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Holiday Series
Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth
There's just something magical about the Yuletide season, no matter where you live or who you are. As bright candlelight mingles with the smells of pine and warm cookies and we perform our yearly rituals of song and family gatherings, the spirit of peace and goodwill seems to reach the heart of even the most cynical Scrooge.
In the pages of Yule, Dorothy Morrison presents a wonderful potpourri of holiday lore from around the world and throughout history, along with fun crafts, delicious recipe seven a calendar of celebrations for every day in December.
Learn where the traditions of the season originated--for instance, did you know that the ringing of bells was meant to drive away the demons who inhabited the darkest days of the year? That leaving cookies for Santa mirrors the old tradition of leaving a loaf of bread on the table overnight to bring prosperity in the new year? That the Yule log can be traced back to the ancient Greeks?
Need a recipe for wassail or plum pudding? Tips for your holiday party? Want to make the season special by making your own decorative crafts and gifts? That's just a sampling of what's inside.
Best of all, Yule shows that the spirit of the season is universal and, however we chose to celebrate and worship, we can all join together in the spirit of peace, love, and harmony at this special time of year.
In the pages of Yule, Dorothy Morrison presents a wonderful potpourri of holiday lore from around the world and throughout history, along with fun crafts, delicious recipe seven a calendar of celebrations for every day in December.
Learn where the traditions of the season originated--for instance, did you know that the ringing of bells was meant to drive away the demons who inhabited the darkest days of the year? That leaving cookies for Santa mirrors the old tradition of leaving a loaf of bread on the table overnight to bring prosperity in the new year? That the Yule log can be traced back to the ancient Greeks?
Need a recipe for wassail or plum pudding? Tips for your holiday party? Want to make the season special by making your own decorative crafts and gifts? That's just a sampling of what's inside.
Best of all, Yule shows that the spirit of the season is universal and, however we chose to celebrate and worship, we can all join together in the spirit of peace, love, and harmony at this special time of year.
198 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
About the author
Dorothy Morrison
40 books140 followersWhile some of you may know me as the author of Lucinda's Web, Everyday Magic, The Craft, Utterly Wicked and many other books, you probably don't know much else about me. And a good number of you probably have no earthly idea who I am at all. So, why not read a little further and let me introduce myself!
A native Texan, I now live in Virginia with my husband, Mark. I'm a Third Degree Wiccan High Priestess of the Georgian Tradition, founded the Coven of the Crystal Garden in 1986, and spent many years teaching the Craft to students in eight states and in Australia. Since I'm the eternal student, though - who isn't?! - I'm currently ensconced in studies of the RavenMyst Circle Tradition, and enjoy membership in the Coven of the Raven.
But that's just the stuff pertinent to the Craft. Outside of my religious practices and spiritual beliefs, I'm a pretty well-rounded person as well. I've worked as an accounts payable clerk, a legal secretary, an administrative assistant, an office manager, a commissioned sales person, a personnel consultant, and in the City of Houston's Civil Service and Housing Code & Dangerous Buildings departments. I've also held positions as a hospital ward clerk, an animal shelter administrator and am a licensed nail tech. So, the truth of the matter is that I really am a jack of all trades - although whether I'm a master of any is still up for debate. Chuckle! [Photograph courtesy of K.A. Varner Photography, Norfolk, VA]baby
Of course, all of those experiences - some absolutely delightful and others, just downright awful - helped to shape the person I am today. But they didn't do it alone. They had help. And while I won't bore you with all the details, I thought you might enjoy a brief journey through my life. So...grab a cup of coffee, relax, and let me tell you a story...
It all begin centuries ago with my ancestors. I'm a direct descendant of William the Conqueror (King of England), Robert the Bruce of Scotland, and various doctors, lawyers, ministers, and patriots, as well as the fourth Governor of Kentucky, the first Poet Laureate of Texas, and a charter member of the Texas Rangers - all of whom were spunky, opinionated, and tenacious. So when I'm accused of being sassy - an accusation that seems to be spouted on a regular basis - I can't help but grin. I do, after all, come by it honestly.
I was born on May 6, 1955 in a small Texas town to a deputy sheriff - who later became Chief of Police - and his wife. My mother wanted to name me Penelope, but my father nixed the idea. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the name. Not at all. It was just that his criteria for naming anything - cats, dogs, horses, or children - was that he had to be able to remember it when he was mad. And sadly, Penelope just didn't fit the bill. That being the case, he opted for something he could remember and named me after his little sister.
