Yule is the time of birth. The two previous sabbats, the Fall Equinox and Samhain, are connected to themes of death and the Underworld. At Yule, our focus shifts to rebirth and new life. The previous year “dies” and the new year is “born.”

The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. Astronomically, the Earth’s pole is tilted away from the sun, and as a result, the sun appears at its lowest point in the sky. This is technically the first day of winter, although many of us have already been experiencing darkness and cold weather for several weeks on this date. For this reason, this solstice is sometimes called “Midwinter.”

At Yule, darkness triumphs over light and night triumphs over day. It is literally the darkest day of the year. Darkness and night are not bad or scary – in fact, they are a deeply necessary part of life. At Yule, we celebrate the dark night as a time of peaceful rest. At the same time, we welcome back the light and warmth, which will begin to return after this solstice. Yule marks the end of the “dark half” of the year and the beginning of the “light half.”

Yule is all about new beginnings and fresh starts. This is the time to lay to rest the stresses and troubles of the past year and prepare ourselves for new things. This is also a powerful time of year for self-reflection, maybe even with help from a divination tool like tarot cards or a pendulum.

The energy of Yule is connected to the Birth of the Divine Child. This motif deals with the birth or rebirth of a sacred being and appears in religion and folklore from all over the world. It can be found in Egyptian stories of the birth of Horus, ancient Roman stories of the birth of Sol Invictus, Buddhist stories of the conception and birth of the Buddha, and Christian stories of the virgin birth of Jesus. In some European cultures, the birth of the Divine Child is connected to the return of the summer sun, which is “born” on the winter solstice.

While birth is sometimes seen as something only for cisgender, heterosexual people, many myths tell birth stories that break this mold. The Greek father god Zeus gave birth to two of his children: Athena, who was born from his skull, and Dionysus, who was born from his thigh. Mars, the patron god of Rome, was conceived when the goddess Juno was impregnated by the goddess Flora. The Norse god Loki both fathered and gave birth to children.

These stories remind us that each pregnancy and birth is unique, and that birth is not restricted to any one gender or orientation. They also remind us that queer and trans parents have been around for a very, very long time.

Yule is a time to welcome in the things we wish to birth in the new year, and to celebrate the relationships, families, and communities that bring us joy. It is a very festive holiday, with celebrations that literally bring light to the darkest night of the year. Yule has the energy of sitting around the fire with people you love and trust, singing songs and telling stories.

There is some overlap between Yule traditions and Christmas traditions. Things like lighting candles on the nights leading up to the solstice, bringing evergreen trees or wreaths into the home, and exchanging gifts are all part of both Christmas and Yule.

Sacred space for Yule features many symbols that may seem familiar to anyone who has celebrated Christmas. The space is decorated with boughs of evergreen and mistletoe, possibly even including a tree or a Yule log. Candles and other lights also play a big part in Yule decorations. You could also include an image of the divine infant and/or the sun. Colors associated with Yule are green, red, white, and gold.”

From Lavender Witchcraft: Crafting Queer Magical Practice, coming August 25, 2026 from Moon Books

For more details: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/authors/sam-wise

Hailing from the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, Sam Wise (she/they) is a Reclaiming witch and eclectic pagan with years of experience combining magic, activism, and queer culture. Sam is a member of AIRA (the Ableism-Impacted Reclaiming Alliance), where she serves as the current representative to BIRCH (Reclaiming’s decision-making body). They are also a member of the Fellowship of Fire and Ice, where they are part of the ritual team. Sam has a passion for combining folk traditions with modern practices to create accessible, affirming magic.