Wiccans celebrate Yule as one of the eight sabbats of the year. They begin celebrations at sunset on the winter solstice to honor the start of winter, a new sun, and a new year. Often bonfires are lit and renewal and birth rituals are performed in celebration of the event. Dreams and other divination resources, such as Tarot or runes, are consulted for wisdom and prophecy.

Almost every early society had some type of religious winter solstice celebration. When Christianity arose, new Christians wanted a date to celebrate the birth of the son of God — Christmas. But newly converted Christians were still tempted to hold pagan winter solstice celebrations. Pope Julius I in the fourth century A.D. designated Dec. 25 for Christmas as an attempt to override the pagan celebrations — and, in many cases, it did. The popularity of the Christmas celebration evolved as gradually as the spread of Christianity, usually incorporating many pagan traditions. Because of the paganism involved in Christmas, Martin Luther and John Calvin abhorred it; the Puritans refused to acknowledge it; and it was even made illegal in Boston in 1659.

Many traditions thought to be associated solely with Christmas actually originated from pagan holidays and are still involved in Yule celebrations. For example, the Yule Nativity set, instead of featuring Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus, would include Mother Nature, Father Time and the Baby Sun God. Other traditions derived from Yule include caroling, presents, decorated trees, Yule logs, mistletoe, holly, ivy, magical reindeer — and even the red and green colors of the season.

Christmas Traditions Derived From Paganism

Yule Logs of ash or oak are carved or chalked with a figure of the sun or the horned god. They are burned at dusk on Yule as a graphic representation of the rebirth of the sun god within the sacred fire of the mother goddess. If burned less than 12 hours, the family would have bad luck all year. Traditionally, a portion of the log is kept to protect the home throughout the year and then used to light next year's fire.

One theory is that the Yule log eventually became the Yule tree/Christmas tree, and was symbolically lit by being decorated with candles. There is contention, though, that the Yule tree has a different history.