PLANTS OF THE YULETIDE ✨️& their symbolism,guest bloggers John Forti and Artist ~ Carlton Alfred Smith

 Gardening is a big part of my life, and I don't like winter at all!  Having said that when I think about the seasons of the year the idea that winter is a dead time has always seemed wrong, so at some point, after seeing on the front gate of a garden center "DORMANT", well?  I began to think of winter as dormancy, just made sense to me thenbecause, there is very little growing going on, at least very little growing that you can readily see.  Trees and plants send out new roots, new animal life awaits new births and the plenty of Spring.  

That would make winter the season of rest and regeneration. I still don't like winter much.

 

  Merry Solstice! To that point. 

 

 

PLANTS OF THE YULETIDE & their symbolism ~ from The Heirloom Gardener - John Forti

History shows that the botanicals we used for holidays were simply those thriving in that season. Yuletide and Solstice botanicals used for decorations include:

•Evergreens (spruce,

 

arborvitae

, Christmas fern

and wintergreen

as symbols of immortality since they were among the only botanicals to stay green when all others lost their leaves.

•Yews represented the death of the old year and were a connection between this world and the next.

 

•Oak trees were revered for being long-lived. Even though they were not evergreen, they were symbols of eternal life and considered a source of protection, strength, and endurance.

 

•Rosemary, an evergreen shrub in warm climates, was called the herb of the sun and the herb of remembrance.

*Bay, an evergreen herb used in holiday garlands and comforting teas. Bay laurel also signifies achievement and celebration.

•Birch trees symbolized new beginnings.

 

•Mistletoe stood for peace, happiness and smooches.

 

•Holly was used for magical protection and good luck.

 

•Ivy symbolized fidelity, faithfulness, and healing and was made into wreaths and garlands to decorate during the winter.

 

•Pine symbolized peace, healing, and joy.

 

 

Artist ~ Carlton Alfred Smith [#heirloomgardener] Grow what you can and gather with respect to nature and the habitat you share.

 

Haiku~~~~~

 

above the horizon

the full moon, and rising sun  

weatherman said rain 

YULE, Merry Yule, a guest blogger

Sallyanne FoxHearth Of Wyrd

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Twas the night before Yuletide and all through the glen

Not a creature was stirring, not a fox, not a hen.

A mantle of snow shone brightly that night

As it lay on the ground, reflecting moonlight.

The faeries were nestled all snug in their trees,

Unmindful of flurries and a chilly north breeze.

The elves and the gnomes were down in their burrows,

Sleeping like babes in their soft earthen furrows.

When low! The earth moved with a thunderous quake,

Causing chairs to fall over and dishes to break.

The Little Folk scrambled to get on their feet

Then raced to the river where they usually meet.

"What happened?" they wondered, they questioned, they probed,

As they shivered in night clothes, some bare-armed, some robed.

"What caused the earth's shudder? What caused her to shiver?"

They all spoke at once as they stood by the river.

Then what to their wondering eyes should appear

But a shining gold light in the shape of a sphere.

It blinked and it twinkled, it winked like an eye,

Then it flew straight up and was lost in the sky.

Before they could murmur, before they could bustle,

There emerged from the crowd, with a swish and a rustle,

A stately old crone with her hand on a cane,

Resplendent in green with a flowing white mane.

As she passed by them the old crone's perfume,

Smelling of meadows and flowers abloom,

Made each of the fey folk think of the spring

When the earth wakes from slumber and the birds start to sing.

"My name is Gaia," the old crone proclaimed

in a voice that at once was both wild and tamed,

"I've come to remind you, for you seem to forget,

that Yule is the time of re-birth, and yet…"

"I see no hearth fires, hear no music, no bells,

The air isn’t filled with rich fragrant smells

Of baking and roasting, and simmering stews,

Of cider that’s mulled or other hot brews."

"There aren’t any children at play in the snow,

Or houses lit up by candles'glow.

Have you forgotten, my children, the fun

Of celebrating the rebirth of the sun?"

She looked at the fey folk, her eyes going round,

As they shuffled their feet and stared at the ground.

