Tag: Pagan Terminology
2024 Yearly Calendar for All Moon Phase Calendar – Printable
January Holidays in 2024
January 1 and 2, 2024 Current Moon Phase for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious, you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else was born.
Source: MoonGiant.com
Northern Hemisphere
1 January 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on January 1 has an illumination of 74%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On January 1 the Moon is 19.8 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 74%
Moon Age: 19.80 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 405,497.19 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,099,004.29 km
Illumination: 74%
Moon Age: 19.80 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 405,497.19 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,099,004.29 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Southern Hemisphere
2 January 2024
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on January 2 has an illumination of 65%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On January 2 the Moon is 20.68 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 65%
Moon Age: 20.68 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 404,882.03 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,097,875.72 km
Illumination: 65%
Moon Age: 20.68 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 404,882.03 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,097,875.72 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
December 31, 2023 and January 1, 2024 Current Moon Phase for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious, you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else was born.
Source: MoonGiant.com
Northern Hemisphere
December 31 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on December 31 has an illumination of 82%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 31 the Moon is 18.91 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 82%
Moon Age: 18.91 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 405,126.15 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,100,897.86 km
Illumination: 82%
Moon Age: 18.91 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 405,126.15 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,100,897.86 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Southern Hemisphere
1 January 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on January 1 has an illumination of 74%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On January 1 the Moon is 19.8 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 74%
Moon Age: 19.80 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 405,497.19 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,099,004.29 km
Illumination: 74%
Moon Age: 19.80 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 405,497.19 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,099,004.29 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
December 30 and 31, 2023 Current Moon Phase for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious, you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else was born.
Source: MoonGiant.com
Northern Hemisphere
December 30, 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on December 30 has an illumination of 89%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 30 the Moon is 18.01 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 89%
Moon Age: 18.01 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 403,790.22 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,103,555.82 km
Illumination: 89%
Moon Age: 18.01 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 403,790.22 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,103,555.82 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Southern Hemisphere
31 December 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on December 31 has an illumination of 82%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 31 the Moon is 18.91 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 82%
Moon Age: 18.91 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 405,126.15 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,100,897.86 km
Illumination: 82%
Moon Age: 18.91 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 405,126.15 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,100,897.86 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
December 29 and 30, 2023 Current Moon Phase for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious, you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else was born.
Source: MoonGiant.com
Northern Hemisphere
December 29, 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on December 29 has an illumination of 94%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 29 the Moon is 17.1 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 94%
Moon Age: 17.10 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 401,542.53 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,106,977.30 km
Illumination: 94%
Moon Age: 17.10 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 401,542.53 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,106,977.30 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Southern Hemisphere
30 December 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on December 30 has an illumination of 89%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 30 the Moon is 18.01 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 89%
Moon Age: 18.01 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 403,790.22 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,103,555.82 km
Illumination: 89%
Moon Age: 18.01 days
Moon Angle: 0.49
Moon Distance: 403,790.22 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,103,555.82 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
December 28 and 29 Current Moon Phase for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious, you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else was born.
Source: MoonGiant.com
Northern Hemisphere
December 28 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on December 28 has an illumination of 98%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 28 the Moon is 16.18 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 98%
Moon Age: 16.18 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 398,469.95 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,111,161.18 km
Illumination: 98%
Moon Age: 16.18 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 398,469.95 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,111,161.18 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Southern Hemisphere
29 December 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on December 29 has an illumination of 94%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 29 the Moon is 17.1 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 94%
Moon Age: 17.10 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 401,542.53 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,106,977.30 km
Illumination: 94%
Moon Age: 17.10 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 401,542.53 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,106,977.30 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
A Thought for Today
May this song touch your heart as it does mine.
Angel Flight
“Angel Flights are the U.S. Air Force planes (C-130’s) used to fly home our Fallen Soldiers. Angel Flight is also their call sign. … Now, of course, there are other flights that have an even higher priority, but in reference to other standard military flights, Angel Flights get number 1 priority.” #AngelFlight
I know there are some who read my blog are former military from different countries. I dedicate this post to the fallen among you. As this year comes to a close please remember not only those in the military who gave their lives, men-women-animals, to keep us civilians and the country they fought for safe and for a better way of life. Also remember their families and friends who sacrificed there military hero for us and in many cases the love ones never get over the loss.
