Once again the holiday season is here. Though the most well-known and familiar holiday is that of Christmas, it is not the only holiday celebrated at this time of year. Another holiday not as well-known, but still celebrated, is that of the winter solstice. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, and its occurrence marks the beginning of the winter season.
The celebration of the winter solstice has taken numerous forms for different cultures. One of those forms has been the holiday of Yule.
"The traditions of Yule encompass the celebration of the winter solstice and originate from the ancient Scandinavian Norse and Germanic peoples. Yule celebrations predate Christianity and there are numerous references to the holiday in ancient Norse sagas," said Heather Demarest, co-founder of Eldhrimnir Kindred, a Norse Asatru group located here on the Outer Banks.
Demarest goes on to explain the intricacies of the Norse Yule tradition. "For the ancient Norse people, winter was a very difficult time,the growing season had ended and the shortened days meant that the life-giving sun was disappearing, leaving them in darkness and extreme cold. The winter solstice marked their triumph over darkness and the return of the warmth and a new year. The Yule season is twelve days long, beginning the night before the winter solstice. The most important aspect of those twelve days is that our world and the world of the Gods and Goddesses are together, and it is a blessing to be close to them and have a connection -- it is at this time that we look back over the old year and make oaths for the new year."
Pat Guthmann Haresch, minister for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Outer Banks explains that there is a deep connection between ancient winter solstice celebrations and Christmas. "Much of the symbolism used in Christmas has its origin in older religious traditions. The use of greenery, holly berries, candle light, even the symbols of a mother and her child are related to older spiritual practices before the arrival of Christianity."
For Haresch, the connection is an important one. "We live in such a divided world and it would be wonderful if people of different faiths could understand the underlying connections of the holiday and that all of these celebrations are based on many of the same things, one of the most important ones being that of hope."
This year the winter solstice takes place at 7:22 on Dec. 21 eastern standard time.