The festive energies are at their peak, as many vacation events and dinners are occurring. Properties, buildings, and avenue posts are flicking with festive lights as so many holidays are celebrated at the moment: Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, and Xmas. Xmas marks the Winter Solstice within the Northern Hemisphere (Litha, the Summer season Solstice within the Southern Hemisphere), which implies it’s the shortest day of the yr.

Xmas falls on December twenty first, which it usually does yearly, and it is without doubt one of the eight Sabbats that pagans rejoice. Let’s assessment the sentiment behind Xmas, in addition to frequent pagan traditions, after which do a collective Winter Solstice tarot studying.

Xmas Is About Rebirth And Renewal

Xmas is a competition of the solar, and it’s about rebirth and renewal, which is named Midwinter. Samhain marked the loss of life of the yr, and Xmas is when a brand new yr is born. Since this Sabbat celebrates the return of the solar that has been waning to the purpose it reaches its lowest level throughout the Winter Solstice, the solar slowly begins to wax every day after the solstice. Mild is a major ingredient on this Sabbat, so loads of lights are flickering at the moment of yr. It doesn’t matter whether or not they’re lighting from bonfires, vacation lights, candles, and so forth, however these all signify the solar’s rebirth.

Xmas gives the chance for you, whether or not you’re pagan or not, to replicate on the yr as you look ahead to the upcoming new yr. Whereas it is a time for reflection, Xmas is a time to spend time in nature (if the climate permits it) and to attach with your pals and family members. Earlier than reviewing the frequent Xmas traditions, let’s briefly assessment the historical past.

The Historical past of Xmas Celebrations

Europeans have celebrated the Winter Solstice for hundreds of years. While you have a look at conventional winter customs, you possibly can see the Norse and the Germanic pagans initially referred to as the competition Jol. The celebration was partly to arrange for the lengthy winter forward of them as locals and farmers would head over to the heathen temple to deliver meals, and so they did quite a lot of toasting to many gods, as Odin was the primary one.

They used evergreen timber to signify new life, adorned them with ornaments, began giving items, and did caroling. There may be hypothesis that Xmas has roots within the historic Roman week-long vacation, Saturnalia, which was celebrated across the time of the Winter Solstice and concerned having fun with feasts, giving items, and celebrating and honoring Saturn, which occurs to be the ruler of Capricorn. The season of Capricorn begins on the day of the Winter Solstice. The Celtic druids had their Xmas celebrations.

Mistletoe comes from oak timber and was a blessing throughout the Winter Solstice by Celtic druids. They believed that the solar stayed stationary for 12 days and lit logs, often called Xmas logs, to keep at bay evil and entice good luck. Wreaths made with oak or evergreen leaves have been additionally identified to signify life and to keep at bay evil.

Pagans and Wiccans at this time say that Xmas is a time when the darkish half of the yr, represented by Holly King, offers energy to the Oak King, that means the sunshine time of the yr. The Oak King is reborn throughout Xmas, develops, and turns into stronger throughout Imbolc and Ostara till it reaches its peak throughout Litha. Then, after that, the Oak King loses its energy because the Holly King begins to achieve energy throughout Mabon.

Though you already know that Xmas is a pagan celebration and one of many eight Sabbats, you possibly can see that Christmas decorations stemmed from Xmas decorations. Why is that?

How Does Xmas Relate To Christmas?

The Christmas tree, feasts, ornaments, wreaths, logs within the hearth, lights, and you’ll see how all of those from Xmas traditions are actually used for Christmas. When Christianity phased paganism out throughout the sixth and seventh centuries in Europe, Christmas celebrations included the pagan Xmas traditions.

That’s as a result of folks in European cities didn’t wish to sacrifice these Xmas traditions after they started to rejoice Christian holidays, so that’s the reason they have been integrated into them. It’s the similar for Easter concerning the rabbits and eggs, that are additionally Ostara Sabbat traditions celebrating the Vernal Equinox. Xmas traditions have stayed with Christian vacation traditions since then. Now, let’s go over how pagans rejoice Xmas and how one can, too, even in case you are not pagan however wish to get into the Midwinter spirit.

How To Have fun Xmas

Xmas is the start of a brand new yr, and that is the time for reflection and launch; it’s a nice Sabbat to create plans and do some goal-setting. You don’t must be pagan to replicate and launch what’s not good for you and to do some planning for the upcoming yr.

What you possibly can at all times do is make an evergreen wreath utilizing pine, ivy, mistletoe, and yew, which represents prosperity and life. You too can create a solstice bush by placing these vegetation within the soil in a pot if that’s what you’d as an alternative do. Yew is a tree that represents rebirth, pine is therapeutic, mistletoe brings abundance, and ivy and holly maintain away negativity.

You too can mild a xmas log by taking an oak log and placing dried berries, pinecones, holly, cinnamon sticks, and mistletoe, and you’ll both put it in your hearth or create a bonfire. The aim is to launch something from the previous that not serves you that you do not need to hold into the brand new yr. It is also a solution to welcome the solar’s reappearance.

And don’t neglect about having a Xmas feast with mates, household, or anybody you select. You may get pleasure from any meals you want, and additionally, you will wish to do a wishing ritual. Take into consideration the objectives you wish to attain and the way you’ll go after them so you possibly can flip them into actuality. You may mild a candle and visualize these objectives manifesting.