Keep in mind too those that come home from a war zone who have seen things no one ever should that they deserve our thanks and support. Just as their families do.
Join me in saluting not only every military person who is now serving but also all those that have served going back centuries.
All first responders living, or dead deserve our thanks and appreciation for all they do too.
Spell For Full December Moon – December Moon Enchantment
(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY SPELLS POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER)
Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for December Full Moon
(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY COROSPONDENCES POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER)
December 27 and 28 Current Moon Phase for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious, you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else was born.
Source: MoonGiant.com
Northern Hemisphere
December 27 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Full Moon phase. The Moon will be visible throughout the night sky rising at sunset in the east and setting with the sunrise the next morning in the west. During a Full Moon the moon is 100% illuminated as seen from Earth and is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. The point at which a Full Moon occurs can be measured down to a fraction of a second. The time it takes between full moons is known as a Synodic month and is 29.530587981 days long. Keep track of all the Full Moons throughout the year on the Full Moon Calendar >
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Full Moon Phase
The Full Moon on December 27 has an illumination of 100%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 27 the Moon is 15.23 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Full Moon
Illumination: 100%
Moon Age: 15.23 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 394,696.04 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,116,106.09 km
Illumination: 100%
Moon Age: 15.23 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 394,696.04 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,116,106.09 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Southern Hemisphere
28 December 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waning Gibbous. During this phase the Moon can be seen in the early morning daylight hours on the western horizon. This is the first phase after the Full Moon occurs. It lasts roughly 7 days with the Moon’s illumination growing smaller each day until the Moon becomes a Last Quarter Moon with an illumination of 50%. The average Moon rise for this phase is between 9pm and Midnight depending on the age of the phase. The moon rises later and later each night setting after sunrise in the morning.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waning Gibbous Phase
The Waning Gibbous on December 28 has an illumination of 98%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 28 the Moon is 16.18 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waning Gibbous
Illumination: 98%
Moon Age: 16.18 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 398,469.95 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,111,161.18 km
Illumination: 98%
Moon Age: 16.18 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 398,469.95 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,111,161.18 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Spell for December “Cold” Full Moon
(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY SPELLS POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER)
Cold Moon Ritual & Spell (December)
The radiant full Moon is an ancient power for making Magic. December marks the beginning of the cold season in the Northern Hemisphere. Cold Moon is the name traditionally given to the Full Moon closest to the time when the astronomical winter begins: The Winter Solstice (around Dec. 21st).
Also known as Yule, and sometimes called Midwinter, the Solstice is a time to celebrate the return of the sun and the lengthening of days. December is an excellent time to get quiet, reflect, and celebrate. Here’s an easy Cold Moon ritual for introspection and reflection.
How does this spell work?
The color silver represents the Moon. Tonight’s Full Moon ritual will be about opening up intuition and inviting the protective and positive influence of the Goddess. 🌕
The color gold represents the Sun. It symbolizes the strength and confidence of the Sun being reborn in December. It brings warmth, understanding, and energy for growth. ☀️
They will be your guides as you journal and answer questions about this past year. This part of the ritual requires self-reflection and a deeper look inside yourself.
Cast this Cold Moon spell any of the three nights when the Moon is full in December.
A Cold Moon ritual to gather your energies and cast a spell of Magic on December’s Full Moon. Set an intention, call out your guides and meditate.
INGREDIENTS
-
Your journal or paper
-
Pen or pencil
-
1 silver candle
-
1 gold candle
-
(Optional) Guided meditation below
HOW TO CAST THE SPELL
Take a moment to calm your inner self by taking three deep breaths.
Light the silver candle. Visualize the power of the Moon coming into yourself and opening your intuition.