Much to my father's delight, I was quite the tomboy; in fact, he put me on a horse before I could walk. [This guaranteed my first real photo op with Western Horseman magazine when I was only two years old. It seems that I was the youngest rider in the Texas Trail Ride Association who could truly handle her own horse - even though that horse was sixteen hands high.] But good equestrian skills were just the beginning of his lessons. He instilled in me a love for all animals - both domestic and wild - and in doing so, taught me about the balance of Nature and animal conservation. He taught me to fish - looking back, I'm sure all those "driveway casting lessons" really tested his patience, but he stuck with it anyway - and it's something I still love to do today. He even taught me how to swing a hammer. But, perhaps, the most important thing he ever taught me was how to spin a good tale - a lesson I've been putting into practice for most of my life.
Mama, however, had her own set of lessons to teach. A master gardener, she taught me the joys of digging in the dirt an
A native Texan, I now live in Virginia with my husband, Mark. I'm a Third Degree Wiccan High Priestess of the Georgian Tradition, founded the Coven of the Crystal Garden in 1986, and spent many years teaching the Craft to students in eight states and in Australia. Since I'm the eternal student, though - who isn't?! - I'm currently ensconced in studies of the RavenMyst Circle Tradition, and enjoy membership in the Coven of the Raven.
But that's just the stuff pertinent to the Craft. Outside of my religious practices and spiritual beliefs, I'm a pretty well-rounded person as well. I've worked as an accounts payable clerk, a legal secretary, an administrative assistant, an office manager, a commissioned sales person, a personnel consultant, and in the City of Houston's Civil Service and Housing Code & Dangerous Buildings departments. I've also held positions as a hospital ward clerk, an animal shelter administrator and am a licensed nail tech. So, the truth of the matter is that I really am a jack of all trades - although whether I'm a master of any is still up for debate. Chuckle! [Photograph courtesy of K.A. Varner Photography, Norfolk, VA]baby
Of course, all of those experiences - some absolutely delightful and others, just downright awful - helped to shape the person I am today. But they didn't do it alone. They had help. And while I won't bore you with all the details, I thought you might enjoy a brief journey through my life. So...grab a cup of coffee, relax, and let me tell you a story...
It all begin centuries ago with my ancestors. I'm a direct descendant of William the Conqueror (King of England), Robert the Bruce of Scotland, and various doctors, lawyers, ministers, and patriots, as well as the fourth Governor of Kentucky, the first Poet Laureate of Texas, and a charter member of the Texas Rangers - all of whom were spunky, opinionated, and tenacious. So when I'm accused of being sassy - an accusation that seems to be spouted on a regular basis - I can't help but grin. I do, after all, come by it honestly.
I was born on May 6, 1955 in a small Texas town to a deputy sheriff - who later became Chief of Police - and his wife. My mother wanted to name me Penelope, but my father nixed the idea. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the name. Not at all. It was just that his criteria for naming anything - cats, dogs, horses, or children - was that he had to be able to remember it when he was mad. And sadly, Penelope just didn't fit the bill. That being the case, he opted for something he could remember and named me after his little sister.
Much to my father's delight, I was quite the tomboy; in fact, he put me on a horse before I could walk. [This guaranteed my first real photo op with Western Horseman magazine when I was only two years old. It seems that I was the youngest rider in the Texas Trail Ride Association who could truly handle her own horse - even though that horse was sixteen hands high.] But good equestrian skills were just the beginning of his lessons. He instilled in me a love for all animals - both domestic and wild - and in doing so, taught me about the balance of Nature and animal conservation. He taught me to fish - looking back, I'm sure all those "driveway casting lessons" really tested his patience, but he stuck with it anyway - and it's something I still love to do today. He even taught me how to swing a hammer. But, perhaps, the most important thing he ever taught me was how to spin a good tale - a lesson I've been putting into practice for most of my life.
Mama, however, had her own set of lessons to teach. A master gardener, she taught me the joys of digging in the dirt an
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 4, 2012
Unfortunately, this book made me feel less-than-jolly.