Then she smiled the smile that brings light to the day,

"Come, my children,"she said, "Let’s play."

They gathered the mistletoe, gathered the holly,

Threw off the drab and drew on the jolly.

They lit a big bonfire, and they danced and they sang.

They brought out the bells and clapped when they rang.

They strung lights on the trees, and bows, oh so merry,

In colors of cranberry, bayberry, cherry.

They built giant snowmen and adorned them with hats,

Then surrounded them with snowbirds, and snow cats and bats.

Then just before dawn, at the end of their fest,

Before they went homeward to seek out their rest,

The fey folk they gathered ‘round their favorite oak tree

And welcomed the sun ‘neath the tree's finery.

They were just reaching home when it suddenly came,

The gold light returned like an arrow-shot flame.

It lit on the tree top where they could see from afar

The golden-like sphere turned into a star.

The old crone just smiled at the beautiful sight,

"Happy Yuletide, my children," she whispered. "Good night."

 

 

And I do wish all of you a Merry Yule, the blessings of the Season, and a peaceful heart.  

My hope is that this work will be read to others on Yule. 

 

the full cold moon of December 2024 with guest bloggers

 

art work by my AI cyber friend

 

a long night's dreaming

 sleeping earth renews itself

 we rest by the hearth

 

 

 

usatoday.com

December 2024 full moon: This weekend's 'cold' moon will feature a lunar rarity

3–4 minutes

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The sky will offer up an early Christmas present this weekend: The year's final full moon, known as the cold moon, will appear early Sunday, Dec. 15.

Though the moon will officially be full Sunday, it will still look plenty full in the night sky both Saturday and Monday as well.

This month's full moon will also feature a lunar rarity: According to TimeandDate.com, the full moon on Dec. 15, 2024, will rise and set at its most extreme northerly points on the horizon — the result of a once-every-18.6 year cycle.

A lunar rarity: The moon reaches its northernmost point on the horizon

The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles reports that every 18.6 years, our moon reaches the extremes of its orbit around the Earth. "We observe this as the moon rises and sets at its most northerly and southerly positions on the horizon," the Observatory said in a statement.

On December 15, we will observe the Moon rising as far to the north as it ever does, the observatory said. This happens during what's known as the "major lunar standstill."

What is the 'major lunar standstill'

The major lunar standstill results from the rotation of the moon’s inclined orbit over an 18.6-year cycle, the observatory said.

It occurs, Space.com said, because the moon doesn't follow the same path as the sun. "Its rising and setting positions on the horizon change constantly due to the movements of Earth and the moon," Space.com reported.

The Chimney Rock (Colorado) Interpretive Association explains further: "The moon’s orbit of Earth oscillates or wobbles, gradually causing the moon to rise at different points on the horizon over the years. The entire cycle of wobbling north to south and north again takes 18.6 years.

"At each end of its swing, the moon appears to pause for about three years, rising at the same point on the horizon before beginning to move back toward the opposite end of the swing. This pause is known as a major lunar standstill."

When is the full moon?

December's full moon will reach peak illumination on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 4:02 a.m. EST, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Why is it called the cold moon?

December’s full moon is most commonly known as the cold moon, which is "a Mohawk name that conveys the frigid conditions of this time of year when cold weather truly begins to grip us," the Old Farmer's Almanac said.

NASA agrees, adding that "the cold moon gets its name because December is the month when it really starts to get cold, although our coldest average temperatures are in January."

It's also called the 'long night moon'

Another name for the December moon is the long night moon, due to its proximity to the winter solstice, which marks the longest night of the year.

The winter solstice this year is Saturday December 21 at 4:19 a.m. EST.

When is the first full moon of 2025?

January’s full moon, the first of 2025, will rise on Monday, Jan. 13. It’s dubbed the wolf moon, since wolves’ howls were more likely to be heard during winter, per the Almanac.

Contributing: Cailey Gleeson, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Iris Seaton, The Asheville Citizen Times

 

 

 

 

 

vvbv

Guest blooger, Catherine Boeckmann, on St Nicholas Day

 The following post is rather late for this year, but ......

