To most Pagans and Wiccans, the Sun represents the male aspect of Deity. His death and rebirth at the Winter Solstice is symbolic of the death of the old year and the birth of the new. Some traditions tell of this struggle in the legend of the battle between the Oak King (God of the Waxing Year) and the Holly King (God of the Waning Year). At Yule, the Oak King is defeated by the Holly King, hence this important botanical symbol of the season. At the summer solstice, the roles will be reversed. The New Year's icons of Father Time and Baby New Year are also thought to have their origins in this perpetual struggle.
The Yule Log was another important symbol of the holiday. While most people today associate the Yule Log with a cake served for dessert, the original Yule Log was actually made of wood. The log would be ceremoniously be cut and carried to the house, decorated and set ablaze, although not allowed to burn completely. Each celebrant would then get a piece of the Yule log to take home to their own hearth, to symbolically offer wealth and protection throughout the coming year.
Norse Yuletide lasts from December 20th through December 31st or twelve nights. It's easy to see how Christmas carols like The Twelve Days of Christmas are filled with Pagan symbolism and traditions. The Norse word for Yule means wheel, which signifies the circle of the year. Wreaths, another important holiday symbol, celebrate this never-ending circle of life without beginning or end.
This i didn't know.. so i found this on the net and i'm sharing, i knew about the Winter Solstice, but didn't know it was called Yule as well.. Happy Yule and Winter Solstice to all my pagan and wiccans friends..smiles..
