Rating: 
Summary: A book on Celebration of the Season
Review: This book, published in 2000, is a look at the holiday of Yule, as a celebration of the Sun God, the return of Light and the joyous celebration we have come to know today.
Ms. Morrison starts out by presenting us with the origins of Sun-welcoming from its days in ancient Egypt as the festival of Horus and moves us through time to present day celebrations of light. Included in this are brief descriptions of the origins of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Yule, all which honor in some fashion the return of the days of light and/or the aspect of God. This is not a study of the origins of Yule or Christmas, but an observation of the commonality of the various holidays that cluster around the Winter Solstice. There is also a brief overview of how many other countries celebrate this time of year when the God is honored and/or the change in the season is celebrated.
The rest of the book covers these celebrations, with discussions ranging from omens and superstitions, to food and drink, to crafts and gifts that make this season special.
We look at lore regarding animals, monsters, food and gifts, the traditions of hanging stockings over the fireplace and those wonderful weather words of wisdom to mention a few. There is also Yule trivia and facts.
The second part of the book gives us the crafts, recipes and Dorothy's wonderful spellworkings that help to celebrate this time of year. She covers preparation for the holiday, decorating ideas and traditions, a little history/mythtory about the obligatory tree and it's decorating and some ideas for holiday cards.
Then there is the "Gifting, Feasting and Festing" which includes ideas for home made gifts (bath salts to potted plants), party preparations and unique ideas (from setting up the guest list to planning party games) and, of course, the food. And many are graced with some ideas of how to make each "magically special" with Dorothy's well known spellworkings. Make birdbaths with terra cotta flower pots and add a special spell for the birds to safely enjoy them. Make a "floating holiday centerpiece" with candles, a punch bowl and assorted items and include a holiday blessing for all those who will sit at the table. These are but a few of the delightful items included in this book for your holiday pleasure.
The book is easy to read and use. There are illustrations that make this book a celebration in print, not to mention the stellar cover art all by Kate Thomsson. And, of course, what would this book be without Dorothy's wonderful recipes and words of wisdom.
This book is not about the origins of or any one particular holiday nor is it about any specific path. This book is a celebration of a season. It presents us with many traditions, many ideas and a really good reason to have a darn good time during a season when we take the time to relax, enjoy our good friends and family and need to feel the warmth of companionship on cold winter nights. boudica
Rating:
Summary: Full of Light and Warmth, just like the Season!
Review: What a wonderful book this is. As a pagan, the amount of "Christmas" that is all around tends to frustrate me during the Yule season, and there's some great folklore and ritual to be found in these pages.Last year I bought this book about a month before Yule occurred, and this book was invaluable. I usually manage to have a few friends over for Yule dinner on the 23rd, and this book turned it into an experience that all of them passed positive comments on. From the neat little touches of decoration, to the rituals and prayers and party games, this book is just stuffed with fantastic bits and pieces to make any wiccan or pagan Yule a blast! The discussion of the history of Yule, as well as the commonalities of Yule with the various December/January holidays that parallel with it across the globe, is quite interesting, and I found myself just sitting with a cup of tea and reading the book cover to cover. I packed it away with my Yule decorations, knowing that it will be right on top when I open the box next year.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun book about the holidays
Review: While this book centers on topics about the Winter Solstice, there still is a weatlth of information about the holiday season, ranging from holiday customs in different countries and how they got started, various Christmas traditions and how they too got started, brief descriptions of holiday festivals (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc), even "Yuletide triva." What I found interesting was how many American Christmas traditions actually got their start in the Pagan culture. There are also chapters on Yule gifts, hosting succesful and fun holiday parties, and numerous recipes for holiday treats. The final section lists a "daily event calendar" for the month of December. It's interesting to know how each day of the month it seems is set aside for some "celebration" or other if you choose to celebrate each of them. Even if this holiday season is almost over, this still is a fun book to have not just as an informal "holiday reference" book, but also as a way to enjoy the entire holiday season.
Rating:
Summary: A Delightful Holiday Treat
Review: Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth is a fascinating and fun book showing that the spirit of the season is universal, no matter how you choose to celebrate or worship. Warmth and light are common to winter holidays like Yule, Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, and all of humanity can join together in the spirit of peace, love and harmony at this special time of year.
This book features holiday history and customs from around the world, traditions and symbolism, craft ideas and instructions, recipes, and much more. In the first chapter, the author discusses the history of Yule and other sun-welcoming traditions which then gave birth to many Christmas symbols and traditions
Because Pagans also worshipped the sun, Christians set Jesus' birthday on December 25th, which was a Pagan celebration--and called the festival "Birth of the Son". Since "son" was pronounced the same as "sun", the Christians figured that the Pagans would assume this was just an addition to their own festivals. Note: Historians and theologians place Jesus' actual birth sometime in the Spring. Because Bethlehem's winters are brutal, shepherds would only be tending flocks at night during warmer months.
