History
Yule celebrations have roots in ancient Roman observations of Saturnalia, which lasted from December 17th to December 25th (Nock, 2007). Saturnalia was a feast for the God of Saturn, which was also called The Golden Age (Nock, 2007). The Golden Age ended when Saturn was overthrown by Jupiter. Saturnalia died out, but Pagans picked up many of the traditions, using them to celebrate the winter solstice (Nature, 1998).
Yule was the perfect time to celebrate the holidays, rest, and relax. Harvesting was done, thus providing plenty of time for leisure and a feast (Nock, 2007). During the Yule celebration, the winter solstice occurred. This day marked the shortest day and longest night of the year. The celestial events made the night feel more special. The constellations and stars in the sky are much brighter on the night of the winter solstice than any other night of the year. This helped the Pagans to focus their gratitude and devotion to the beings in the sky (Nock, 2007).
Roman God of Saturn
The god of Saturn created a time of peace without war and work (Nock, 2007).
Recently, folklorists have been interested in modern Pagan religions (Hutton, 2008). Hutton (2008) states that Paganism is unique and becoming widely popular due to the individualized self-expression and absence of sin and salvation. The seasonal celebrations of Pagan holidays help to bring Pagans together (Hutton, 2008). Even if Pagans cannot be together in person to celebrate the ritual of the solstice, they may be able to honor the solstice over video chat or a shared video (Sims, Stevens, 2011). No matter the setting, Yule may be celebrated through a ritual that can help express the beliefs and values of Paganism. Modern-day celebrations typically involve a feast and a ritual. The feast is used to connect oneself to the season (Hutton, 2008). Rituals are used to celebrate the gods and goddesses behind the holiday, but due to a lack of fear of the divine, modern Pagans do not think there is something more powerful than humanity, which is the biggest difference between ancient and modern traditions (Hutton, 2008).
Orion Constellation
The Orion Constellation is the brightest in the night sky during the winter solstice. Orion was the greatest hunter in Greek mythology. Pagans believe seeing this constellation in the sky alludes to the great powers of the sun (Nock, 2007).