Yule, Bayberry and DragonsBlood? A Yule Candle

An old Germanic poem says "A bayberry candle burned to the socket brings food to the larder and gold to the pocket."

An old world tradition is to burn a bayberry wax candle on Yule ( Winter Solstice ) or
Christmas Day, or New Years day in order to bring good luck, and to ensure prosperity, growth and happiness,
and good fortune and good health throughout the following year. They should be lit at sunset of the chosen night and allowed to burn until they go out by themselves.

But if you can not find candle made of true bayberry wax, or can not for what ever reason make a candle of bayberry wax, you may anoint a pure white , green, or beeswax candle with essential bayberry oil and it will serve the same purpose.

(the candles above : the green and red layered votives are bayberry wax and dragons blood oil in paraffin, while the solid green is bayberry scented paraffin. though i prefer soy candles for numerous reasons , some time you have to sacrifice a bit to achieve the end result. )

The candle can be empowered with the energy of your attentions, while anointing it with bayberry oil and inscribed with runes or other symbols for health and money, or whatever is desired before lighting.

To empower the candle , hold it in your hand ( if using oil take this time to rub the oil all over the length and on all sides of it slowly) while visualizing what your need and intention is. Picture that need or intention going in to the candle (some folks actually tell the candle out loud what the need is, or enchant it with a spell or prayers) . when you feel the candle has absorbed your need or intention , then, also while keeping those things in mind, carve the symbols you have chosen ( dollar signs, symbols of good health prosperity etc..) into the wax. Then burn as instructed above.

If the past year has been particularly hard or filled with negativity, the power of the bayberry can be boosted by using dragon’s blood oil three drops to the top or add to the anointing process if using a taper. Dragon’s Blood is said to boost the potency and power of other oils or incense and any empowerments, enchantments, prayers, or spells, to exorcise ( drive away ,release or remove) all evil and negative vibrations/energies, and to bring love, healing and protection. It is worth noting that it is also said to bring peace and quiet to a hectic or noisy house..

Bayberry wax candles , or unscented candles of gold, white , green or natural colored beeswax and a bottle of bayberry oil , and maybe a bottle of dragon’s blood oil if you know it will help the person you are giving it to , along with a card for instructions makes an excellent gift this time of year.. and if the candles are home made all the better!

Yuletide Blessings

The Yule Log

The Yule log, symbolic of the New , Bright, Shinning, Son/ Sun

Death is always fallowed by rebirth… endings are fallowed by
beginnings, just as the Sun precedes the Moon…

In Roman tradition, December 25 was "Dies Natalis Solis Invictus" or
the Day of the Birth of the Undefeated Sun.
In ancient times of lands such as Ireland, on or about the date of
December 21or the Winter Solstice, was the time the Son/Sun comes back
to Earth. Many customs surround these 2 dates, one of which is the
burning of the Yule fire.

Nordic Pagans regard Yule as the New Year , coinciding with the Solar
year . ( Samhain coincides with the Lunar year)

Yule marks the succession from the Holly King, who is the king of the
Waning year, to the Oak King, who is the king of the
Waxing year/ It symbolizes the rebirth of the God to the Virgin Goddess.

Yule is a Lesser Sabbat and is a Sun Sabbat.

In earliest times this tradition , the Yule fire was a bonfire burned
out doors.
The sacred blaze was built to give power and life to the sun, among
other things.
Burning a Yule log not only gives out warmth against the winter cold,
but it is said to posses the power to
burn off the misfortune of the ending year and to bring good health
and prosperity, protection , fertility,
and good fortune in the year to come.

Traditionally a log of Oak, but may be made of any good, hard wood,
available to you.
It was carved with images of the blazing sun to encourage the return
of the Son/Sun, or Divine Child of Light, The God.
It was also carved with other symbols representing plenty, prosperity,
fertility, wealth and love.
The Yule log was decorated with whipped bees wax that had been scented
with bayberries ( or bay berry wax if available)
to bring good fortune throughout the year to come. Sprigs of
evergreens, considered sacred and representing the Eternal
aspect of the Goddess, were added as a traditional symbol of life
everlasting. Holly leaves , which are representative of The
Holy King, symbolic of death and to guard the household against evil
spirits and symbolic of the promise of ongoing life.
Oak Leaves and acorns to represent the Oak King, and symbolic of
rebirth and of all things living within both the material
and spirit world (the Oak tree is host to mistletoe plant); The white
berries and leaves of the Mistletoe ( also known as The
Golden Bough)for fertility and symbolic of the sacred seed of the God
who embodies the spirit of vegetation and divine life;
fruits and grains or other seeds to celebrate the past harvest and
the hope for a good harvest in the new year. Other item are
often attached in representation and symbolisms of requested
blessings for the up coming year as well.


Later in it's history the Yule fire was brought indoors in the form of
the Yule Log.
Later a log that will burn continuously for 3 days would be used and
it's remnants used to light the next years fire.
Most fire places now days could never safely accommodate a 3 day
monster.
So to compensate, some individuals will split the log into 3 pieces ,
then all three pieces are decorated and one piece burnt each day; or
decorate 3 smaller logs .
yet others are satisfied with one log burnt on the night of the Winter
Solstice only...
And if you don't have a fireplace, you can make a Yule log and bore
holes to accommodate 2 hand dipped tapers, 1 for the Mother Goddess,
and one for the Divine Child of the Light, the God, and burn the
tapers down to just safely above the decorations surrounding it...this
then can be placed in a secret part of the garden to return to the
Earth and bless the land to which it is given.

No mater you adaptation of this tradition… you are sure to be blessed
by the incorporation of it into your Yule celebration