That Time of Year Again!

[Crazy Healer Lady]

With only three days before Yule, I was wondering what everyone is planning. M'self, the boy and I are going to be talking a long walk through the woods, and celebrating in the evening with a "feast" of sorts, and black cherry juice for wine, and many many candles. I'll be taking the time to observe the lord of the forest, to see if there is a shift in things, because of course of the legend of the Oak and Holly Kings, or at least be speaking with them (the lord of the forest) on this day of celebration. Offerings, of course, will be left I am happy. I haven't spoken with the lord of the forest in a long while, except to ask permission to enter the woods, and the lord of THIS forest, I haven't had a chat with yet, although we are on good terms.

After that, Christmas will be spent with my in-laws, and then it's off to a week with my parents. My ma felt badly that we didn't get a vacation this year, and so, as our Xmas present, contacted a friend nearby who owns a lodge, or what he calls a "village." We'll be spending two nights in a beautiful log cabin, with the most amazing scenery. Because he's a friend, we got the best cabin. I don't care if it's the best. It's a CABIN! Talk about manifesting! By this time next year, if all goes right, we'll have our own cabin, as a friend and I have teamed up and are actively working right now to better the world, and create monetary prosperity for ourselves in the meantime. So, a few nights in a warm cabin with a woodstove atop Canim Lake (incredibly beautiful) will really help us in manifesting this. Many pictures will be taken

What are your plans?

[Kystar]

I'm hoping to get time to make a nice garland of popcorn and dried fruits to put out as an offering to the critters around here for Yule...other than that, a quiet dinner at home.

Xmas is a mad-dash this year b/c hubby only gets a day and a half (Xmas eve off at 12 pm, off all day Xmas), but he works the day after, so we can't really visit with the folks. So, it will be a mad dash up on Xmas Eve to be at the grandparents for their get-together, then Xmas morning with hubby's parents, and I think Xmas lunch in there before we burn the road up to get home. Sigh.

New Years might be better, as we're staying home and as far as I know we're going to have guests.

Oh well.
Happy Holidays to everyone.

[Lotus]

This year I am going to try and make it to a public ritual held at a local pagan store. My place is too messed up for me to decorate and clean like I should for a celebration. I might do a short ritual in the woods by buring a fire in one of their fireplaces (in the good park that has not problems with Pagans: Highbanks). I did this ritual for Yule a few years ago with good success. On Monday, I will attend the Witches-meetup where the event will be held in a very quaint Irish pub. This Yule for me will be a very social one.
As for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I will most likely be working. No problem. I do not mind the extra money nor do I mind the escape from both mine and my SO's families. The hours are cut anyways.
New Years Eve and New Years day, I will most likely be working as well. Even the "Pet" will be working due to my much complaining of her having off.

BB
Lotus

[Kitsune]

Well, Yule is on Sunday this year (as I'm quite sure all of you noticed ), which means my birthday is on Monday. Since nobody wants to leave their house on a monday night after they worked and just got home, I'm having a birthday dinner here at my home on Yule.

We'll be feasting with friends and celebrating my birthday!

For the celebration, me and Grimwell will have a ritual later that night. I would love to get out of the city, but I don't think it's going to be in the cards this year (we have a car, but with daily highs of -25 degrees Celcius, getting on average to temps of -40 C once you factor in Windchill, the car engine may freeze if left out long enough).

Enjoy your woods Crazy, and perhaps if you could put in a good word for me???

Anyways, after that, my actual birthday will be just me at home, enjoying the day, and meeting Grimwell at my favourite restaurant for a birthday dinner.

Then December 24 is traditionally, when I go to visit family and give and recieve Christmas gifts. This year, we have even convinced Grimwell's Mother to do Christmas on the 24th, which means that we can actually spend Christmas Day at home relaxing!

To end it off, Me and Grimwell celebrate Twelveth Night. Which means that 12 days after Yule (generally co-inciding with January 1st), me and Grimwell exchange our gifts of the Season, to celebrate that the sun has indeed returned (and twelve days after Yule, we can actually tell that our "gifts to the God" have been accepted and light is returning with our own eyes).

So, that'll be our plans! Whose next?

[Maelroth]

Happy Birthday Kitsune

Draconia and I will be spending Yule at our high priestess house (we live with them now anyway )
our HP's Daughter and another member of the coven will be conducting our ritual on Saturday because of time and schedule requirements for some of the others. We will be pot lucking for our Yule feast so I, one of the chefs, don't have to worry about too much cooking. YAY!!!!! but this means we don't exactly know what we will be eating

As for Xmas we will be staying home I think, we don't know for sure yet. One in-law in the hospital, one in from Utah, not sure if the one from Colorado is coming to Cali this year.
And my mom will be over from the beach to visit on the 24th

New Years is going to be a little more sober this year for me (health issues) but we will probably have a party.

Thank the LORD & LADY we aren't travelling this year. Our Blessings and Love to all.

Have a Cool Yule Y'all!!!

[Ragnar]

AHEMMM: Not till the 11th January. Nearest full moon AFTER 21 December.

Found this which is quite usefull. I will also put it as a sticky somewhere:

http://www.paulcarlisle.net/mooncalendar/

[Crazy Healer Lady]

Just a quick note: Happy Litha to our friends on the other side of the big red line!

And Ragnar thank you for posting the moon calendar. I am a visual person and am taking great joy from this!

[Willow]

Busy busy holiday. My first Christmas away from home with my husbands parents, we will see how it goes. We have had to delay our travel plans a little because of snow and storms, but oh well, tis the season.

The 26th is my sisters B-day so we have to scoot back to Toronto as fast as possible. I have a major presetnation at school coming up in January so most of my holidays will be taken up with preparing for that.

Low key new years though, I am looking forward to that! And a happy solstice to everyone too! I always feel like this is a turning point in the year. Maybe today is a good day for resolutions!

[davisherm]

No real big plans today. Just spend time with my wife and our daughter. And then dig out from this awful mess that got dumped on us the last couple of days.

Just came in from that and I plan to enjoy the family.

Christmas, we'll be kind of all over - night before we'll be at her grandparents, then morning here at home, then off to my folks for presents and my dad's birthday, and then to her brother's for dinner. I hope it doesn't snow.