Yule

We are now in the time of winter, where snow is beginning to be upon us, but the folk are safe indoors happily enjoying the fruits of their fall harvest. For the peoples of Scandanavia, this time not only was full of darkness, cold, and snow, but also marked the beginning of the sacred year and a celebration that life had not left this world. It is for this reason that evergreens and holly become common decorations in our homes and in our rites.

For Stone Creed Grove, this is the most important rite celebrated in the Norse style, honoring the sibling gods Frey and Freya who have long acted as patrons of our folk. We also give special due to many other important Norse gods, including Thor, Odin, Heimdal, and Frigga.

Our Yule celebrations also fulfill many of the roles of other modern holidays around this time. There are exchanges of gifts, group singing, and an opportunity to make promises of what will be done in the next year.

Ritual Script

Video of a Yule Ritual

Not yet available

Photos of Past Yules

Home » Yule » Yule
Yule Presents
Yule Presents
Potluck
Potluck
Opening Gifts
Opening Gifts
Opening Gifts
Opening Gifts
The Omen
The Omen
The Boar's Head
The Boar's Head
Lighting the Yule Log
Lighting the Yule Log
Lighting the Yule Log
Lighting the Yule Log
Opening the Gates
Opening the Gates
Making an offering
Making an offering
Making an offering
Making an offering
Making an offering
Making an offering
The Hammer Rite
The Hammer Rite
The Hallows
The Hallows
AJ Introducing the Ritual
AJ Introducing the Ritual
The Hallows
The Hallows
The Omen
The Omen
Burning the Yule Log
Burning the Yule Log
Yule Carol Singing
Yule Carol Singing
Yule Carol Singing
Yule Carol Singing
Post-ritual Fellowship
Post-ritual Fellowship
Potluck
Potluck
Potluck
Potluck
Potluck
Potluck
Making an offering
Making an offering
Offering the Wheel
Offering the Wheel
The Blessing
The Blessing
Taking the Omen
Taking the Omen
The Boar's Head
The Boar's Head
Making an offering
Making an offering
Opening the Gates
Opening the Gates
The Hallows
The Hallows
Making an offering
Making an offering
The Hammer Rite
The Hammer Rite
Setting up
Setting up
Potluck
Potluck
Pre-Ritual Fellowship
Pre-Ritual Fellowship
Yule Carol Singing
Yule Carol Singing
Yule Carol Singing
Yule Carol Singing
The Omen
The Omen
The Hallows
The Hallows
A.J. makes an offering
A.J. makes an offering
The Blessing
The Blessing
Making an offering
Making an offering
Making an offering
Making an offering
The Boar's Head
The Boar's Head
The Boar's Head
The Boar's Head
Offerings in Darkness
Offerings in Darkness
Lighting the Yule Log
Lighting the Yule Log
Making an offering
Making an offering
Making an offering
Making an offering
A.J. makes an offering
A.J. makes an offering
The Boar's Head
The Boar's Head
The Yule Log
The Yule Log
Setting up
Setting up
Opening Gifts
Opening Gifts
Potluck
Potluck
Presents Under the Tree
Presents Under the Tree
The Omen
The Omen
The Wheel
The Wheel
Ian makes an offering
Ian makes an offering
The Hallows
The Hallows
The Hallows
The Hallows
The Boar's Head
The Boar's Head
Making Offerings
Making Offerings
Making Offerings
Making Offerings
Making Offerings
Making Offerings
The Hammer Rite
The Hammer Rite
The Hallows
The Hallows
The Hall
The Hall
The Folk Dancing
The Folk Dancing
Drumming, dancing, and making merry.
The Hallows
The Hallows
The post-ritual Grove hallows.
Burning the Yule Log
Burning the Yule Log
The Yule-log is placed in the fire.
Burning the Yule Log
Burning the Yule Log
The Yule-log is placed in the fire.
Ending the Rite
Ending the Rite
The horn is blown signaling the end of the rite.
The Blessing
The Blessing
Water and Ale are blessed for the Grove to partake.
The Boar's Head
The Boar's Head
The Boar's head is passed around and oaths are taken by the congregation.
Honoring the Deities
Honoring the Deities
The nine candles of the Yule log are lit, one each to honor a certain deity.
Ian in ritual
Ian in ritual
Ian looking mighty and reverend.
Honoring the Hallows
Honoring the Hallows
