Merry Meet!
Welcome to The Rabbit’s Haven, the official newsletter of Rabbit Stew! We are delighted that you’ve joined us. |
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As we face the cold of winter, we take this time to slow down, strengthen our communities, and prepare for the year to come. Ancient winters forced deep rest. Silence. Reflection. Slowing down wasn’t optional then—but it’s still essential now. Yule is not only about fire and celebration. It’s about honoring the stillness that births new life.
Yule celebrates the winter solstice—the shortest day and longest night of the year. It’s an ancient festival marking the rebirth of the Sun and the return of longer days, symbolizing hope, light, and renewal during the darkest time of winter. Traditionally, Yule festivities could last for 12 days.
The word Yule comes from the Old English geol and Old Norse jól, both referring to ancient midwinter festivals. These celebrations honored the return of the Sun and were later intertwined with Christian Christmas traditions.
Every witch’s path is unique, but here are some of our favorite Yule traditions: Burn a Yule log, an ancient custom meant to honor the Sun and encourage its return. The Yule log was often kept burning for 12 days and nights, and its ashes were believed to bring good luck and protect the home. Use greenery to decorate your space. Sprigs of holly, ivy, mistletoe, and other evergreens are not only festive but also represent hope, renewal, and resilience. Dry orange slices to celebrate the return of the sun! Use them as ornaments on your tree or create a garland. Host a feast: Yule feasts were not only celebrations—they were gratitude rituals. Winter was dangerous. Making it to the Solstice meant the worst was nearly over. Trim your Yule tree Craft a Yule Goat Make a Yule simmer pot to fill your home with warmth, magic of the winter season. Light candles: lighting candles at Yule has roots in both historical and practical tradition. In Norse and later Scandinavian custom, fires were kept burning through the festival to honor the Sun’s strength and to ensure that warmth and luck stayed within the household. Offerings are at the heart of every midwinter festival, whatever the path. Modern practitioners ancient animal offerings with symbolic offerings of food, drink, and light. They are acts of giving for the abundance we hope to receive. Craft Yule Charms for Luck & Protection: Hang them around your home to invite abundance and keep winter negativity at bay.
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YULE CORRESPONDENCES AND SYMBOLS |
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DEITIES Cailleach (Celtic): The divine hag of winter, she creates the landscapes and ushers in the dark half of the year, giving way to spring. Odin/Jólnir (Norse): During Yule, Odin was known as Jólnir, a patron of the dead, leading the Wild Hunt, symbolizing the year's end and new beginnings. Skadi (Norse): Goddess and giantess (Jötunn) of winter, mountains, hunting, skiing, and wilderness, known for her fierce independence, resilience, and connection to the harsh, beautiful aspects of nature, often depicted with skis, a bow, and snowshoes. Saturn (Roman): Associated with agriculture, abundance, wealth, and time. Frau Holle (Germanic): Associated with snow, winter, and the earth's fertility, she is a powerful figure of the season. Baldur (Norse): The god of light and joy, whose return symbolizes the rebirth of the sun. Frigg (Norse): Mother of the god Baldur, her connection to Yule is through her role in bringing forth the rebirth of the sun god at the Winter Solstice. Morana (Slavic): Also called Morena, Mara or Mora, is the Slavic goddess of death, Winter, and the cycle of life, death and rebirth. The Oak King & Holly King: Neopagan personifications of the waxing sun (Oak King) and waning sun (Holly King), with the Oak King triumphing at the winter solstice.
ANIMALS/CREATURES Yule Goat (Julbock): A popular straw decoration, it evolved from pagan rituals where real goats were sacrificed; it is associated with Thor’s chariot. Yule Boar (Julsvin): A symbol of fertility and good fortune, people would swear vows on its bristles during ancient Yule feasts. Yule Cat (Jólakötturinn): A giant, vicious cat that prowls during Christmas, eating anyone who hasn’t received new clothes before Christmas Eve (a tradition encouraging people to finish wool processing). Yule Lads (Jólasveinar): The 13 mischievous sons of the troll Grýla, who visit villages during the Yule season, sometimes with the Yule Cat. Wren/Robin: Symbolizing the passing of the old year (wren) and the arrival of the new (robin, in some folklore).