It quickly became apparent to me that Ms. Morrison uses the words Yule and Christmas interchangeably, which is absolutely not the same holiday at all. While they may have been originated from the same tradition originally they are not the same holiday now. When reading Yule trivia, I don't expect to read about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
In the very first paragraph, Dorothy takes the reader through a quick lesson in the history of the evolution of the Pagan celebration of the solstice to the modern day Christmas. To my personal dislike, she is very subjective and, admittedly in the first footnote, draws her own conclusions based on various sources. This can probably be an applied statement of her entire book- she continued her generalizations, biases, and drew her own conclusions. Why do I say this?
In the small portion of the book that is not arts and crafts- there are some very strong assumptions and large errors. First of all, the Oak King/Holly King archetypes are mentioned throughout the book as a Celtic gods traditionally celebrated at the solstice. This is not factually accurate, as there is no record of the Oak/Holly King in any Celtic mythology nor any other traditions from the culture. However, Sir James Frazer did make a mention of the King of Summer and King of Winter battling for their rule in The Golden Bough, which was expanded upon by the poet Robert Graves in The White Goddess. Neither sources can be called historical fact as both authors took some creative freedoms with their blending of ancient mythology and modern fiction. Graves gave the name to these archetypes, Oak and Holly, and it was first introduced to the Craft by Stewart and Janet Farrar in their book Eight Sabbats for Witches (which is now a part of A Witches Bible).
Upon further reading, there are much more modern and widely known errors that cast a shadow upon this book. According to Ms. Morrison, "China is predominantly Pagan" (pg. 24). Even at the time of publishing, China was prominently Atheist and the country declared its national "religion" as Atheist only two years later. The next most practiced religion (recorded at only 10-14%) is Taoism, which cannot be called Pagan by even the loosest definition; Taoism can be defined as a philosophical school of thought based on the texts of the Tao Te Ching.
Only two pages later, there is mention of an unnamed solstice tradition practiced by the Moslems and Hindus of India. "[They] celebrate the return of the light by placing oil lamps on their rooftops. To ecourage the Sun to shine, homes are decorated...These remind the Sun that He is a valuable part of existence and without His help, all of Nature would cease to flourish". (pg. 26) I wish Dorothy had included the name of this celebration, since the most predominant celebration of lights in India is Diwali- which is absolutely not the same celebration described in the book. Diwali is a four day festival of lights in October or November which is a victory celebration of good versus evil. The celebration is not of the return of the Sun, but of the return of Lord Rama from a 14 year exile and his killing the Demon King of Lanka (However, the celebration and it's deities change from region to region- but it is always a celebration of goodness triumphant over evil). Houses and public places are decorated to welcome the return of their deities. The lamps placed on the rooftops are not to encourage the sun to shine, but as a reminder of the inner light from within our souls. This is the biggest celebration in the Hindu world- since Dorothy did not mention the name of the extremely Pagan celebration she described, it only leads the reader to associate this celebration with the Pagan's Winter Solstice celebration. In my research, I have not found any Winter Solstice celebrations to match what had been presented in Yule, A Celebration of Light & Warmth.
What is curious to me, is that there is no mention in this chapter of the Shinto legend of Amatesaru, the Japanese goddess of the Sun, who withdrew into a cave until enticed out with music and dance (kagura). Japanese honor the goddess on the solstice in a celebration called "Tsukinamisai", which occurs every June and December. The Japanese Shinto celebrate the joy of the ending of the yin period of the sun, when it declines in strength, and the beginning of its growing power or yang period. The sun is of central importance in Japan; The Japanese royal family is said to be decedents of Amatesaru, She is said to be the guardian of Japan's people, and as the symbol of Japanese cultural unity. Her emblem, the rising sun, still flies on Japan's flag.
If Dorothy was trying to impress upon the reader a global celebration of the return of the Sun, this would have been an important inclusion to the book.
As it is, the inaccuracies in the first four chapters were so glaringly obvious, I became very skeptical if the information and legends presented had any truth at all.
The fifth chapter did little to show me that there was a command of the subject, as it is basically a chapter full of urban legends and superstitions- usually with no reference to the location of the origin of the superstition. For example: "Legend has it that animals can speak on Christmas Eve. Don't listen for them though- the same legend says it's unlucky to hear them!" (pg. 31) Which legend does this come from? From which country? For all I know, she could be creating these superstitions herself!
