Diversity of Winter Solstice Rituals

December 21, 2001

Source: Los Angeles Times

On December 21, 2001, the Los Angeles Times reported that during the holiday season of December, "Pagans (of whom Wiccans are probably the most prominent group in America), Druids (derived from Celtic traditions) and others who belong to Earth-based religions will celebrate the solstice as a high holiday called Yule. (The freshly cut yule log is originally a Druidic practice distilled from Norse and Teutonic customs, a wintry counterpart to summertime bonfire celebrations)... 'Yule is really a Norse holiday,' says Liz Guerra, president of the Connecticut Wicca and Pagan Network. 'There's certain things Wiccans do during the holidays, while pagan religions are less structured. Depending on what kind of pagan you are, you will celebrate in different ways: You could be Native American, Egyptian or Celtic, and you would do different things to celebrate, though a lot of people tend to follow their ancestral roots.'"