Yule Eve (2014)

Today is the eve before the Solstice (Yule) and so I’m writing this blog post down. The longest night of the year. Light the Yule log. Bake Yule cakes for each child. The house must be thoroughly cleaned and a light left burning all night. Put out a bowl of porridge with a pat of butter on top for the house wright.

Since I don’t have money to do any of those things, this will be a holiday that I won’t be observing. Next year will most likely be different then this year. Sadly, sometimes that happens. I hope that all of you have a good one and thank the house wright for what you have.

HAIL THOR!!!! HAIL ODIN!!!!

Mother’s Night

So tonight is Mother’s Night and so I’m going to post some info about this holiday. Personally I like the tone that this holiday sets and it reminds us that the warmth will be here soon. I really love that aspect of it.

Mother’s Night. A fest in honor of Frigg and mothers. A time to celebrate the family, especially the women and children, and female ancestors. Eat Yule cookies and read fairy tales. (Celebrated in the Shetlands on the 15 as “Helya’s E’en.”) From this time through the end of Yule, all spinning must be finished and put away.

I hope that you all have a good one.

HAIL ODIN!!!!

Tunderman’s Night

This is another Heathen holiday that I’ve never heard of before. But I’m going to list it as it’s apart of the calendar that’s in this book. Info is below.

All work is suspended, especially that involving wheels. The Yuletide fuel supply is brought in. Take this opportunity to have a feast honoring Thor and his protection from winter storms.

I hope that all of you will have a good one.

HAIL THOR!!!!

Tulya’s E’en

Okay, this one is a new one and one I’m glad that I heard about. It really talks much about how deep and wide the Norse culture was.

This day opens what the people of the Shetland Islands, whose culture was primarily Norse, called the ‘Merry Month.” Seven days before Yule, all the trolls are released from underground. This is also the season when Odin and the Wild Hunt (oskerei) ride. Householders protect their farms by saining (“Blessing) them with the sign of the hammer, and fire is carried through all the buildings.

I personally found this to be very interesting and a lot more details then some of the other Heathen groups have. I hope that you all are having a good one and may Odin bless you.

HAIL ODIN!!!!

Santa Lucia’s Day/Feast of Sunna

So time for another on-time blog post. Today is the Feast of Sunna. This feast, in which Sunna’s role has been transferred to an Italian saint and moved from it’s original solstice date, is still a national holiday in Sweden. The eldest daughter of the house, robed in white and crowed with candles, rises and serves coffee and sun cakes to the family. I’m going to pray that none of the wax falls into either the coffee or the cakes.

Talk about a ruined family meal. Giggles. Still, it’s interesting how the old ways still live, even though times have changed. To me Christianity didn’t destroy the old pagan ways, they transformed them. And, thus, they have allowed them to survive.

HAIL TO ODIN!!!!

Remembrance for Egil Skallagrimsson

Finally getting one of these blog posts done, on time. I’m sorry about not paying attention to the time and letting these posts get away from me. I will keep that from happening in the future. So, onto the next Heathen holiday. Today we do remembrance of Egil Skallagrimsson, a name that I can’t even pronounce. This is what’s known about him.

This is a time to honor the grouchy berserker who was also one of the greatest poets of his age. Read Egil’s Saga. Try your hand at writing poetry.

My mother is a much better poet than I am, but I’m going to go as far as honoring him by reading poetry. I love doing that more than trying my hand at something that I know I’m not skilled at. But I will read his saga and pour mead in his honor.

HAIL ODIN!!!