Io Saturnalia! Merry Yule!

[Generic Other]

Newgrange, Ireland. Entrance stone spiral: At the winter solstice the central passage of the main ‘tomb’- Newgrange- is lit by the rising of the sun.

Ancient Druids celebrated Alban Arthuran, the time the sun god went into the underworld to learn the secrets of life and death, and to bring out the souls to be reincarnated. The Holly King and the Oak King battle at the solstices. At Winter Solstice, the Holly King dies, and the Oak King is reborn.

Winter Solstice – Yule - the time when the sun child is reborn, an image of the return of all new life born through the love of the Gods. Within the Northern Tradition Yule is regarded as the New Year.The Winter Solstice falls on the shortest day of the year (21st December) and was celebrated in Britain long before the arrival of Christianity. The Druids (Celtic priests) would cut the mistletoe that grew on the oak tree and give it as a blessing. Oaks were seen as sacred.



Yule: in ancient Scandinavia this festival lasted 12 days (and nights). The first night of Yule (the night before the Solstice) was called the "mother's night". That night the Nordic Pagans used to sit and wait for the birth of the Sun god, Balder, born of the goddess Frigg and fathered by Odin. With the winter solstice, the goddess turned the wheel of the year to give a new point of departure.



Saturnalia decorations consisted of great swathes of evergreen and holly. Gold and silver star and sun symbols were hung throughout the house and used to decorate outdoor trees. [...] New fires were always kindled at Saturnalia and candles were lit to honour the Sun god. The traditional Saturnalia greeting was "Io, Saturnalia!" “Io” [...]. Wax candles, lamps, nuts and fruit, holly tied with sweet candies and earthen figures were all traditional gifts. During Saturnalia, people exchanged gifts (especially dolls, candles, caged birds and fruit) decorated trees with candles, and decked their halls with garlands of laurel.



the origins of the music that we embrace each year as traditional christmas carols were originally birthed from pagan songs and dances. the word 'carol' itself comes from the greek word choraulein, a choraulein was an ancient circle dance performed to flute music and early carols were used in plays by greeks. romans performed them in their celebrations of the winter
solstice:saturnalia.



St. Lucy's Day - Hail the Winter Solstice: Deus Sol Invictus.


http://www.pinterest.com/larkyantfarm/winter-solstice/

[Egalitarian Thug]

1. And to you and yours as well.

[countryjake]

2. And a joyous Solstice to you!

May the acorns reign!

[painesghost]

4. In Italian it means I, maybe same in Latin I'm not sure.

My Italian teacher would be proud I remember that!

[countryjake]

11. Wow, that "Winter Solstice" sure didn't last long! n/t

[painesghost]

5. Beautiful Pictures! Io Saturnalia!!! n/t

[cecilfirefox]

7. Blessed Yule! :D :D nt

[truedelphi]

8. Yes, and Goddess Bless!

And I celebrate it by wishing for the secret, most highly improbable of wishes, shutting eyes, and saying "May it be so." The energy of today goes forward for ninety days.

[Diclotican]

9. Generic Other

Generic Other


It is named JUL, not YULE.... I do not know what YULE is, but I do knot what JUL is..... oh well..

Diclotican

[Generic Other]

12. I stand corrected!

[Diclotican]

13. Generic Other

Generic Other

Your welcome - and you have a nice "postcard" there too

Ha en god jul

Diclotican

[superpatriotman]

10. Best thread of the day!

Thank you for posting.

Sun/Son of God, indeed...