Offerings are made to fire, well and tree.
The Hammer Rite
The Hammer Rite
Madoc preforms the Hammer rite to hallow the grove.
The Hallows
The Hallows
The pre-ritual grove hallows
Burning the Yule Log
Burning the Yule Log
See the Blazing Yule before us!
A.J. Wearing Horns
A.J. Wearing Horns
Is it AJ Claus or Santa Gooch?
Closing the Gates
Closing the Gates
Assured of the return of the Sun, we thank Heimdall and watch the Rainbow Bridge and our Grove fade away 'til next time...
Praise Offerings
Praise Offerings
The Praise Offerings are conducted in (nearly) total darkness.
Opening the Gates
Opening the Gates
The Rainbow Bridge is visualized emanating to and from all directions as we ask Heimdall to open the ways between.
Offering to Odin
Offering to Odin
Boris performs an invocation of Bardic Inspiration, in this case to Odin.
Pre-ritual Meditation
Pre-ritual Meditation
As in all our rites, the congregation is guided through a grounding and centering.
The Omen
The Omen
The Yule 2003 Omen for StoneCreed Grove, ADF.
Blessing a Child
Blessing a Child
A recent addition to a family is always cause for celebration, young Anakin (of Willow and Taliesen) is sained at his first Yule.
The Hammer Rite
The Hammer Rite
Soon, with enough practice, young Madoc will be able to wield the Thor's Hammer all by himself.
Burning the Yule Log
Burning the Yule Log
Finally, the Yule log is placed in the fire. Charred pieces of the Yule log are proof against lightning and storms destroying the crops, and kindling next years fire from charred Yule log is most auspicious.
The Folk
The Folk
Another third.
The Folk
The Folk
One third of the congregation.
Honoring the Darkness
Honoring the Darkness
Honoring the Ancestors
Honoring the Ancestors
Offering to Heimdall
Offering to Heimdall
Heimdall was offered to as the Gatekeeper by Ian & Liafal.
The Hallows
The Hallows
The Grove Hallows for Yule 2003 (our fifteenth).
The Yule Log
The Yule Log
See the blazing Yule before us...
Yule Carol Singing
Yule Carol Singing
Our Yule festivities would not be complete without the usual wassailing and singing.
A Play
A Play
This years StoneCreed Mummers prepare to take the stage.
A.J. Handing Out Gifts
A.J. Handing Out Gifts
Yes, there is an AJ, aka "Dagda Claus"...
Lining up for gifts
Lining up for gifts
Plenty of gifts for plenty of kids. No pushing or shoving anyone - there's enough for everyone.
The Omen
The Omen
The Yule 2002 Omen for StoneCreed Grove, ADF.
The Folk During the Rite
The Folk During the Rite
Being a Norse Rite, there was plenty of Frith in our cozy feasting hall. It was easy to forget the softly falling snow outside.
Invoking Frey and Freya
Invoking Frey and Freya
Descriptive invocations are made to Frey and Freya, the Patron/Matron Deities of our Yule Rite..
Offering to the deities
Offering to the deities
Nina makes offering to the Aesir and Vanir.
The Yule Log
The Yule Log
See the blazing Yule before us...
The Folk Dancing
The Folk Dancing
Our festive Yule would not be complete without a little dancing led by Steph and Ian.
Yule Carol Singing
Yule Carol Singing
...and join the Chorus, Fa la la la la la, etc...
Playing the Harp
Playing the Harp
Strike the Harp...
The Omen
The Omen
The StoneCreed Grove Omen for Yule.
Offerings to the deities
Offerings to the deities
The Gods were invited to our feast, and received the first portion. Backlit e-book readers (Palm Pilots) were on hand to follow the rite even in total darkness.
The Hallows
The Hallows
Deck the halls with... pine roping, a rosemary bush and nine candles for the Aesir.
Kids at ritual
Kids at ritual
Kidz love us! (Despite this young mans scowling countenance...)
The Offerings
The Offerings
The Offerings table always looks better before the Rite.
The Hallows
The Hallows
The Folk Dancing
The Folk Dancing
We threatened you with dancing... This was a step to the right & then left a bunch of times with a kick-kick-kick thrown in at the end of the measure.
Singing Wassails
Singing Wassails

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