Light the gold candle. Visualize the power of the Sun warming your body and filling you with energy. If you have other spirit guides, invite them to your ritual.
Say: “I welcome your Powers to guide me.”
You can play meditative music or follow the guided meditation below to get in tune with the energy of this Full Moon.
When you are ready, take out your journal or Book of Mirrors and answer the questions included in the page below.
Once you have finished writing, take a moment to sit quietly and reflect on what you have written.
When you are finished, extinguish the candles.
NOTES
Practice candle safety. Never leave candles burning unattended.
Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence for the Full Moon
(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY COROSPONDENCES POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER)
Look closely you can see the Lady smiling down at us as she helps guide us, the Earth’s waters, and many other living things!
What Magickal Energies Correspond to the Full Moon? Source: explorewicca.com
What Magickal Energies Correspond to the Full Moon?
Drawing Down the Moon is not the only magick associated with the full moon. There are plenty of energies and correspondences that are strengthened by the full moon and its power. In this section, we’re going to take a look at some of those associations.
The Energies and Magick of the Full Moon
As I mentioned in the section on the Triple Goddess, the Mother (and thus, the full moon) is associated with maternal protection and life-giving energy. So, any sort of spells or rituals that fall within those categories are a good choice for a full moon.
Most commonly, this includes spells relating to fertility and love. However, spells of protection or a blessing for a home would also be a great choice for the full moon–as you can tap into the stability and protection that it provides.
Additionally, if you’re a gardener, the full moon moon is a great time to ask the goddess to bless your plants. The full moon is when she’s at the peak of her life-giving powers.
Full Moon Correspondences
In a nutshell, correspondences are physical depictions of spiritual energy–they’re things like colors, herbs, and symbols which help to add more energy and power to certain types of spells.
And when it comes to full moons, there are plenty of correspondences that will help make your spells as strong as they can be.
In terms of colors, the full moon is closely associated with silvers and whites. However, green could also be an option (as it represents life and growth), as well as red or pink if you’re harnessing the power of the full moon for fertility or love.
There are far too many plants and herbs associated with the full moon to list them all, but here are some of the more common ones, along with their specific energies:
- Apples (abundance, life)
- Cedar (for honoring or contacting deities)
- Goldenrod (guidance and protection)
- Red roses (love and passion)
- White roses (the Triple Goddess)
Moonstone and selenite are two gems/crystals that are associated with the full moon. However, charging any kind of crystal or gem in the moonlight can help to increase its power.
December Cold Moon Correspondences
Nature Spirits: Snow Fairies, Storm Fairies, Winter Tree Fairies
Herbs: Holly, Fir, Mistletoe
Flowers: Holly, Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus
Colors: White, Black
Scents: Patchouli, Frankincense, Myrrh
Stones: Serpentine, Peridot
Trees: Fir, Pine, Holly
Deities: Hathor, Hekate/Hecate, Athene, Minerva, Ixchel, Osiris, The Fates
Spells/Rituals: Helping those in need, Darkness, To Endure or be Reborn
December 26 and 27, 2023 Current Moon Phase for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious, you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else was born.
Source: MoonGiant.com
Northern Hemisphere
December 26, 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waxing Gibbous phase. Visible through most of the night sky setting a few hours before sunrise. This phase is when the moon is more than 50% illuminated but not yet a Full Moon. The phase lasts about 7 days with the moon becoming more illuminated each day until the Full Moon. This December Full Moon will be the forth and final supermoon of 2023.
