Seasons · 3 min · 17 October 2026
Yule and the Winter Solstice: Old Customs for the Longest Night
The winter solstice falls on Monday 21 December 2026, at 21:50 CET. It is the longest night of the year, and for thousands of years people in the north have marked it with fire, evergreen and light.
The winter solstice falls on Monday 21 December 2026, at 21:50 CET. It is the longest night of the year, and for thousands of years people in the north have marked it with fire, evergreen and light. After this night, the days begin to grow again.
What the solstice is
Twice a year the sun reaches the end of its path across the sky. In December, in the northern half of the world, it rises at its lowest and sets at its earliest. The solstice is the turning point. Nothing dramatic happens in the sky, but from now on every day is a little longer than the last.
Yule in the north
In Scandinavia, Christmas is still called jul, from the Old Norse jól, a midwinter feast much older than the church calendar. Families brought evergreen branches into the house, because they stayed green when everything else had died back. In many regions a great log, the Yule log, was set to burn through the long night, and sometimes a piece was kept to light next year's fire.
Today many people celebrate Yule on the solstice itself, as one of the eight festivals of the modern Wheel of the Year.
What you need
- One red or white candle, or a few
- Evergreen: a sprig of fir, pine, juniper or holly
- Juniper or sandalwood to burn, and a heat-proof dish
- A notebook
Before you begin
Turn off every lamp in the room before the evening begins. Set the evergreen on the table, the candle in the middle and the dish beside it.
A candle ritual for the longest night
- Sit in the dark for a minute. Let your eyes get used to it.
- Light one candle. This is the light coming back.
- Light the juniper on the dish, let the smoke rise, then rest it.
- Write two lists: what this dark half of the year gave you, and what you want to grow as the days get longer.
- Let the candle burn a while longer. Put it out with a snuffer before you go to bed.
From Yule to the Twelve Nights
The solstice opens the darkest stretch of the year. Three days later, on the night of 24 to 25 December, the Twelve Nights begin, the Rauhnächte of the Alps. Some people count them from the solstice instead. Read our guide to the Twelve Nights for the ritual of the 13 wishes.
Safety
- Never leave a candle or glowing herbs alone.
- Keep flames well away from dry evergreen, which catches fire quickly.
- Burn incense on a heat-proof dish, with a window open, away from sleeping people, babies and pets.
Care
Dried evergreen burns very fast. Replace branches when they start to drop needles, and never put them close to a flame.
Questions
When is Yule?
On the winter solstice, 21 December 2026. Some celebrate it over twelve days from there.
Is Yule the same as Christmas?
Not quite. Yule is the older midwinter feast. In Scandinavia the word *jul* now means Christmas.
What candle colours are used for Yule?
Most often red, green, white and gold: fire, evergreen, snow and the returning sun.
How do you celebrate Yule at home?
Bring in evergreen, light a candle in the dark, share a meal, and stay up a little longer for the longest night.
Everything you need
All of it, in one ritual
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