A happy and sacred Sunstede to you all. Wæs hæl! Drinc hæl!

Here's a short video explaining Mōdraniht, the Matres / Matronae and the Dísablót for those who are wondering about Mothers' night. Includes archaeological depictions in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon contexts.

Origins of the Christmas tree.
The modern Christmas tree is an amalgamation of several possible ancient traditions, both Pagan and Christian.

One likely origin is in Ancient Rome. Wreaths made of evergreen trees and plants were made during Saturnalia. Aurelian suggested that Saturnalia should be held alongside Christmas in order to compete with the growing Christian church, but this resulted in many Saturnalia traditions being adopted by the Christians.

Similarly, in the Viking Age, Hákon the Good decreed Jól was to be held alongside Christmas in the hopes of winning Pagans over to Christianity, which led to Jól traditions being absorbed into Christmas.

In Ancient Egypt and the Near East, evergreens were associated with rebirth and reincarnation, which was easily absorbed into early Christianity, wherein it represents the rebirth of Christ. In parts of Europe, evergreen decorations were said to keep the Devil away in the Middle Ages.

Of course, the Germanic and Baltic peoples practiced tree worship. Decorating trees during Wassailing and placing offerings in the branches are likely a carryover from Pagan times. Some claim the Christmas tree is in memory of St. Boniface cutting down Þonar’s oak, but let us remember, that was an oak, and the Germanic peoples bashed St. Boniface’s head in and continued to resist Christian rule long after the oak fell. The inversion of a deciduous vs an evergreen tree may be a Christian thing. Some also claim it was originally a representation of Yggrdrasil; it’s impossible to say.

The modern Christmas tree originated in Germany and Livonia in the 16th Century, and Martin Luther is credited with its invention. Which is curious, as the Bible forbids cutting and decorating a tree (Jeremiah 10:3-4). The Bremen Guild Chronicle mentions a tree being brought inside and decorated with foods, such as apples and nuts, and the guild members’ children would eat them on Christmas Day. Afterwards, the tree was burned…perhaps a remnant of an ancient solar festival?

There’s a similar practice in Poland; during the Koliada festival, an evergreen branch is suspended from the rafters and decorated. This originated in pagan times, to bring a good harvest in the new year.

The Christmas tree itself is not an ancient tradition; it’s the result of a combination of both ancient Pagan folk traditions, and medieval Christian traditions. The mistletoe is very likely a Pagan remnant; celebrating the inevitable return of Baldr. In Ancient Rome, the mistletoe represented peace and reconciliation.
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Goðan Jól! Glæd Geōl! Io Saturnalia! Merry Christmas!

This one is for the boys

- Folkish Summer Hallowing
- Irminfolk's new hof
- Tom Rowsell's Starting Heathenry course
- Norroena Society's Kvasir Academy
- Hearthfire Radio
- Exiles of the Golden Age conference
- Declaration of Tradition

Folkish heathens are stacking Ws boys. Universalist wicca fake pagans are clicking "like" on Facebook pages. Folkish real heathens are actually creating institutions and accumulating hard assets.

Don't forget to go and read Huwila's most recent piece on Pagan films! It's the first of an upcoming series, but it's already amazing if you're a film history nerd like me. ✨?

-Hrafna

Absolutely stunning as always