During a Waxing Gibbous the moon rises in the east in mid-afternoon and is high in the eastern sky at sunset. The word Gibbous first appeared in the 14th century and has its roots in the Latin word “gibbosus” meaning humpbacked.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waxing Gibbous Phase
The Waxing Gibbous on December 26 has an illumination of 100%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 26 the Moon is 14.27 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 100%
Moon Age: 14.27 days
Moon Angle: 0.51
Moon Distance: 390,382.59 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,121,810.42 km
Illumination: 100%
Moon Age: 14.27 days
Moon Angle: 0.51
Moon Distance: 390,382.59 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,121,810.42 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Southern Hemisphere
27 December 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Full Moon phase. The Moon will be visible throughout the night sky rising at sunset in the east and setting with the sunrise the next morning in the west. During a Full Moon the moon is 100% illuminated as seen from Earth and is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. The point at which a Full Moon occurs can be measured down to a fraction of a second. The time it takes between full moons is known as a Synodic month and is 29.530587981 days long. Keep track of all the Full Moons throughout the year on the Full Moon Calendar >
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Full Moon Phase
The Full Moon on December 27 has an illumination of 100%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 27 the Moon is 15.23 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Full Moon
Illumination: 100%
Moon Age: 15.23 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 394,696.04 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,116,106.09 km
Illumination: 100%
Moon Age: 15.23 days
Moon Angle: 0.50
Moon Distance: 394,696.04 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,116,106.09 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
December 23 and 24, 2023 Current Moon Phase for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious, you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else was born.
Source: MoonGiant.com
Northern Hemisphere
December 23, 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waxing Gibbous phase. Visible through most of the night sky setting a few hours before sunrise. This phase is when the moon is more than 50% illuminated but not yet a Full Moon. The phase lasts about 7 days with the moon becoming more illuminated each day until the Full Moon. This September Full Moon will be the forth and final supermoon of 2023.
During a Waxing Gibbous the moon rises in the east in mid-afternoon and is high in the eastern sky at sunset. The word Gibbous first appeared in the 14th century and has its roots in the Latin word “gibbosus” meaning humpbacked.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waxing Gibbous Phase
The Waxing Gibbous on December 23 has an illumination of 87%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 23 the Moon is 11.27 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 87%
Moon Age: 11.27 days
Moon Angle: 0.53
Moon Distance: 376,330.15 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,143,460.05 km
Illumination: 87%
Moon Age: 11.27 days
Moon Angle: 0.53
Moon Distance: 376,330.15 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,143,460.05 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Southern Hemisphere
24 December 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waxing Gibbous phase. Visible through most of the night sky setting a few hours before sunrise. This phase is when the moon is more than 50% illuminated but not yet a Full Moon. The phase lasts about 7 days with the moon becoming more illuminated each day until the Full Moon. This September Full Moon will be the forth and final supermoon of 2023.
During a Waxing Gibbous the moon rises in the east in mid-afternoon and is high in the eastern sky at sunset. The word Gibbous first appeared in the 14th century and has its roots in the Latin word “gibbosus” meaning humpbacked.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waxing Gibbous Phase
The Waxing Gibbous on December 24 has an illumination of 93%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 24 the Moon is 12.29 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 93%
Moon Age: 12.29 days
Moon Angle: 0.52
Moon Distance: 380,961.12 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,135,489.63 km
Illumination: 93%
Moon Age: 12.29 days
Moon Angle: 0.52
Moon Distance: 380,961.12 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,135,489.63 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
December 22 and 23, 2023 Current Moon Phase for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
You can use this link to go forward or backward in time for Moon phase information. If you are curious, you can even find out what phase the Moon was in when you or anyone else was born.
Source: MoonGiant.com
Northern Hemisphere
December 22, 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waxing Gibbous phase. Visible through most of the night sky setting a few hours before sunrise. This phase is when the moon is more than 50% illuminated but not yet a Full Moon. The phase lasts about 7 days with the moon becoming more illuminated each day until the Full Moon. This September Full Moon will be the forth and final supermoon of 2023.
During a Waxing Gibbous the moon rises in the east in mid-afternoon and is high in the eastern sky at sunset. The word Gibbous first appeared in the 14th century and has its roots in the Latin word “gibbosus” meaning humpbacked.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waxing Gibbous Phase
The Waxing Gibbous on December 22 has an illumination of 79%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 22 the Moon is 10.24 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 79%
Moon Age: 10.24 days
Moon Angle: 0.54
Moon Distance: 372,088.01 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,152,180.95 km
Illumination: 79%
Moon Age: 10.24 days
Moon Angle: 0.54
Moon Distance: 372,088.01 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,152,180.95 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
Southern Hemisphere
23 December 2023
The Moon’s current phase for today and tonight is a Waxing Gibbous phase. Visible through most of the night sky setting a few hours before sunrise. This phase is when the moon is more than 50% illuminated but not yet a Full Moon. The phase lasts about 7 days with the moon becoming more illuminated each day until the Full Moon. This September Full Moon will be the forth and final supermoon of 2023.