 

 

almanac.com

St. Nicholas Day 2023

Catherine Boeckmann

6–8 minutes

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For daily wit & wisdom, sign up for the Almanac newsletter.

Was Saint Nicholas a real person? Is he the model for Santa Claus and Father Christmas? Find out about the history of St. Nicholas Day and the traditions associated with this holiday (leave out those shoes!).

Saint Nicholas Day: The Feast of Sinterklaas

At the beginning of the Advent season is St. Nicholas Day (December 6—or December 19 on the Julian calendar).  

St. Nicholas was a bishop who was known for his good deeds, especially for the needy and children. He often gave generously and anonymously (without anyone knowing the gifts were from him). Nicholas was officially recognized as a saint in the 800s, and in the 1200s, Catholics in France began celebrating Bishop Nicholas Day on December 6.

Read Next

Many European countries celebrate the Feast of Sinterklaas—also known as St. Nicholas—starting on the 5th of December, the eve of the day, by sharing candies, chocolate letters, small gifts, and riddles. Children put out their shoes with carrots and hay for the saint’s horse the evening prior, hoping St. Nicholas would exchange them for small gifts. (Sound familiar?)

In Belgium and the Netherlands, a fellow dressed as St. Nicholas would arrive (often by steamboat from Spain) in mid-November. He would then spend the next weeks checking if children had been good and done their best that year. On December 5 (Netherlands) or on December 6 (Belgium), he would then usually ride a white horse (or a donkey) through the towns, handing out gifts. It was the Dutch pronunciation of his name—Sinterklaas—as well as Dutch traditions that made their way to America. These led the way to the name Santa Claus and the gift-giving tradition.

For many European countries, this simple gift-giving day in early Advent helps preserve a Christmas Day focus on the meaning of Christmas itself.

When Is St. Nicholas Day This Year?

Year	St. Nicholas Day
2023	Wednesday, December 6
2024	Friday, December 6
2025	Saturday, December 6
2026	Sunday, December 6

Saint Nicholas Traditions

You may find it interesting that some of our Santa Claus traditions indeed came from St. Nicholas Day. If your children are confused about Santa Claus, tell them the story of St. Nicholas, who was a bonafide saint who bestowed gifts onto others to demonstrate his faith.

Leaving out Shoes

The most common way to celebrate St. Nicholas Day is to leave shoes out for St. Nicholas to place small gifts in. Socks are fine, too.

Traditionally, the gifts are simply small candies or coins—little items that bring a lot of joy to children. If you wish to celebrate this tradition, leave shoes or wooden clogs by the door on the evening of December 5.

In the morning, the shoes will be filled with small delights (candy canes, spare change, foreign coins).

The Candy Cane

The candy cane also symbolizes St. Nicholas, representing his staff. Add small candy canes to the shoes, or decorate your tree! We won’t tell if you eat a few candies on the way!

Sinterklaas Cookies

A traditional treat on St. Nicholas Day is Spicy Sinterklaas Cookies, also known as Speculaas. These are spicy ginger cookies, often baked in a mold shaped like St. Nicholas!

Other traditions equate St. Nicholas with Santa Claus, which means that St. Nicholas comes on the night of December 24, leaving presents for children to open on December 25. What day does Christmas fall on this year?

St. Nicholas History: Who Was the Real St. Nicholas?

In the 3rd century, in the village of Patara in Turkey (part of Greece in those days), a wealthy couple gave birth to a boy they named Nicholas. Tragically, while Nicholas was young, an epidemic took the lives of both of his parents.

Having been raised as a Christian, he dedicated his life to service, sold his belongings, and used his inheritance to help the poor and infirm. Eventually, Nicholas became a bishop, and his reputation for helping children, sailors, and other needy people spread far and wide. For this, the Roman emperor Diocletian persecuted and imprisoned him (and other religious men)—but only until the Romans realized that they had so filled their prisons with clergy that they had no place to put the thieves and murderers. So the Romans let the religious men go free.

Upon his release, Nicholas continued his charity work until he died on December 6, A.D. 343. It was said that a liquid that formed in his grave had healing powers. This and other legends about Nicholas fostered devotion to him and inspired traditions still practiced today.

