Blessed Yule to anyone who celebrates it!

<sub>The 21st (20th - 23rd) of December is Yule, also known as the Winter Solstice - the longest night of the year. Pagans/Wiccans celebrate this Wheel of the Year Sabbat by decorating their houses with holly, mistle toe, and ivy; feasting and giving gifts; and burning the traditional Yule log. They welcome the Sun God, who the Goddess has given birth to. They celebrate the coming of the light. Even though the worst winter weather is still to come, after the night of Yule the days will start growing longer and the nights shorter.

To read more about Yule/Winter Solstice, check out these great links: [link] [link] [link]</sub>

I really love Yule Time/Christmas... It's my favorite holiday of the year and always has been. Not because of the getting of gifts, though that's a plus; but I enjoy it because I get to give gifts to people. I look for and collect Christmas gifts for othera all year long. And I like the decorating, and all of the lights and the snow... It just looks and feels so magical, and it really gives you (well me at least), a spirit of hope and happiness.

_{So, I'm done with all of my Christmas shopping and preparations. I was slightly upset over the tree, because usually I have it up right after Thansgiving, and as we didn't have one this year, I had to wait till we went out and bought a new one! lol But now it's up and all decorated. Instead of a white tree with silver and blue decorations (not just on the tree but the others too), this year it's back to a green tree with a red and gold color scheme. Balls, garland (on the tree and over the doorways), and lights. Even the presents that are wrapped and under the tree are in gold and red paper. Yes, all the presents are wrapped and under the tree... Some were done before the tree was bought! I really enjoy wrapping gifts, always have, and will wrap other people's for them too . Since we have an extra person in our house this holiday (the reason why I haven't gotten much comp time), there's more presents than usual, which meant... More for me to wrap! Yay. Haha, anyway... All that's left is for the presents to be opened (and all my time spent wrapping them ruined!), and for food to be cooked. Usually we have a turkey, and it's basically the same meal as Thanksgiving, even with pumpkin pie; because we like turkey and pumpkin pie! But this year we're going to have ham, which I'm really looking forward to. I usually don't care for it much, but it sounds really good, haven't had it in a while. And an apple pie But probably a pumpkin too.}

Anyway, I hope everyone has been good and that all of your Holiday preperations etc have been moving smoothly for you. And if I don't get a chance to say it...
Merry Christmas to you all!




















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