During a Waxing Gibbous the moon rises in the east in mid-afternoon and is high in the eastern sky at sunset. The word Gibbous first appeared in the 14th century and has its roots in the Latin word “gibbosus” meaning humpbacked.
Visit the December 2023 Moon Phases Calendar to see all the daily moon phase for this month.
Today’s Waxing Gibbous Phase
The Waxing Gibbous on December 23 has an illumination of 87%. This is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. The illumination is constantly changing and can vary up to 10% a day. On December 23 the Moon is 11.27 days old. This refers to how many days it has been since the last New Moon. It takes 29.53 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth and go through the lunar cycle of all 8 Moon phases.
Phase Details
Phase: Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 87%
Moon Age: 11.27 days
Moon Angle: 0.53
Moon Distance: 376,330.15 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,143,460.05 km
Illumination: 87%
Moon Age: 11.27 days
Moon Angle: 0.53
Moon Distance: 376,330.15 km
Sun Angle: 0.54
Sun Distance: 147,143,460.05 km
Useful Moon Resources
Check the weather before a night of Moon gazing at weather.com
For a list of all the current meteor showers visit American Meteor Society
The 8 Lunar Phases
There are 8 lunar phases the Moon goes through in its 29.53 days lunar cycle. The 4 major Moon phases are Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter and Last Quarter. Between these major phases, there are 4 minor ones: the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent. For more info on the Moon Cycle and on each phase check out Wikipedia Lunar Phase page.
How the Pope Stole Christmas
How the Pope Stole Christmas
Once in ol’ England, both ancient and vast,Lived folks with traditions, long held and steadfast.
They danced and they sang when winter was nigh,
Under the stars, beneath the cold sky. The solstice was coming, the shortest of days, They prepared for the feast in so many ways.
With holly and ivy, they decked every hall, and a Yule log was burned, a tree once so tall. But just West of Rome, sat a man robed in white,
Pope Greg, in his Vatican… was his hat too tight?
For he pondered and prayed with his furrowed brow, “How can we bring these pagans to vow? VOW! VOW! VOW! VOW! “To our faith, to our fold, in the Christ Child believe, and their old pagan ways they must surely leave.”
So he plotted and planned, found a few saints to send, “We must change their tradition, Saturnalia must end! Shouting, “Let us take over this pagan delight, and make it about the Holy Birth Night.
We’ll infuse their rituals with our good Christian grace,
And Christ’s Mass will slowly take the solstice’s place. “So it happened o’er time, to the pagans’ surprise, Their meals and their dances became Christianized.
Their feasting was now for the Christ Child’s birth, and their parties lost some of their ol’ heathen mirth. Where Odin once rode ‘cross the sky on Sleipnir, soon Saint Nicholas would soar, with eight tiny reindeer.
All the mistletoe, holly, ham, trees, and wassails,
Would all stick around, though the Pope’s plan prevails. For the people adapted, they bent and they swayed,
But the essence of joy in their hearts, it still stayed.
They embraced the new faith, yet remembered the old,
In the stories they recounted, both spirited and bold. Pope Greg had succeeded, but maybe not as he planned,
For the spirit of solstice in their hearts still fanned.
The magic of yule, it forever remained,
Hiding inside the message that Christmas contained. And so, my dear reader, has our tale closed?
Is babe Jesus the victor, to reign unopposed?
Or could his day be stolen out from under his manger?
As Jeff Bezos circles… is “Christmas” still in danger? Perhaps the real lesson is that the season’s so large,
That there is no need to leave just one group in charge.
