A thread for Yule activities/ways to celebrate with family:

[xScorpionPriestessx]

With Yule coming up next month, I wanted to make this thread so members can post their ideas/practices they do on Yule to celebrate, or things we can do to show devotion to our Gods!
I especially felt this could be an opportunity for newer members to learn some practices for the holidays, decorations we can make, festivities sacred to Yule, etc.

I wanted to change the way I celebrate the winter solstice this year, since I am now a devoted member of the JoS, I didn't want to do things how I used to for "christmas".
So, if anyone has any fun ideas, or practices they do for Yule, can you guys share some ideas?
I know Father's day is the day after the Winter Solstice, which would be Dec 22nd for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, but I also read his most important day of celebration is Dec. 23rd. So, we of course will do Father's power ritual on those days.
I was doing some research on Yule festivities, and saw a couple ideas I'll post, but others who see this, please feel free to share other ideas!

Yule Festivities to enjoy with the family:
Pinecone wishes: Gather pinecones around the yard, and have each family member write down wishes on little scraps of paper. Roll the wish papers up, and stick them on individual petals of the pinecone, as many wishes as you desire. The next step can be done in two ways: 1) Save the pinecones until New Years Eve, and on that night, light a bonfire, and have everyone throw their pinecones into the fire to carry their wishes away on the smoke. Or 2) you don't have to wait for New Years Eve, and just burn them in the bonfire on Yule. Up to you!
Make a wreath with your family: Gather flimsy sticks/vines from around the yard, or buy a bare wreath from the store. Wreaths are symbolic of the Wheel of the Year, symbolizing life, death and rebirth during the seasons!
Make a Yule log: Find a nice log. Decorate the log with whatever you like, examples could be: evergreens, holiday colored berries, etc. After decorating, place candles on the top of the log; you can heat up the bottom of the candle with a lighter to get the wax hot, then fasten the candles to the log, or you can carve little grooves for the candles to sit in if they won't stay. The candles symbolize the return of the Sun.
Make homemade ornaments: You could use dried fruit, cinnamon sticks, little discs of wood to wood-burn runes/sigils into! Whatever you like!
Make a dried fruit garland: I've seen many people dry out fruit, usually oranges, grapefruit, apple, etc. After drying, they take a piece of string or wire, and string the fruit through it. You could even incorporate fairy lights on it to make it light up!
Make homemade crowns: Some people use holly, but you could make it with whatever you like! You could even add little antlers to them, to make a headdress that resembles the Horned God!
Make a Yule altar, separate from your personal altar, so family can give offerings if they wish: I plan on making an altar next to the Yule tree, and setting out candles and offerings for the Gods

That's all I can think of. These are just festivities you can partake in with your family, if you so wish.
If anyone has anything else they do on Yule, share if you like! I could use more ideas, honestly. Especially when it comes to devotional thing we can do for the Gods during the Holidays!

Much love and many blessings to all the JoS this Yule!

 

[Demonic Tech]

I never did anything for Yule because I'm the only one who'd be celebrating it among everyone I know, now my girlfriend who is aware of my beliefs wants to do something, she may not be SS but she is intrigued by the idea of doing this. She actually sounds more thrilled than me about it. I guess I still feel somewhat weird about it because unfortunately I as anyone else have never been exposed to the tradition, really no one has in the latest 500 years. It bums me out that no one else in my "real" life holds the same beliefs...
I'd like to break out of this mindset, I will watch this thread to see further suggestions.
By the way thank you for making this post and gathering some suggestions already.

 

[xScorpionPriestessx]

I never did anything for Yule because I'm the only one who'd be celebrating it among everyone I know, now my girlfriend who is aware of my beliefs wants to do something, she may not be SS but she is intrigued by the idea of doing this. She actually sounds more thrilled than me about it. I guess I still feel somewhat weird about it because unfortunately I as anyone else have never been exposed to the tradition, really no one has in the latest 500 years. It bums me out that no one else in my "real" life holds the same beliefs...
I'd like to break out of this mindset, I will watch this thread to see further suggestions.
By the way thank you for making this post and gathering some suggestions already.

I definitely understand the feeling. I have multiple family members who are still active christians, and it's exhausting being around them, especially on holidays.
I'm glad you have a partner now who appreciates your beliefs and actively tries to participate in the holiday traditions with you!
I get what you mean about not really knowing what to do, as our traditions have been suppressed for hundreds of years. I was looking into ancient practices of Yule in different Pagan cultures, such as Rome, Greece, Norway, Ireland, so on and so forth. Rome used to celebrate a week long festival called Saturnalia, and the Norse would celebrate by making Yule goats out of straw and having huge bonfires, telling stories around the fire and exchanging gifts. The Celts were basically the same as Norse, with a few different practices.
I would suggest looking into some of the ancient practices, as I was, because you may find some call out to your soul and invoke a sense of excitement to try these things. Even though it'll just be you and your lady, I'm sure you guys can have a great Yule together, Brother
I'll add more suggestions to here as I find them

 

[xScorpionPriestessx]

Also wanted to add what is on the JOS website about Yule:
"YULE/WINTER SOLSTICE
December 22nd-23rd

Although the Solstice begins on the 21st-22nd of December, the 23rd is a very special Personal Day for Father. The Sun enters the sign of the Goat which represents Satan. The Night of December 22nd- the eve of December 23rd is the Highest Satanic Holy Night of the year. (This was dictated from him personally). It is the day after the longest night of the year. Again we look forward to beginnings, as the days will begin to get longer as the year goes on. This is a time for intense celebration and devotion to Lord Satan. Indulgence, decorating the home, family celebrations and get-togethers. The Night of Dec. 22nd should be spent in dedication to Satan. This is an excellent time to focus on planning for the year. If one wishes to make personal resolutions this is a good time to do so.

At the high point of a ritual, personal resolutions can be written on paper and burned. Father Satan is always there to help us in having the strength to carry through with our intentions. After the rite, intense celebrating should take place.

The Yule holidays for Satanists are times of indulgence and taking pleasure in the physical and material aspects of life. Actually, Xmas trees and wreaths are Pagan in origin, so there is no reason not to celebrate this holiday with our families with gift giving, baking, and decorating. This is what the TRUE Yule season is about, not that filthy worthless Nazarene."