yule is coming! need help

MM,
Me and my friends are already planning for Yule but we wanted to do something else this year. Does anyone know what relative is to yule like: elements, symbols, which spells can we do that day?

BB,
Veritas

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The celebration of Yule has its origin with the Vikings, or Norsemen. It celebrates the death of the year, especially the death of light and warmth. It was celebrated over twelve days, with much eating and drinking. In those early years a house would have a central fire hearth, and there would be burned the "Yule log.".This was an actual tree trunk! It was "fed" into the fire as it burnt down, it had to last for twelve days, so it was usually quite large!
In England we still have the "Yule log", but now it is baked as a round cake, and decorated.

^^ true what you said. only had an edible Yule long once.

there are many different stories and and beliefs, some say it is the rebirth of the god, myself it's the duel between the Oak King and the Holy King for power. the point, you should have evergreens in your house [holy, mistletoe, a pine or some other tree] decorate the tree [inside the house as well as outside] with lights and decorations, and most important, have some form of a Yule fire either inside or outside. normally, we make due with a small fire in my cauldron burning all night. you should have a feast, and basically, a big celebration that should last til morning. and before you ask, yes, Christmas decorations [minus the nativity and Santa and possibly the angel] work fine.

things my coven usually eat, mostly sweets. in terms of the circle, we just wing it, but you should avoid anything like invoking the dead or skrying, that's a Samhain thing.

There is nothing wrong with Santa Claus. He is the Holly King or Odin..a mix of both really. I would feel terrible robbing my daughter of the magic of the jolly old elf, the spirit of giving. So much paganism there!

My tradition is a winter walk a week before yule to pick my mini-yule log and some pine branches. I find a fallen thick branch and bring it in. My family decorates it with ribbon and I fasten it to a pillar candle. I will eventually find a nice true log (not thick branch) that I plan to carve and make our permanent yule log that I will drill/carve holes into to hold a candle(s). But the past few years have been very snowy or wet.

When yule night comes, my family gathers around with hot cocoa, coffee or hot cidar, and my husband lights last year's yule candle and lights the new one with it. Then we all discuss the previous year, all that we have done, the blessings, the memories, even the regrets. We let go of all of that and then discuss the future year and what we wish to see happen. We each write a wish on a small piece of paper, we carry the candle outside and burn the papers, then cast their ashes into the wind.

Of course we also decorate the tree and have a "feast". No one touches the prepared food before the sun sets and the stars show. And we don't sleep (besides my daughter) until the sun rises (we wake my daughter to share the sunrise). When my daughter see's the sun, she shouts "happy birthday" to it.

My husband and I rarely exchange gifts, instead (and this has been a tradition since we were engaged--7 years this yule) we pick out something together, a keepsake to represent and remember that particular year. My daughter wakes up to presents and magical "fae dust" sprinkled over them (fine glitter in gold or silver).

That's just a short summary.

Colors are the usual green, red, gold, and silver. Most "Christmas" tradition was originally pagan.

Both the above posts have much truth and tradition. Most neo=Pagan groups recognise the Wicca idea of the death of the Oak King and the birth of the Holly King. And of course, all the usual Christmas decorations are valid during the Wicca days of Yule; December 20-23.
But I was referring to the original Yule celebrations, the Holly and the Ivy came later. Christmas decorations and tree with candles originated in Germany, and was assimilated into Yule. Yule did once last for twelve days, and the Christians still refer to the twelve days of Christmas. Of course, December 25 is just as old as Yule; it is the birthday of the Roman God Mithra.
In modern times we do tend to get a mix of old traditions, and there's nothing wrong with that!
The Yule log fire was supposed to represent the returning of the Sun in Spring. The death and rebirth of Mother Nature. (The death and resurrection of the God/Goddess is a theme of many religions from ancient Egypt to modern Christianity) In the far North the winter was much longer than, say, in the USA.
Happy Yule-time (and Christmas!) to all our members.

@whiteraven true, i still love Santa, what i meant was, if you are decorating the tree, you shouldn't have a red suited Santa since that's a Christmas thing. mind you, i've seen some nice ornaments [and even a tree topper] of Santa dressed in robes with holy holding pine cones and greenery. that's fine. i just feel the traditional Santa on yule is more Christian.

also, i like your tradition, made wish it was Yule already. i might borrow a few things. my friends and i exchange gift, but we usually do it in the night, because one of my coven members can't wait [might try and tell her no this year lol]

You might find this website a useful one http://www.witchessabbats.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=13

There are indeed many different ways of celebrating Yule. Some of them are, as Brysing noted, very ancient. Some are more modern in origin.

In the Tradition in which I initially trained we celebrated Yule as the time when the Great Goddess gave birth to the new Som King. There on the darkest hour of the year we found the promise of life in a tiny spark of light returning.

So for us Yule was a joyous celebration in which we danced, sang, and feasted to celebrate the birthday of the God and to welcome him home amongst us again.

Yule is a solar holiday so any colors, crystals, stones, or other items that represent a solar correspondence would be appropriate for use. Personally I always liked to use a lot of white and gold to mark both the winter season and the sun's return.