The Solstice Lady

Seasonal Lore and History

 A collection of Winter Solstice traditions from around the world. This multi cultural compilation hopes to demonstrate the universality of the celebration of The Return of the Sun. Find myths and stories that were told by our ancestors to explain the loss of the light.  Discover the traditions that have fallen out of custom and the surprising origins of our annual Christmas past times.

 

Origins of christmas traditons

                     bonfires and the burning of the yule log hold back the darkness across the world

                     bonfires and the burning of the yule log hold back the darkness across the world

Tracing the ancient roots of our christmas traditions

 

 

christian custom origin myths

When the puritans made christmas illegal, the christians put candles in their windows to signal priests that it was safe to come to their homes to celebrate the holy days

When the puritans made christmas illegal, the christians put candles in their windows to signal priests that it was safe to come to their homes to celebrate the holy days

Our christmas traditions can be traced back to festivals such as zagmuk and saturnalia. Christian storytellers have created their own origins for these traditions- from candy cane to candles to the origin of tinsel

 

calender of the season

for those who mourn at the season of gathering together- there are longest night ceremonies on dec 21

for those who mourn at the season of gathering together- there are longest night ceremonies on dec 21

It is my hope to arrange some form of calender to allow people to see what is happening all across the world on any given day of dec/jan to celebrate the return of the light

Watch for a link to the solstice lady facebook page to have these calender entries posted to you daily in December

 

Extinct christmas traditions

Russian maidens perform divination with chickens to determine who their future husbands might be

Russian maidens perform divination with chickens to determine who their future husbands might be

This festival season was once filled with rites and traditions, from christmas divinations to the hunting of the wren (companion of the holly king- traditionally hunted by young boys during the season) - take a wander around some old traditions that have fallen out of memory

                          The mock king became the lord of misrule became the king of the bean

                          The mock king became the lord of misrule became the king of the bean

 

Seasonal Humour

 

 

 

sol invictus all- may prosperity and health walk with you through the year