One of the many books I’ve been reading is called The Celtic Wheel of the Year, Celtic and Christian Seasonal Prayers by Tess Ward. The reason for reading is to inform my prayers in following more of a daily pattern, over the months, onward through the year. I am using it to help in the corporate praying within Forest Church too.
As I’m not finding it easy to pray in a structured way at the moment it is good to have some words which I can use and read. I don’t use the book every day but it is possible to do so. Also as Celtic Christianity takes a holistic approach especially incorporating nature I find it suitable for God and nature connection.
For each month there is an introduction to what happens within the month in regards to the season and any practices associated with that month. There is usually some history in relation to it as well.
December has the largest introduction with 16 pages the other months have 5 to 8 pages! For a while I have struggled with the whole Christmas thing especially the commercial aspect. This book has helped me to see the Christmas period in a more positive light. There is a lot going on as we know but there is a lot that has preceded this point in history especially culturally but also historically. There isn’t room to write here about all what Tess states (you could probably do some digging around yourselves) so I’ll pick some more nature related Christmassy things.
Jolly, yule, mistletoe, holly and ivy and the winter solstice; all have some connections to each other from what she writes. Bear with me before spearing me as a Pagan!
The word jolly and yule has according to her book a similar root. Over the years in Great Britain and Europe there has been the desire to have winter feasts which have changed form depending on whatever political power or religious group has had sway. Yule possibly an Anglo-Saxon word for wheel and connected to the wheel of the year in Scandinavian countries was a time to feast. Food and drink was left out for the spirits. Holly and Ivy was brought inside to remind of the outside. These two trees represented, in pre-Christian thinking masculine and feminine. The red of the berries symbolised the sun’s fire and later the blood of Christ.
The Roman festival of Saturnalia involved the use of mistletoe and kissing boughs were made from it.
Druids found it particularly magical as it was such a rare thing to find. The mistletoe became associated with peace back in the 18th Century and the idea was “not to let anyone over the threshold without forgiving and forgetting any enmity that had ensued in the year” (Tess Ward). Gifts of light were also exchanged during the period of Saturnalia. Saturnalia was celebrated from 17th September for a few days and also involved merry making and misrule! Pantomime and Christmas crackers are likely to hark back to this tradition!
Another former nature connection associated with the winter solstice was the struggle of The Oak King and the Holly King. The waxing sun overcoming the waning sun is symbolised by this struggle. The latter, the Holly King represented the death of the God and the Oak that of the Divine Child’s rebirth (?) Hence the link in one of the Christmas carols to this folk lore – that of The Holly and the ivy where the “Holly bears the crown”.
Different cultures have different traditions and they change over time. Our culture has taken on Christmas in a materialistic way. As Christians it is for us to recognise that we have a responsibility to be in the world offering hope to the creation because of Christ’s continuing redeeming presence. We can do this both in the usual way of celebrating Christmas and in using some of the symbolism of yesteryear in the way we dress a Christmas tree, hang a wreath on the door and other seasonal practices. In every way how big or small our nature connection and God connection is, it can point the way to the Good News of Jesus entering our world.