For the joy and the love, in each heart does reside,
No matter the reason, or the faith that’s applied. We hold one goal in common, or at least we should,
And that dream is just: to do that which is good.
So we’ll wrap up our poem, though last but not least:
Who sitting here will carve the roast beast?
P.S. – If you’d like to share the poem on Facebook, we also posted it there:
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Midwinter Night’s Eve: Yule c. 2013
Midwinter Night’s Eve: Yule
By Mike Nichols
Our Christian friends are often quite surprised at how enthusiastically we
Pagans celebrate the ‘Christmas’ season. Even though we prefer to use the word
‘Yule’, and our celebrations may peak a few days BEFORE the 25th, we nonetheless follow many of the traditional customs of the season: decorated trees, carolling, presents, Yule logs, and mistletoe. We might even go so far as
putting up a ‘Nativity set’, though for us the three central characters are
likely to be interpreted as Mother Nature, Father Time, and the Baby Sun-God.
None of this will come as a surprise to anyone who knows the true history of the
holiday, of course.
In fact, if truth be known, the holiday of Christmas has always been more
Pagan than Christian, with it’s associations of Nordic divination, Celtic
fertility rites, and Roman Mithraism. That is why both Martin Luther and John
Calvin abhorred it, why the Puritans refused to acknowledge it, much less
celebrate it (to them, no day of the year could be more holy than the Sabbath),
and why it was even made ILLEGAL in Boston! The holiday was already too closely associated with the birth of older Pagan gods and heroes. And many of them (like Oedipus, Theseus, Hercules, Perseus, Jason, Dionysus, Apollo, Mithra, Horus and even Arthur) possessed a narrative of birth, death, and resurrection that was uncomfortably close to that of Jesus. And to make matters worse, many of them pre-dated the Christian Savior.
Ultimately, of course, the holiday is rooted deeply in the cycle of the
year. It is the Winter Solstice that is being celebrated, seed-time of the
year, the longest night and shortest day. It is the birthday of the new Sun
King, the Son of God — by whatever name you choose to call him. On this
darkest of nights, the Goddess becomes the Great Mother and once again gives
birth. And it makes perfect poetic sense that on the longest night of the
winter, ‘the dark night of our souls’, there springs the new spark of hope, the
Sacred Fire, the Light of the World, the Coel Coeth.
That is why Pagans have as much right to claim this holiday as Christians.
Perhaps even more so, as the Christians were rather late in laying claim to it,
and tried more than once to reject it. There had been a tradition in the West
that Mary bore the child Jesus on the twenty-fifth day, but no one could seem to
decide on the month. Finally, in 320 C.E., the Catholic Fathers in Rome decided
to make it December, in an effort to co-opt the Mithraic celebration of the
Romans and the Yule celebrations of the Celts and Saxons.
There was never much pretense that the date they finally chose was
historically accurate. Shepherds just don’t ‘tend their flocks by night’ in the
high pastures in the dead of winter! But if one wishes to use the New Testament
as historical evidence, this reference may point to sometime in the spring as
the time of Jesus’s birth. This is because the lambing season occurs in the
spring and that is the only time when shepherds are likely to ‘watch their
flocks by night’ – to make sure the lambing goes well. Knowing this, the
Eastern half of the Church continued to reject December 25, preferring a
‘movable date’ fixed by their astrologers according to the moon.
Thus, despite its shaky start (for over three centuries, no one knew when
Jesus was supposed to have been born!), December 25 finally began to catch on.
By 529, it was a civic holiday, and all work or public business (except that of
cooks, bakers, or any that contributed to the delight of the holiday) was
prohibited by the Emperor Justinian. In 563, the Council of Braga forbade
fasting on Christmas Day, and four years later the Council of Tours proclaimed
the twelve days from December 25 to Epiphany as a sacred, festive season. This
last point is perhaps the hardest to impress upon the modern reader, who is
lucky to get a single day off work. Christmas, in the Middle Ages, was not a
SINGLE day, but rather a period of TWELVE days, from December 25 to January 6. The Twelve Days of Christmas, in fact. It is certainly lamentable that the modern world has abandoned this approach, along with the popular Twelfth Night celebrations.
