Every winter we all die in some way to be reborn in spring. This is the season where ancestors and death are the main protagonists and with them, the natural phenomena that accompany us on winter days. Of course, we find deities closely linked to winter, especially in animistic traditions, which still retain a link to the original emanation of the deity as a natural phenomenon. Here in Europe, we find them especially in the North, like Skadi, a goddess of the mountains, winter, and hunting, who skis from one side to the other looking for her prey that she hunts with her bow. Skadi is from the Jotunn family, she is the daughter of giants and represents the wild, fierce, indomitable, independent, and self-sufficient nature of the primitive hunting woman of the northern lands in all her power, she is a goddess who inspires respect but also strength. Another Norse deity that we could relate to winter is Hel, the daughter of Loki. According to the tales, Hel is from the realm of Niflheim, which is the realm of Ice and Snow, and of course, is also the realm of the dead. She is a bit like a Norse Proserpina/Persephone, and we can’t rule out that she is indeed the emanation of a southern deity up in the north. Nevertheless, she is a powerful chthonic goddess, queen of the cold lands.

It is interesting how we find more female deities linked to winter than male ones. In Greece, we find other winter goddesses: Desponie, a winter goddess of a mysterious nature, who was worshiped along with her mother Demeter, and her brothers, Persephone and Areion. Perhaps Hekate’s devotees will be familiar with the name of this Goddess since it is one of the titles that the goddess of crossroads bears. We also find the Goddess of Snow Khione, daughter of Boreas, the north wind that brought winter. Another winter goddess is the Chinese Goddess Tengliu, associated with snow and other winter elements,, in China, we also find the Great Winter God, with similar attributes to Tengliu. In Japan we find a spooky supernatural spirit named Yuki Onna, that relates to winter, she is sort of a winter demon or succubus, but she wouldn’t be the first Goddess to be devilished! She is said to be a very beautiful woman with snow-white skin and blue lips that persuades men to come with her to seduce them. In Hawaiian mythology, we find Goddess Poli’Hau, the sister of the better-known goddess Pele, who is sort of her rival. Poli’Hau literally creates with her mantle the layer of snow that covers the summit of Mauna Kea, hardening the lava that her angry sister Pele spits out. In Persia, we find another winter goddess, Nane Sarma, who would come to mean something like Grandma Frost, married to the New Year deity, whom she only sees one night a year. Another female winter deity is Marzzanna or Morana, an eastern Slavic deity who represents winter but also death, but it couldn’t be any other way. She is also associated with illness and disease, but that is also part of the winter season. In Slavic folklore, her death marks the end of the winter. Marzzanna, like Frau Holle or Perchta, shares a lot of attributes. I personally think the reason behind it is that they all kind of represent the same Goddess, but in different areas, as she Goddess crossed the European continent. I will go into that later on.

I have already mentioned some masculine winter deities but there are more, although I could openly say and not be too far from the truth that winter is mostly feminine. In Northern China, in the Baikal area, we find the sea of Ao Shun, the North Sea Dragon King, a God that has the power to control snow and ice as a winter God. We find in Japan a similar deity, Okami, a dragon Shinto deity of ice and snow. In Europe, we find different figures of Father Ice or Father Frost. These Winter Gods share very similar attributes. We find this figure in old folk tales and describe Father Ice as someone to respect and fear, as he can be lethal. Up north we find a sort of supernatural beings, the Jotnar. Giants from the cold icy lands of the Jotumheimr have a main role in the arrival of Ragnarok. Another supernatural Norse spirit that many people related to Snow is Ullr or Oller although it is not so clear that he is an actual God or that he is truly a winter god. He relates to hunting, skating, and skiing, yes, those are winter activities, but he also relates to battle and travel. He appears to be more relevant now to modern Norse pagans than he was in reality to the old Scandinavians.

My devotion during the winter months is focused on the ancestors and two goddesses, who could actually be the same, Baba Yaga and Cailleach. And yes, I call Baba Yaga a goddess because I believe that she has already spent too many years under the yoke and filters of religion and patriarchy. We have to start approaching her as what she is, the original Babushka, a Goddess that crossed Europe changing her name, evolving, a giant, icy, deadly witch goddess but also a creatrix goddess. Yes, she creates and modifies the landscape at will, but she is also a mother, and together with her husband, she has several children. I mentioned Father Frost earlier. Could he be Cailleach’s husband? Maybe… Cailleach’s children are like their mother, giants, probably related to the race of giants that also populates the north. There are folklore tales of fights between giants and how they threw rocks at each other, between Ireland and Scotland. I have the feeling that they traveled far, just as their mother. One of Cailleach’s names, Beira, we find in Iberia. Is a border region between present-day Spain and Portugal, in the Sierra de la Estrella, (Sierra of the Star). When you travel through that place in winter you understand why Beira, Cailleach, is blue, and why she might emanate from that place, from the snow, with her icy blue skin. Baba Yaga-Cailleach is the frozen mother of Europe. But I also read about a giant Goddess of the Appalachian and of course, European settlers arrived there with their folklore and spirits. Of course, there are more deities linked to winter but I think she is the great winter Goddess and I can’t hide the fact that I have a soft spot for the Winter Hag.

If you don’t know where to start with your winter devotional work, always start with the ancestors. You carry them in your blood, for this simple reason they are close to you. I would move on to honor local winter spirits, even the elements as such. The snow or ice around you and even the Fairies. I would actually leave offerings for the Fae or the Goblins, as a winter treat. Honour what surrounds you and of course respect your own season, giving yourself the space to become winter, to pause, to purify yourself with the snow… Winter is coming. 

Ness Bosch, La Huesera, is an Iberian Shamaness and Priestess. Independent Polytheist Celebrant, author and independent researcher, mother of 3, Ness lives in Scotland where she is a founding member and HP of the Goddess Community Scotland. Founder of The Path of the Bones and the Clan of the Bone Woman (La Huesera). She is the Head of the Covenant of the Waters and the Temple of Astarte. Before moving to Scotland, Ness was a Regional Coordinator for the Pagan Federation International in Spain.She is a Hierophant Priestess, Dame Commander, and Archdruidess of the Fellowship of Isis. Ness holds a seat in the Pagan Heathen Symposium.

For more details: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/authors/ness-bosch