and baubles like shells or stones.   They make a bed for the Brideog to lie in.   On St. Brigid's Eve the girls and young women gather together in one house to stay up all night with the Brideog, and are later visited by all the young men of the community who must ask permission to enter the home, and then treat them and the corn dolly with respect.

Brigid is said to walk the earth on Imbolc eve.   Before going to bed, each member of the household may leave a piece of clothing or strip of cloth outside for Brigid to bless.   The head of the household will smother the fire and rake the ashes smooth.   In the morning, they look for some kind of mark on the ashes, a sign that Brigid has passed that way in the night or morning.   The clothes or strips of cloth are brought inside, and believed to now have powers of healing and protection.

On the following day, the girls carry the Brideog through the village or neighborhood, from house to house, where this representation of the Saint/Goddess is welcomed with great honor.   Adult women stay home to welcome the Brigid procession, perhaps with an offering of coins or a snack.   Since Brigid represents the light half of the year, and the power that will bring people from the dark season of winter into spring, her presence is very important at this time of year.

In some places all the household candles were blessed.   In modern versions of this old celebration, many small candles are placed in trays around the room and briefly lit.   Later they are snuffed and used as votive candles or for meditation during the rest of the year.   Churches, too, bless their candles on this feast and reckon it was the day when the Virgin Mary was cleansed after the birh of Jesus, and took him to the Temple, where it was prophesied that he would be a "Light unto the world."   Thus in Christian places that do not honor St. Brigid the day is called Candlemas or "the feast of the Purification of the Virgin".

Imbolc is the day the Cailleach, the hag of Gaelic tradition, gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter.   Legend has it that if she intends to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny, so she can gather plenty of firewood.   Therefore, people are generally relieved if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, as it means the Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over.   This legend then became more politically correct to say that all hibernating animals, and in particular the badger in Europe and the groundhog here in United States, wake up on Imbolc to see if it is still winter.   If it is a sunny day the animals will see their shadows and go back to earth for forty more days.   If it is cloudy they will not be frightened by their shadows and will stay above ground for an early spring.   So here stateside we have this day marked on our calendars as Groundhog Day.

St. Blaise Day:   February 3

On each February 3 the blessing of St. Blaise is given: two candles are consecrated, generally by a prayer, these are then held in a crossed position by a priest over the heads of the faithful or the people are touched on the throat by them.   At the same time the following blessing is given: Per intercessionem S. Blasii liberet to Deus a malo gutteris et a qouvis alio malo. (May God at the intercession of St. Blaise preserve you from throat troubles and every other evil.)

Very few facts are known about Saint Blaise.   We believe he was a bishop of Sebastea in Armenia who was martyred under the reign of Licinius in the early fourth century.

The legend of his life that sprang up in the eighth century tell us that he was born in to a rich and noble family who raised him as a Christian.   After becoming a bishop, a new persecution of Christians began.   He received a message from God to go into the hills to escape persecution.   Men hunting in the mountains discovered a cave surrounded by wild animals who were sick .  Among them Blaise walked unafraid, curing them of their illnesses.   Recognizing Blaise as a bishop, they captured him to take him back for trial.   On the way back, he talked a wolf into releasing a pig that belonged to a poor woman.   When Blaise was sentenced to be starved to death, the woman, in gratitude, sneaked into the prison with food and candles.   Finally Blaise was killed by the governor.

Blaise is the patron saint of wild animals because of his care for them and of those with throat maladies.