Of course, the Christian version of the holiday spread to many countries no
faster than Christianity itself, which means that ‘Christmas’ wasn’t celebrated
in Ireland until the late fifth century; in England, Switzerland, and Austria
until the seventh; in Germany until the eighth; and in the Slavic lands until
the ninth and tenth. Not that these countries lacked their own mid-winter
celebrations of Yuletide. Long before the world had heard of Jesus, Pagans had
been observing the season by bringing in the Yule log, wishing on it, and
lighting it from the remains of last year’s log. Riddles were posed and
answered, magic and rituals were practiced, wild boars were sacrificed and
consumed along with large quantities of liquor, corn dollies were carried from
house to house while carolling, fertility rites were practiced (girls standing
under a sprig of mistletoe were subject to a bit more than a kiss), and
divinations were cast for the coming Spring. Many of these Pagan customs, in an
appropriately watered-down form, have entered the mainstream of Christian
celebration, though most celebrants do not realize (or do not mention it, if
they do) their origins.
For modern Witches, Yule (from the Anglo-Saxon ‘Yula’, meaning ‘wheel’ of
the year) is usually celebrated on the actual Winter Solstice, which may vary by
a few days, though it usually occurs on or around December 21st. It is a Lesser
Sabbat or Lower Holiday in the modern Pagan calendar, one of the four quarter-
days of the year, but a very important one. This year (1988) it occurs on
December 21st at 9:28 am CST. Pagan customs are still enthusiastically
followed. Once, the Yule log had been the center of the celebration. It was
lighted on the eve of the solstice (it should light on the first try) and must
be kept burning for twelve hours, for good luck. It should be made of ash.
Later, the Yule log was replaced by the Yule tree but, instead of burning it,
burning candles were placed on it. In Christianity, Protestants might claim
that Martin Luther invented the custom, and Catholics might grant St. Boniface
the honor, but the custom can demonstrably be traced back through the Roman
Saturnalia all the way to ancient Egypt. Needless to say, such a tree should be
cut down rather than purchased, and should be disposed of by burning, the proper way to dispatch any sacred object.
Along with the evergreen, the holly and the ivy and the mistletoe were
important plants of the season, all symbolizing fertility and everlasting life.
Mistletoe was especially venerated by the Celtic Druids, who cut it with a
golden sickle on the sixth night of the moon, and believed it to be an
aphrodisiac. (Magically – not medicinally! It’s highly toxic!) But aphrodisiacs must have been the smallest part of the Yuletide menu in ancient times, as contemporary reports indicate that the tables fairly creaked under the strain of every type of good food. And drink! The most popular of which was the ‘wassail cup’ deriving its name from the Anglo-Saxon term ‘waes hael’ (be whole or hale).
Medieval Christmas folklore seems endless: that animals will all kneel down
as the Holy Night arrives, that bees hum the ‘100th psalm’ on Christmas Eve,
that a windy Christmas will bring good luck, that a person born on Christmas Day can see the Little People, that a cricket on the hearth brings good luck, that
if one opens all the doors of the house at midnight all the evil spirits will depart, that you will have one lucky month for each Christmas pudding you sample, that the tree must be taken down by Twelfth Night or bad luck is sure to follow, that ‘if Christmas on a Sunday be, a windy winter we shall see’, that ‘hours of sun on Christmas Day, so many frosts in the month of May’, that one
can use the Twelve Days of Christmas to predict the weather for each of the
twelve months of the coming year, and so on.
Remembering that most Christmas customs are ultimately based upon older
Pagan customs, it only remains for modern Pagans to reclaim their lost traditions. In doing so, we can share many common customs with our Christian
friends, albeit with a slightly different interpretation. And thus we all share
in the beauty of this most magical of seasons, when the Mother Goddess once
again gives birth to the baby Sun-God and sets the wheel in motion again. To
conclude with a long-overdue paraphrase, ‘Goddess bless us, every one!’