The book is mostly an arts and crafts, recipes, and party preparation book. From page 43 until almost the end of the book it is hard to decipher that it is even a Pagan book at all; unless you include the chants that are included with the various tasks. However, a concern of mine is that there is only chanting without any act of magick. There are no visualization techniques nor mention of any acts of will or intent. It is only an act with a chant to companion the motions, while in my mind is no different than singing a song or whistling while working. While there are many good decorating suggestions found in the book, there are quite a few decorations that I actually found myself asking "symbolically, what does this represent?". If the witch is intending to use their crafts as an act of magick, it should be very clear what each component of the craft represents and its use in the spell. And I personally don't feel that Styrofoam (polystyrene) should be an acceptable material for magickal workings.
The Daily Event Calendar that is included is also of question- I would have liked to seen some source reference as to why each of those days are significant to the deities mentioned. I would like to know why December 4th belongs to Pallas Athena. (pg 161) And the Halcyon Days mentioned on December 14th (pg. 168) are not a festival commonly celebrated, as implied, but a mythological legend originated by Ovid. The dates are also not correct, as the dates for the solstice and full moon change from year to year-but this can be expected from any out-of-date calendar.
To be quite honest, this book left me feeling a bit unsettled. For those who are not Pagan who are looking at how we celebrate the Winter Solstice, or a new Pagan looking for inspiration, this is not the material I would recommend at all. The Pagan community deserves accurate research, valid sources, and less ambiguity with the traditions and celebrations presented. There needs to be a line drawn between common Christmas celebrations and the celebrations of Yule. The two definitions, while sharing common roots, are absolutely not the same and the two words are not interchangeable.
Authors have a responsibility to present valid information to the readers. I think more authors should be a bit more mindful of what they publish... we do live in the age of information and facts can be checked instantly.
To Dorothy's credit, she obviously has a love of the holiday season, and is very enthusiastically sharing her personal traditions in this book.
Yule, A Celebration of Light & Warmth gets one star from me, purely based on the amount of recipes and possible useful party tips that some readers may find useful.
It quickly became apparent to me that Ms. Morrison uses the words Yule and Christmas interchangeably, which is absolutely not the same holiday at all. While they may have been originated from the same tradition originally they are not the same holiday now. When reading Yule trivia, I don't expect to read about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
In the very first paragraph, Dorothy takes the reader through a quick lesson in the history of the evolution of the Pagan celebration of the solstice to the modern day Christmas. To my personal dislike, she is very subjective and, admittedly in the first footnote, draws her own conclusions based on various sources. This can probably be an applied statement of her entire book- she continued her generalizations, biases, and drew her own conclusions. Why do I say this?
In the small portion of the book that is not arts and crafts- there are some very strong assumptions and large errors. First of all, the Oak King/Holly King archetypes are mentioned throughout the book as a Celtic gods traditionally celebrated at the solstice. This is not factually accurate, as there is no record of the Oak/Holly King in any Celtic mythology nor any other traditions from the culture. However, Sir James Frazer did make a mention of the King of Summer and King of Winter battling for their rule in The Golden Bough, which was expanded upon by the poet Robert Graves in The White Goddess. Neither sources can be called historical fact as both authors took some creative freedoms with their blending of ancient mythology and modern fiction. Graves gave the name to these archetypes, Oak and Holly, and it was first introduced to the Craft by Stewart and Janet Farrar in their book Eight Sabbats for Witches (which is now a part of A Witches Bible).
Upon further reading, there are much more modern and widely known errors that cast a shadow upon this book. According to Ms. Morrison, "China is predominantly Pagan" (pg. 24). Even at the time of publishing, China was prominently Atheist and the country declared its national "religion" as Atheist only two years later. The next most practiced religion (recorded at only 10-14%) is Taoism, which cannot be called Pagan by even the loosest definition; Taoism can be defined as a philosophical school of thought based on the texts of the Tao Te Ching.
Only two pages later, there is mention of an unnamed solstice tradition practiced by the Moslems and Hindus of India. "[They] celebrate the return of the light by placing oil lamps on their rooftops. To ecourage the Sun to shine, homes are decorated...These remind the Sun that He is a valuable part of existence and without His help, all of Nature would cease to flourish". (pg. 26) I wish Dorothy had included the name of this celebration, since the most predominant celebration of lights in India is Diwali- which is absolutely not the same celebration described in the book. Diwali is a four day festival of lights in October or November which is a victory celebration of good versus evil. The celebration is not of the return of the Sun, but of the return of Lord Rama from a 14 year exile and his killing the Demon King of Lanka (However, the celebration and it's deities change from region to region- but it is always a celebration of goodness triumphant over evil). Houses and public places are decorated to welcome the return of their deities. The lamps placed on the rooftops are not to encourage the sun to shine, but as a reminder of the inner light from within our souls. This is the biggest celebration in the Hindu world- since Dorothy did not mention the name of the extremely Pagan celebration she described, it only leads the reader to associate this celebration with the Pagan's Winter Solstice celebration. In my research, I have not found any Winter Solstice celebrations to match what had been presented in Yule, A Celebration of Light & Warmth.
