This is the celebration of the "Re-birth of the Sun," the shortest day of the year, and the night of the greatest lunar imbalance. After this night, the Sun begins to grow stronger each day. Known as the Vigil Festival. (It's not the actual middle of winter, but the "turning point" of the sun.)
Date: ca. December 21, Winter Solstice.
Modern Equivalent: Christmas, Yule, Wren Day.
Alignment: Solar event, Male.
Customs: Yule Logs, "Christmas" trees, Holly and Ivy, kissing under the Mistletoe, Needfire at Dawn Vigil, bell ringing (sleigh bells).
Symbols: Yule Tree/pine branches, Stag Horns/reindeer (represents the Winter Lord), Mistletoe.
Sacred Foods: White Wine, white cakes, bitter herbs, mints, juniper mead.
Threshold Time: Dawn.
Incense: Pine, Cedar and Juniper, Sandalwood; pine trees.
Celtic God forms: Cernunnos, Mabon.