Don’t neglect to declutter, as decluttering can also be a solution to take away what you not want, and additionally, you will wish to sage your house to take away any detrimental energies lurking among the many muddle.

In the event you don’t wish to create a wreath, get too artful, or mild logs on hearth, you possibly can at all times create a Xmas altar.

Creating A Xmas Altar

If you wish to create your altar for Xmas, you should utilize any small desk for it and set it in an space that you just think about sacred to meditate and do tarot readings for your self. The seasonal colours are purple, white, and inexperienced, so any material with these colours will do. Pink is about ardour and prosperity, white is purity, and inexperienced is fertility and prosperity, which you wish to deliver into the brand new yr. Subsequently, put white, purple, and inexperienced candles in your altar, as candles in gold and silver would work too to rejoice the solar’s return.

You too can add pine, holly, oak leaves, yew leaves, evergreen leaves, mistletoe on the altar, and birch branches. Subsequently, you’ll use these to maintain detrimental forces at bay and produce recent begins and prosperity. You too can dangle bells in your altar for a similar motive. You may add nuts resembling walnuts, hazelnuts, and pecans. The ornament of your altar is as much as you, however these are the colours and objects you’ll want to maintain for celebrating Xmas. And you’ll want to do a tarot studying on the altar. Let’s do a collective one and see what energies you’ll face this Xmas.

Xmas Tarot Studying for 2023

It would be best to do your Xmas tarot unfold to see what power to anticipate for the season. Nevertheless, I did a collective four-card Xmas unfold, as you possibly can lay them aside, with the primary card being on the left, resulting in the fourth card on the best. The primary card represents the forms of items Xmas is bringing to you. The second card represents your blessings to acknowledge, and the third signifies what it’s worthwhile to let go of to make room for what you want. The fourth card tells you what space in your life it’s worthwhile to concentrate on after the brand new yr because the solar begins to wax once more.

The playing cards I bought have been the primary card, the Knight of Wands; the second card, the Emperor; the third card, the Six of Swords; and the fourth card, Two of Pentacles. Let’s assessment what they imply for you.

Card One: Knight of Wands

The primary card represents the items the season brings you, and also you get the Knight of Wands. The Knight of Wands represents ardour, power, and motion. This card means that your wishes drive you and that you’re prepared for brand new challenges. It signifies that this season is bringing you pleasure and enthusiasm that you could have been lacking for a while, and the message from the Knight of Wands is so that you can pursue your objectives with confidence and dedication. You should utilize this reward to satisfy your objectives within the new yr. Let’s go over the subsequent card.

Card Two: Emperor

The second card encourages you to acknowledge your blessings and maintain them, and also you get the Emperor. The Emperor symbolizes authority, stability, and management. This card suggests that you’ve it in you to take management of your life and make rational selections. It represents a time of construction and group. The Emperor advises establishing a strong basis and taking accountability on your actions. Subsequently, keep in mind the instances up to now if you achieved one thing that took quite a lot of self-discipline and exhausting work. That may remind you that you are able to do it once more, particularly you probably have quite a lot of self-doubt clouding your imaginative and prescient. Your skill to remain disciplined to perform what you want is a blessing to acknowledge! Let’s go and have a look at the third card.

Card Three: Six of Swords

The third card represents what it’s worthwhile to let go of to make room for higher issues, and the Six of Swords comes up. The Six of Swords represents transition, shifting on, and discovering peace. This card suggests that you’re forsaking a difficult scenario or a troubled interval. It signifies a journey in direction of a calmer and extra secure future. The Six of Swords encourages you to embrace change and belief that higher instances are forward. Subsequently, this card is extremely becoming for this place as you possibly can go away behind what didn’t be just right for you over the previous yr so you possibly can work by way of the ache and disappointments to create some recent begins subsequent yr.

Card 4: Two of Pentacles

The fourth card tells you what space in your life it’s worthwhile to concentrate on after the brand new yr because the solar begins to wax once more and the Two of Pentacles comes up. The Two of Pentacles represents steadiness, adaptability, and juggling a number of duties. This card means that you have to prioritize what is important in your life as you handle numerous elements, resembling work, relationships, and funds within the new yr. There can be a necessity to seek out equilibrium and prioritize your duties successfully. The Two of Pentacles advises you to concentrate on being versatile and adaptable to deal with the challenges that come your manner.

General, this tarot unfold suggests Xmas offers you the reward of motion and fervour (Knight of Wands) whereas acknowledging which you could be good at sustaining stability and management (Emperor). It would be best to go away behind the problematic section and transfer in direction of a extra peaceable future (Six of Swords). Nevertheless, you could want to seek out steadiness and adaptableness in managing your duties (Two of Pentacles). Subsequently, the message from this Xmas unfold is to embrace change, take management of your life, and prioritize successfully to realize success and stability.

Xmas is a Sabbat that marks rebirth and renewal, as it’s also often called Midwinter, and it celebrates the emergence of the solar because it reaches its lowest level and the beginning of a brand new yr. It’s the time to replicate on the yr that has handed and set objectives for the upcoming yr. It’s a time to attach with mates and your family members so you possibly can all rejoice the Midwinter celebrations collectively.