What is curious to me, is that there is no mention in this chapter of the Shinto legend of Amatesaru, the Japanese goddess of the Sun, who withdrew into a cave until enticed out with music and dance (kagura). Japanese honor the goddess on the solstice in a celebration called "Tsukinamisai", which occurs every June and December. The Japanese Shinto celebrate the joy of the ending of the yin period of the sun, when it declines in strength, and the beginning of its growing power or yang period. The sun is of central importance in Japan; The Japanese royal family is said to be decedents of Amatesaru, She is said to be the guardian of Japan's people, and as the symbol of Japanese cultural unity. Her emblem, the rising sun, still flies on Japan's flag.
If Dorothy was trying to impress upon the reader a global celebration of the return of the Sun, this would have been an important inclusion to the book.
As it is, the inaccuracies in the first four chapters were so glaringly obvious, I became very skeptical if the information and legends presented had any truth at all.
The fifth chapter did little to show me that there was a command of the subject, as it is basically a chapter full of urban legends and superstitions- usually with no reference to the location of the origin of the superstition. For example: "Legend has it that animals can speak on Christmas Eve. Don't listen for them though- the same legend says it's unlucky to hear them!" (pg. 31) Which legend does this come from? From which country? For all I know, she could be creating these superstitions herself!
The book is mostly an arts and crafts, recipes, and party preparation book. From page 43 until almost the end of the book it is hard to decipher that it is even a Pagan book at all; unless you include the chants that are included with the various tasks. However, a concern of mine is that there is only chanting without any act of magick. There are no visualization techniques nor mention of any acts of will or intent. It is only an act with a chant to companion the motions, while in my mind is no different than singing a song or whistling while working. While there are many good decorating suggestions found in the book, there are quite a few decorations that I actually found myself asking "symbolically, what does this represent?". If the witch is intending to use their crafts as an act of magick, it should be very clear what each component of the craft represents and its use in the spell. And I personally don't feel that Styrofoam (polystyrene) should be an acceptable material for magickal workings.
The Daily Event Calendar that is included is also of question- I would have liked to seen some source reference as to why each of those days are significant to the deities mentioned. I would like to know why December 4th belongs to Pallas Athena. (pg 161) And the Halcyon Days mentioned on December 14th (pg. 168) are not a festival commonly celebrated, as implied, but a mythological legend originated by Ovid. The dates are also not correct, as the dates for the solstice and full moon change from year to year-but this can be expected from any out-of-date calendar.
To be quite honest, this book left me feeling a bit unsettled. For those who are not Pagan who are looking at how we celebrate the Winter Solstice, or a new Pagan looking for inspiration, this is not the material I would recommend at all. The Pagan community deserves accurate research, valid sources, and less ambiguity with the traditions and celebrations presented. There needs to be a line drawn between common Christmas celebrations and the celebrations of Yule. The two definitions, while sharing common roots, are absolutely not the same and the two words are not interchangeable.
Authors have a responsibility to present valid information to the readers. I think more authors should be a bit more mindful of what they publish... we do live in the age of information and facts can be checked instantly.
To Dorothy's credit, she obviously has a love of the holiday season, and is very enthusiastically sharing her personal traditions in this book.
Yule, A Celebration of Light & Warmth gets one star from me, purely based on the amount of recipes and possible useful party tips that some readers may find useful.
December 3, 2019
Huge historical inaccuracies. A lot of holiday books have some outdated and disproven information, but Morrison doesn't even have the slightest grasp of history. This book is only useful for lighting your fireplace.
August 13, 2021
Now if I were really NOT TO CARE about a lack of historical accuracy in my non fiction reading about celebrations and rituals, then sure, I could probably and easily consider Dorothy Morrison’s Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth a delightful reference manual for the Christmas (for the Yuletide) season. For yes, Morrison’s presented text reads engagingly and entertainingly enough and many of her multiple and varying suggestions and ideas for arts and crafts, for parties, holiday foods, celebration and rituals definitely certainly seem both appealing and useful.
