Happy Yule! Merry Advent! Soon we'll be in the new year! First we need to celebrate the last few days of 2025 with the final days of the Yuletide season. Much like Advent Yule was formally celebrated or rather observed much longer during the colder months. Now it's nice and condensed down to just 12 days ending on the first day of the new year.
Day 1: Mother's Night (Mōdraniht (MO-dra-nikht)): Modern rites for the first night often follow scholarly theories regarding ancestral worship. Practitioners may prepare votive offerings of bread, milk, beer, or honey cakes. The lighting of a hearth fire, candle, or Yule Log is central, symbolizing domestic warmth and protection. Rituals include naming the ancestral "mothers" aloud and giving a libation of milk or ale poured onto the earth or into a bowl.
Day 2: The focus shifts to the returning solar energy. Activities include taking time to appreciate the sunset on the Solstice and the sunrise the following morning. Practitioners light a white or gold candle at sunrise to welcome the Sun’s return and often engage in journaling about intentions, what they wish to leave in the darkness and what they wish to bring into the expanding light. Feasting is common, with an emphasis on consuming round or sun-shaped foods, such as oranges, rolls, or specific Yule recipes.
Day 3: On the third day, you celebrate family. If you’re celebrating with your family or loved ones, gather with them for a meal. If you’re celebrating alone, focus on expressing gratitude for the relationships you cherish, both physical and spiritual; honor the people who support and strengthen you.
Day 4: This is the Day of The Wild Hunt, a day to honor the spirits and ancestors who roam the earth, during the longest nights. It’s a good time to reflect on Odin, the Norse god often associated with Yule and the Wild Hunt. You can leave offerings like bread or apples, for spirits at your doorstep.
Day 5: The fifth day of Yule celebrates community and giving. It’s a great day to reach out to friends, neighbors, or coven members (if you’re a witch), and share small gifts, food, or simply kind words.
Day 6: The theme for day six of Yule is spiritual renewal. You can light candles in the morning to bring blessings into your home. You can also cleanse your space, altar, or tarot cards, and set your intentions for the remainder of the Yule season.
Day 7: On this day, wisdom is pursued. People usually turn to divination, whether it’s through tarot, runes, or scrying to seek guidance for the coming year. Take time to reflect on past lessons you’ve learned and the direction you want to go in the future.
Day 8: This day focuses on abundance and the generosity of the Universe. You can make spells for prosperity, or set your intentions for abundance in the coming year. Often, people burn incense like cinnamon or cloves to attract success and wealth.
Day 9: The Day of Strength encourages you to honor your personal power. On this day, you can reflect on the challenges you’ve faced and overcome. You can also call on deities or spirits of strength, like Thor or the warrior spirits of your ancestry, to empower you.
Day 10: As the Yule season is coming to a close, It’s time to honor protection. Make protective charms or talismans, smudge your home (it is a closed practice, so do this only if you are Indigenous), or cast a circle to shield your space from negativity. Focus on the positive energy you had since the start of Yule.
Day 11: This is a night for celebration and joy. Yule merges with New Year’s Eve, so light fireworks or sparklers, dance or make noise, driving away any lingering darkness and welcome a brighter year.
Day 12: The final day of Yule is a day of renewal and new beginnings. Reflect on the transformations you went through, during the Yule season. You can write down goals for the new year or create a vision board that represents your intentions.