Chapter 2 provides a fascinating glimpse into the origins of Christmas and Yuletide traditions and symbols, including elves, gifts exchanges, holly, mistletoe, reindeer, snowflakes, 12 days of Christmas, wassail, wreaths, and much more.
Chapter 3 explains festivals of light from around the world, including Kwanzaa and Yule, and chapter 4 provides an interesting look into holiday customs from around the world--including Argentina, Australia, China, Denmark, India, Mexico, Netherlands, Pakistan, Scotland, and other countries. In Ireland, for example, a candle is put in the window on Christmas Eve to light the way of Mary and Joseph and other travelers who may wander by. Most Irish celebrations are on December 26th, St. Stephen's Day.
Chapter 5 is about omens and superstitions associated with Christmas. For example, legend has it that animals can speak on Christmas Eve--but the same legend says it's unlucky to hear them!
Chapter 6 is about Yuletide trivia and fun facts. Did you know that the reindeer Donner is really Donder, and means thunder? He was paired with Blitzen whose name means lightning. And where did we get the modern image of Santa Claus? From none other than the Coca-Cola company!
Chapter 7 addresses making room for Yule, including cleaning rituals and success charms. Chapter 8 provides instructions for quick and easy Yule decorations, such as a Holiday Harmony Tree (made with small, thick magazines), Mistletoe Ball, placemats, and even Yuletide crafts for children. Easy-to-make sun catchers and a hand print wreath are but two of these easy and fun crafts for kids. Chapter 9 features other winter crafts such as creating a Winter Scene on a small table, and making bottled snowflakes.
Chapter 10 is all about the Yule tree, including choosing a tree, a tree blessing ritual, how to make a tree skirt, and nine ornament ideas--including Swirled Ornaments and Cinnamon-Apple Ornaments. Chapter 11 is about making your own holiday cards, while Chapter 12 gives great holiday gift ideas. A few include Pine Cone Fire Starters, Bath Salts, Flower Pot Candle, Scented Mug Coasters, Dog Biscuits, Kitty Treats, Peanut Butter Bird Feeder Cakes, and Herbal Energy Sachets. Chapter 13 gives fun wrapping and name tag ideas.
Chapter 14 is called Let's Party! and gives wonderful decorating ideas for the holiday table, while Chapter 15 provides party ideas and games. The author even includes a full-length holiday word search that can be photocopied for your guests or children!
And what holiday gathering would be complete without food and drink? Chapter 16 gives dozens of recipes from Plum Pudding to Pecan Pralines, Hot Buttered Rum to Crockpot Wassail, and Spanish Turkey Soup to Reindeer Sandwiches. In Chapter 17, the author shares some of her own personal traditions which I found particularly fascinating since she's a Pagan and her husband is a Christian.
Chapter 18 is a calendar for daily celebrations ideas for the holidays for the entire month of December. For example, the Japanese celebrate Hari No Kuyo (The Festival of Broken Needles) on this day to reclaim the feminine arts and enjoy them. Also included in this chapter are formalized Yule rituals. It was a treat to read about the various traditions and holidays on each of the 30 days--and it provides a great way to imbue the holidays with traditions that may be unfamiliar but share the common thread of love, joy, peace, and charity.
Chapter 19 provides ideas on keeping the holidays happy, but the author is sensitive to the fact that sometimes depression creeps upon even the most positive of folks--and that it can be a very trying time for many. Chapter 20 gives practical after-holiday tips--including putting cranberry, sunflower, and acorn garland outside as a treat for the birds.
Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth also contains four appendices: Appendix I is a list of the goddesses associated with Yule, Appendix II is a list of the gods associated with Yule, Appendix III is a list of holiday greetings from around the world (for example in Wales it's Nadolig Llawen and in Germany, it's Froehliche Weihnachten), and Appendix IV is a list of 15 Yule and Christmas-related websites.
In Conclusion
This is an information-packed book on Yule and other holiday celebrations of love, warmth, peace, and brotherhood that would be of great interest to history (and religious history) buffs, as well as those who love fresh craft and recipe ideas. The spells and enchantments may be off-putting to those who are traditional Christians, but there is much in this book aside from these references. Those who are Pagans, as well as those who celebrate the universal feelings of wonder, joy, peace, and hope that transcend race, religion, or geographic area, will find many great ideas and insights in this delightful holiday book.
Review Originally Posted At http://NewAge.BellaOnline.com
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