EarthSpirit Yule Ritual

EarthSpirit Yule Ritual

EarthSpirit invites you to attend our western Massachusetts Yule Celebration!
Saturday, December 14, 2024  5:30-7:30pm
Williamsburg, MA  Grange Hall

Come celebrate the longest night and the rebirth of the Sun at the coming Winter Solstice

This welcoming ritual is appropriate for all ages. We will sing and dance together, and make gifts for one another while we celebrate the power of darkness and share joy in the returning light, even as the cold deepens all around us.

Families are welcome; and in fact, there is a special Procession of Light for attending children to be a part of. Please arrive right at 5:30 to find out more and prepare.

Join us again as we gather together to celebrate the longest night and welcome the light’s return. We come together to renew our connections and share the warmth of community. Come dressed in your festive holiday finery!

Yule, a traditional holiday at the Winter Solstice, celebrates the rebirth of the Sun after the longest night. At this time of year, people in the Northern Hemisphere have gathered together with song and story since the beginning of history to rejoice at the returning light and the beginning of the lengthening days.

Location: Western MA – The Williamsburg Grange Hall on Rte 9 (Main St.) in the center of Williamsburg.  Available by PVTA bus #42 (“The Burgy Bullet”)
(Please park in on the street or in the elementary school lot – not behind the store if it is open)

Doors open at 5:30 PM and close promptly at 6:00 PM for an hour during the Ritual. Please do a home covid test before attending if at all possible, and do not attend if you have covid symptoms of any kind or have been recently exposed.

What to wear:  Seasonal or ritual clothing.
Important: Children who wish to be part of the Procession of Light should wear light-colored clothing like white, silver or gold!
Masks for covid protection are optional and respected.

What to bring: A book wrapped in plain brown or white paper!
We are again sharing the Jolabokaflod (Yule Book Flood) at our Yule Ritual this year!

From Katie LaFond: This tradition was started in Iceland during World War II. Paper was one of the few things that wasn’t rationed, so people gave each other books. Today, the tradition, as I understand it, is that people give each other gift-wrapped books and the night before their holiday they stay up long into the night reading them and eating chocolate. My family has enjoyed this tradition for years, and I shared it with The EarthSpirit Community in 2020. If you’d like to participate this year, please join us for our Yule Ritual. Bring a book that you’re ready to pass on. Wrap it in plain brown or white paper, and write on it what genre the book is, what age range it’s appropriate for, and maybe a fun tidbit about it. Put it under the tree, and at the end of the ritual, if you’ve brought a book, please pick a book to take home with you. Then, on the longest night of the year, tuck in with a cozy blanket, a cup of hot chocolate, and enjoy your books!

An informal finger-food pot-luck will follow the ritual in the downstairs hall
Savory appetizers, cookies, snacks, beverages, and other food to share are welcome. We will have cups and napkins. Please do not bring things that need plates or utensils.

Contributions for admission $5 to $10 on a sliding scale will be collected at the door to cover our expenses. Children 10 and under will be admitted free, and no one will be turned away for lack of resources.

If you would like to volunteer to help with set up or breakdown, or to contribute to the celebration, please contact us in advance asap by email (earthspirit@earthspirit.com).

For your Yule gift list, EarthSpirit offers: MotherTongue CDs on-line at CD Baby Weaving the Web of Life, This Winter’s Night


EarthSpirit is a 501c3 organization.