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COLORS Red: courage, vitality, and prosperity Green: renewal, abundance, and the promise of spring Gold: the returning sun, warmth Silver: the moon, spiritual clarity, and quiet winter nights White: purity, snow, and new beginnings
HERBS/PLANTS Oranges: love, good luck, prosperity Cinnamon: prosperity and success Rosemary: for love, remembrance, and protection Juniper Berries: protection Nutmeg: luck, wealth, virility, and abundance Pine: purification and cleansing Clove: protection, love, prosperity Evergreens (Pine, Fir, Cedar, Juniper): enduring life, protection, and grounding during the darkest days Frankincense: resin for spiritual connection, purification, and bringing in light. Mistletoe: symbolizes fertility, healing, protection, and rebirth Bayberry: luck, prosperity, and good fortune Cranberry: abundance, courage, and balances fire/water energies
STONES/CRYSTALS Clear Quartz: amplifies energy, brings clarity, and spiritual connection Garnet: deep red, symbolizing the returning sun’s warmth, passion, and life force. Bloodstone: green with red flecks, representing courage, strength, and the earth’s awakening Black Obsidian: for grounding, protection, and releasing negativity during introspection Citrine: brings joy, abundance, optimism, and solar energy Green Aventurine: a stone of luck, growth, and opportunity as light returns Labradorite: connects to magic, intuition, and spiritual awakening Selenite: purifies energy and enhances spiritual connection Moonstone: connects with the energies of renewal, rebirth, and new beginnings, aligning with the themes of Yule and the return of light
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The Mari Lwyd
Cryptid LOVE! Our new favorite—The Mari Lwyd ((Welsh: Y Fari Lwyd, "the Grey Mare") is a ghostly beast revered in South Wales during the Midwinter Festival of Yule. Using a real horse skull embellished with ribbons and bells, the Grey Mare loves a challenge of wits! Obviously pre-Christian, but deeply mysterious, this lore can be traced back to the 1800s. |
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There are a few translations surrounding this ethereal creature. One connects her to the heritage of pale horses in Celtic and British mythology, many of whom can cross over to the underworld. The other translation is biblical as some scholars have linked her to the nativity story--a pregnant mare sent out of the stables when Mary arrived to have Jesus, she spent dark days roaming the land trying to find somewhere new to have a foal. |
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Wassail
Wassailing is an ancient English winter tradition, with two main forms: visiting orchards to sing, dance, and make noise to wake the trees for a good harvest, and house-to-house caroling for drinks and gifts, linked to the phrase "was hail" (be well). It involves blessing apple trees with cider and toast, warding off evil spirits, and sharing a communal spiced cider/ale (the wassail) from a large bowl, with origins in pagan rituals for fertility and harvest blessings, often on Twelfth Night.
Ingredients 64 oz. Apple cider 32 oz. cranberry juice 2 c. orange juice 1 c. lemon juice 1 c. sugar (white or brown) 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground allspice 1 tsp. ground cloves Optional: rum, brandy, bourbon, or Madeira wine
Garnish suggestions: clove-studded orange slices, apple slices, baked apples, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and cranberries.
Instructions Bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Once cool, pour into a punch bowl (spices can be strained out with cheesecloth). Garnish and serve!
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COMING SOON FROM RABBIT STEW
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Return to simpler times when receiving mail was magical with Rabbit’s Round, our new Sabbat-based collection of curated paper ephemera and tactile items to use in your book of shadows, grimoire, mixed-media journal, and more. Sent eight times per year, Rabbit’s Round is a treat for those who believe in slow wonder. Pre-order coming soon. |
We hope you enjoyed our Yule edition of The Rabbit’s Haven and we hope you have a truly blessed Yule! |
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