SUNSET PRAYER (A Sunset Prayer for Yule)
by Patti Wigington About.com

“The longest night has come once more,
the sun has set, and darkness fallen.
The trees are bare, the earth asleep,
and the skies are cold and black.
Yet tonight we rejoice, in this longest night,
embracing the darkness that enfolds us.
We welcome the night and all that it holds,
as the light of the stars shines down.”

BLESSED YULE/WINTER SOLSTICE to all my Brothers & Sisters who celebrate and honor this date.

As some of my readers know, I honor Yule/Winter Solstice in my spirituality. I was raised a Catholic, and thanks to them, Mary, Mother of God, brought the Goddess archetypes into my life, heralding in first the practice of Wicca, then Witchcraft. I am a Pagan for the most part, celebrating with multiple god(dess)-types. In other words, I am polytheistic. (I hope this doesn’t chase off any readers…it doesn’t change who I was before you read this.)

I also recognize Christmas for what it means to others in the world and the myths and lore behind it as well. But honestly, for myself, I celebrate it from the commercial perspective with my family as it is tradition among my siblings, parents and myself. But for my own spiritual purposes, I celebrate Yule. I still celebrate with my family, having dinner and opening gifts, and I have spent a lonely Christmas Eve at a Catholic mass communing with Mary. I believe in all religions and every spirituality. May you honor what you honor, celebrate what you celebrate, pray to whom you pray…Do as ye will, an’ it harm none. Blessed Be.

For anyone interested in learning more…

Please visit http://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/yule.htm for info on Winter Solstice – Yule Lore

OR..DailyWicca for information on Yule Lore and Yule’s origins.
http://dailywicca.com/2011/11/19/yule-lore-2/

YULE/WINTER SOLSTICE RECIPES:

RETURNING-SUN SPICED BREAD
(creator unknown)

1 1/4 cup flour
1/8 cup poppyseeds
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup raisins, plain or golden
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter/margarine
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 cup Karo golden corn syrup
1/2 cup light brown sugar
4 tbs. milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp. mixed spices**

**Equal parts of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Sift the flour, soda, and baking powder into a non-metal bowl. Add the mixed spice and ginger. Next add the brown sugar and raisins. Mix. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and the syrup over a low heat, then pour liquid into the well in the middle of the flour mixture. Add the beaten egg and the milk, and mix very well. Pour into a well greased 2-lb loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes. This bread can be made the night before as it improves with age. Makes 8-10 servings.

***

HOT SPICED WASSAIL (non-alcoholic)
(by Akasha Wicca.com)

4 cups cranberry juice
6 cinnamon sticks
5 cups apple cider
1 orange, studded with whole cloves
1 cup water
1 apple, cored and sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix juice, cider, and water in large saucepan or crock pot. Add cinnamon sticks, clove studded orange, and apple slices. Simmer mixture for 4 hours. Serve hot. Makes 12 servings.

***

ANISE TUILES
(from http://www.catanna.com/yulerecipes.htm)
Yields: About 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Work Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour plus 5 to 7 minutes baking time per batch
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons butter (3/4 stick), melted
3/4 teaspoon anise extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease large cookie sheet. In large bowl, with wire whisk, beat egg whites, confectioners’ sugar, and flour until blended and smooth. Beat in melted butter, anise extract, and salt.
2. Drop 1 heaping teaspoon mixture onto cookie sheet. Repeat to make 3 more cookies, about 3 inches apart. With small spatula, spread each cookie to a 3-inch round. (Do not place more than 4 on cookie sheet because, after baking, cookies must be shaped quickly before hardening.)
3. Bake cookies 5 to 7 minutes until edges are golden. With pancake turner, quickly remove 1 cookie to wire rack. With hands, gently shape warm cookie to flute edges. Repeat with remaining cookies on cookie sheet. If cookies become too hard to shape, return cookie sheet to oven to soften cookies slightly. Repeat with remaining batter. (Batter will become slightly thicker upon standing.) Store in tightly covered container.
Each cookie: About 40 calories, 1 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g total fat (1 g saturated), 6 mg cholesterol, 45 mg sodium.

-magickal associations:
-anise – love (it’s also used to flavor wedding cakes!)
-eggs – healing, protection, fertility
-sugar – love
-butter – spirituality