But to be perfectly honest, I am also just and definitely finding it more than a bit problematic that some of the activity and recipe recommendations encountered in Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth seem to have some glaring factual errors, such as for example Dorothy Morrison’s claim that ALL British mincemeat recipes no longer contain animal products, as indeed, you can find both vegetarian/vegan recipes for mincemeat as well as ones which still have beef suet included in their list of ingredients (and not to mention that personally, I do find it rather strange and uncanny that almost ALL of the suggestions for prayers personally seem to be rather pagan and Wiccan in scope, that Dorothy Morrison basically includes in Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth no real and particular suggestions for Christian or Jewish rituals, as in my opinion, for a decent and inclusive tome on worldwide Yuletide/Winter Solstice traditions, the celebratory rituals making an appearance should also include the two great monotheistic religions of Christianity and Judaism, as both of them do have very specific and multiple sacred songs, readings and the like).
And frustratingly, and to come back to the first sentence of my review (and since I do ALWAYS very much care about accuracy both historic and modern with regard to the non fiction I am reading), even just a quick skim through of Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth sadly and unfortunately shows that Dorothy Morrison’s text often seems to both contain far too many factual mistakes (such as for example her calling modern China a pagan nation even though officially China considers itself atheist and her claim that advent wreaths were specifically a Lutheran invention even though it is more likely something simply German but not in particular Lutheran) and that the footnotes, the secondary sources Morrison uses to justify and to verify her claims are often from books that are themselves considered academically suspect with regard to accuracy and truthfulness (such as James George Fraser’s The Golden Bough, which is definitely an interesting “historical” read, but which author assertions and claims are today generally not taken all that seriously by those scholars actually worth their so-called salt).
And thus, while I do think that the suggestions regarding how to celebrate the Yuletide, Christmas, Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice etc. are potentially appealing (but also not really what I was in fact expecting when I downloaded Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth), for me, the rather annoying amount of historical and cultural inaccuracies encountered from Dorothy Morrison’s pen has most definitely quite massively diminished my potential reading pleasure to the point of only considering two stars for Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth and to only recommend it with some pretty major reservations.
But to be perfectly honest, I am also just and definitely finding it more than a bit problematic that some of the activity and recipe recommendations encountered in Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth seem to have some glaring factual errors, such as for example Dorothy Morrison’s claim that ALL British mincemeat recipes no longer contain animal products, as indeed, you can find both vegetarian/vegan recipes for mincemeat as well as ones which still have beef suet included in their list of ingredients (and not to mention that personally, I do find it rather strange and uncanny that almost ALL of the suggestions for prayers personally seem to be rather pagan and Wiccan in scope, that Dorothy Morrison basically includes in Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth no real and particular suggestions for Christian or Jewish rituals, as in my opinion, for a decent and inclusive tome on worldwide Yuletide/Winter Solstice traditions, the celebratory rituals making an appearance should also include the two great monotheistic religions of Christianity and Judaism, as both of them do have very specific and multiple sacred songs, readings and the like).
And frustratingly, and to come back to the first sentence of my review (and since I do ALWAYS very much care about accuracy both historic and modern with regard to the non fiction I am reading), even just a quick skim through of Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth sadly and unfortunately shows that Dorothy Morrison’s text often seems to both contain far too many factual mistakes (such as for example her calling modern China a pagan nation even though officially China considers itself atheist and her claim that advent wreaths were specifically a Lutheran invention even though it is more likely something simply German but not in particular Lutheran) and that the footnotes, the secondary sources Morrison uses to justify and to verify her claims are often from books that are themselves considered academically suspect with regard to accuracy and truthfulness (such as James George Fraser’s The Golden Bough, which is definitely an interesting “historical” read, but which author assertions and claims are today generally not taken all that seriously by those scholars actually worth their so-called salt).
And thus, while I do think that the suggestions regarding how to celebrate the Yuletide, Christmas, Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice etc. are potentially appealing (but also not really what I was in fact expecting when I downloaded Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth), for me, the rather annoying amount of historical and cultural inaccuracies encountered from Dorothy Morrison’s pen has most definitely quite massively diminished my potential reading pleasure to the point of only considering two stars for Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth and to only recommend it with some pretty major reservations.