A Happy and Joyous Solstice Dear WOTC Family and Friends!!
I was thinking in the middle of the night when all three of our fur kids, Cleo, Star, and Merlin, woke me up for cuddles that you might enjoy knowing how I celebrate the Winter Solstice and Yule. If you would like to use an idea from here, please do.
I’ll start with the Solstice because it’s a little more in depth than our Yule celebration. About 2 minutes before sunset, I light a black 4-inch candle to bid the Holly King a restful slumber and thank him for what he has helped me during this wheel of the year. I place a small black or dark blue piece of material over his statue to symbolize his passing. I mourn with the Triple Goddess for the lost of this consort I meditate and let my mind wander to all I want to let go of and speak it to the candle to burn it away. I sit until the candle has burned down to a small stub usually about 1/2-inch is left I snuff it out so as not to release the negative energy it holds into our home or the universe. I take the small stub of the candle and in the moonlight, I bury it on the west side of our yard as far away from our home as possible with all the negative things I ask Mother Earth it to take all negativity I may still unknowingly be harboring from me for her to renew and reuse however she sees fit to do with the energy.
Then I completely clear my altar and use the small broom I have to sweep away to the west all the negative energy that might have been left after doing spell and ritual since Samhain. I sweep off all the items that had been on my altar also so everything is clean and shiny to welcome the Oak King.
I then set up my altar to welcome the rebirth of the Oak King and to rejoice his rebirth with his mother /consort the Triple Goddess. Now I only have one statue to represent the Holly and the Oak King. When I place this statue back on my altar, I place a white piece of material around it like a swaddled baby to represent the Oak Kings rebirth. About 1 minute before the exact time the Winter Solstice “officially” begins I light a 4-inch white candle to help the birthing of the Oak King and for RA to honor him for bring the Sun back for longer days. After welcoming the Oak King and thanking RA I meditate on the candle speaking to it the goals I have set for myself for the coming calendar year. Once it has burnt down to about a 1/2-inch I blow it out to release my goals to the universe with a chant to please help me achieve them. I bury this on the east side of our yard close to our home in the morning as the first rays of sunlight are showing in the sky. I ask Mother earth to hold my goals so I can revisit the spot I have bury the candle stub in when I feel I may not achieve them.
This year my main goal is to write a short story on Esbats, New Moon one or two but one for every Full Moon, and each Sabbat as the wheel of the year turns. My second goal is to quit smoking cigarettes, eat less red meat and other things high in the bad fats as my cholesterol level is so high, I am on 2 different medications for it and am in very real danger of having a stroke. Will I completely achieve these goals? I’m not sure but if I just break them down into pieces to do each month there is an excellent chance that I will completely achieve my goals for 2024. I actually start the short stories with Yule as I follow the Celtic Tree calendar and tradition that the new year starts on Samhain.
Now for our Yule celebration I fix a nice meal, or we may even go to a favorite restaurant for supper. We come home light our Yule/Christmas tree exchange gifts, riminess about the preceding year which had many real high ups, our legal marriage, the birth of my 10th grandchild and a few very low downs, putting our beloved Dreamer into eternal sleep. Then I get into my favorite pair of pjs, curl about with which ever fur kids want to join me to watch Its a Wonderful Life. Then the fur kids and I will watch The Nightmare Before Christmas which always makes me laugh. Big Dawg goes in the other room and does whatever on his laptop while I binge on movies until it is time to celebrate the rebirth of the Oak King. This may sound pretty simplistic, but it works for us. Big Dawg and most of my children with their families celebrate Christmas. Along with a daughter-in-law who celebrates Hanukkah with my son, who is Christian, and their two boys, this is another home in my family that celebrates 2 different holidays in December and a couple of other times during the year. What this means for me is a lot of family stuff in one month, but I enjoy the diversity of spiritual paths in my family.
Now that this post has gone from a simple few lines to as a friend referred to an email he sent as his “War and Peace” that’s fits this post…ROFL! Thank you Owen Firewolf for this fantastic way to describe long posts!!
Witches Of The Craft® 
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