 St. Nicholas gives gifts to children.
Photo Credit: Photos.com/Thinkstock.

Is St. Nicholas Really Santa Claus?

A few legends of St. Nicholas relate to the story of Santa Claus—one about gift-giving and the other about children.

In one tale, a poor man had three daughters and no dowry for any of them, thus eliminating their chance at marriage and risking their being sold into slavery instead. Mysteriously, as each girl came of marriageable age, a bag of gold (or, in some versions, a ball of gold or orange) was lobbed through a window and landed in a sock or shoe near the hearth. The unknown gift-giver was presumed to have been Nicholas, and the situation inspired the placement of the fireplace of stockings or shoes into which gifts were placed.

Another legend dates from long after Nicholas’s passing. In his home village, during a celebration on the anniversary of Nicholas’s death, a young boy was kidnapped to become a slave to a neighboring region’s emir. The family grieved for a year, and on the anniversary of the boy’s disappearance, they refused to leave their home. Good thing: As the story goes, Nicholas appeared, spirited the boy away from his captors, and deposited him in his house—with the gold cup from which he was serving the emir still in his hand. This once again established Nicholas as a patron and protector of children.

Nicholas was celebrated as a saint within a century of his death and today is venerated as the patron of children and sailors, captives, travelers, marriageable maidens, laborers—even thieves and murderers. He is the patron of many cities and regions, and thousands of churches are named for him worldwide.

Learn More

• Read more about the origins of popular Christmas traditions.
• See our favorite Christmas Dinner recipes!

Deck the Hall and all that Jazz

It really is true, that I prefer  decorating  and baking for Christmas to getting gifts.  Today it begins...usually with putting up the outdoor lights, uhhh it's a bit cold for that, perhaps just wreaths in the window, or candoliers.  I have a slue of them, elegant, even impactful, especially if you team them with a smallish spray of evergreen and nice bow, I have bows that that were made about 20 years ago and still look like new, so OK the one that the cat attacked does look, well beat up.  There is just something warm about candoliers!   Mine are mostly from yard sales, all slightly different, which I like.   Flame bulbs are my favorite, and what I always look for at the after Christmas sales.  Which now usually start before Christmas, I would like to think because seeing leftover decorations after Christmas is sad, somehow I don't think that is the reason though.  Perhaps it is to insure that there are a few leftovers a possible.

  I do solemnly swear, I want to and  will find a whole bunch of these little flame style light bulbs on  sale, some day!!! 

 A big question  for me has always been "Where will I ever find the time to decorate the way I want to?" but the answer is really simple, "I won't, no one can except may-be Martha and she has a staff to help her.  But I take great pleasure in it anyway.    I should be decorating now, I can easily, dress several trees, because I have several artificial trees,most of them small.  Almost all of them were given to me, and that is I the how and why of that.  Some years I find a good home for an orphaned tree...and I feel good....realllllly good.  

Over time I have been gifted and inherited a room full of ornaments, each one retells it's story as I hang it on the tree.   Sweet and bittersweet memories blend.....{Pardon me.....gotta get one of the dark chocolate Santas I just bought} and if the snow is gently

falling well then it is the perfect scene.  

And that brings me to cookies and other goodies, but I leave those up to others....usually.  My guess is that, it has something to do with all the goodies made the first  Christmas in my own house and how much food got wasted....just my guess and my error.

,And then there are cards... now on to brighter subjects, except for when I am in the mood to make my owncard, and I am careful never to send them to people who don't realize that making a card from recycled cards is a labor of LOVE.

Bah Humbug,,,, Sayith Ebeneezer!!! scratch them off the list and run over their Christmas coal with a steam roller.

This is turning into, a good and bad of it list!!! Or is that more like a commentary on the reality when plans don't go as planned and it takes a sense of humor to get thru,  and or a TON of creativity, and a bushel of patience , and a snow shovel full of inspiration. some  One wonders why one looks forward to this season? 

 

 

Haiku~~~~~note to self

asleep, sky and stars

awaken, to swirling snows

sleeping,  thru winter