Winter Solstice 2018

It's a celebration!

The 21st of December at 22:23 GMT (!!!) marks the year's shortest day and the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. This year there will also be a Full Cold Moon in Cancer on the 22nd. Some of you depending on location will also be blessed with Meteor Showers. It's going to be a cosmically packed weekend!

The word solstice is derived from the Latin words sol 'sun' and sistere 'to stand still'. There are two each year, winter and summer solstice occurring in the Southern and Northern hemispheres simultaneously. During the solstice the Sun reaches either its most northerly or southerly position before it stops and changes direction. The winter solstice marks when the sun reaches its most southerly point and darkness has reached its peak.

The winter solstice and the return of the Sun has marked a very significant and important time for many cultures for centuries.

Yule begins on the Winter Solstice until 1 January and is a time for families to gather and celebrate all that they are grateful for as they look towards and plan for the future.

At Yule it is customary to burn a Yule log, a piece of wood that would burn throughout the festive time. Yule wreaths are also part of the tradition of celebrations, these wreaths honour the Holly King and the evergreen plants that remind us that life still carries on throughout the cold and darkness. Hanging up your wreath is a reminder that from darkness springs life.

Some deities connected to Yule are the Goddesses Brighid, Isis, Demeter, Gaea, Diana The Great Mother and the Gods Horus, Ra, Apollo, Odin, Lugh, The Oak King, The Horned One, The Green Man and The Divine Child Mabon.

Yule is the time for spell work dealing with purification, peace, love and harmony.

An ancient ancient Roman festival known as Saturnalia was held to honour the god Saturn from 17 December for 7 days. It was a time of feasting, revelry and extreme indulgence. Saturnalia is considered to be what holiday of Christmas is derived and based on.

However you choose to celebrate, as we enter the darkest night I wish you all bliss, peace and love. Honour the darkness knowing that with it, comes light and new life.

Blessed Winter Solstice and Full Moon to you all! x

The Moon Goddesss