November 30, 2011
If my main goals in celebrating Yule were to make crafts & bake, I'd have adored this book. AY-dored. We'd have run off to Hawaii, vacationed together and then made friendship bracelets while drinking fruity drinks with umbrellas.
Except the problem was, I was looking for a book to guide me & serve as a backbone/inspiration for celebrating my first Yule... and this wasn't it.
The only section I really felt I learned anything from was a few pages about cleaning rituals and small incantations/blessings to use along the way. The rest of the book was all about baking and small craft projects, none of which I was interested in; maybe this would be a good read for a family with children, but as for me, it wasn't quite what I was looking for in terms of holiday reference.
December 28, 2014
Unfortunately, I didn't read the reviews until after ordering the book, but at least I was able to verify firsthand the generalizations, misconceptions, and made up information for myself. It's a strange book, and I can't figure out exactly who the target audience is. Maybe it's to help wicca celebrate Christmas if they feel guilty about being too nontraditional. I just found it sad and depressing that a Wiccan High Priestess and founder of a coven would talk so much about Christmas and leave out so many of the important traditions and history of pagan Yule. The book is not what I would expect from the cover notes.
The book generally goes through an exploration of holidays (usually Christmas) around the world, and it contains a lot of recipes and some activities/chants that might be useful for someone trying to create their own fusion holiday and traditions. But for a book that talks so much about "history" I was horrified by the lack of footnotes, her admitted subjective interpretations for many "facts", and the making-it-up-as-you-go sensibility. For an example of the latter, she describes Tsao Chun, the Chinese Festival of the Kitchen God, as something you could celebrate on December 20. Supposedly women stay out of the kitchen and men cook. Ignoring the inherent sexism of such a tradition for a moment, she suggests the men ask the God's blessing with a rhyme, "something like:
Kitchen God, now hear our plea
Help us whip up a delicacy
Let no dish be ruined or burn
Help us shine, for it's our turn"
It is clear she is just making up a rhyme in English to fit her interpretation of the holiday. Yes, she is creative, but unfortunately it makes one wonder how much of her book is fact and how much is fiction. Not what you want in a "nonfiction" text (Dewey Decimal 394.261). Going back to the issue of footnotes a final time, she lists an "Appendix IV: Yule-Related Websites" at the end of the book. It contains nine web addresses with the words "christmas" or "xmas" in them, three with the words "santa" or "north-pole" in them, and only three possibly pagan sites, containing "yule", "pholidays", and "aps_legacy". Of the 15 total sites, most are now inactive, as it has been 14 years from publication as of this review, but just looking at these addresses gives a good approximation of the contents of this book, and her technique for "research". Buyer beware.
The book generally goes through an exploration of holidays (usually Christmas) around the world, and it contains a lot of recipes and some activities/chants that might be useful for someone trying to create their own fusion holiday and traditions. But for a book that talks so much about "history" I was horrified by the lack of footnotes, her admitted subjective interpretations for many "facts", and the making-it-up-as-you-go sensibility. For an example of the latter, she describes Tsao Chun, the Chinese Festival of the Kitchen God, as something you could celebrate on December 20. Supposedly women stay out of the kitchen and men cook. Ignoring the inherent sexism of such a tradition for a moment, she suggests the men ask the God's blessing with a rhyme, "something like:
Kitchen God, now hear our plea
Help us whip up a delicacy
Let no dish be ruined or burn
Help us shine, for it's our turn"
It is clear she is just making up a rhyme in English to fit her interpretation of the holiday. Yes, she is creative, but unfortunately it makes one wonder how much of her book is fact and how much is fiction. Not what you want in a "nonfiction" text (Dewey Decimal 394.261). Going back to the issue of footnotes a final time, she lists an "Appendix IV: Yule-Related Websites" at the end of the book. It contains nine web addresses with the words "christmas" or "xmas" in them, three with the words "santa" or "north-pole" in them, and only three possibly pagan sites, containing "yule", "pholidays", and "aps_legacy". Of the 15 total sites, most are now inactive, as it has been 14 years from publication as of this review, but just looking at these addresses gives a good approximation of the contents of this book, and her technique for "research". Buyer beware.
August 4, 2014
I was very disappointed by this book. The historical information is vague (and a lot of it weirdly christian oriented) and the crafts are nearly all things I could see fashioned by 1st or 2nd graders.
December 8, 2012
This book goes over many Yule / Christmas / festival of lights / winter customs and origins. The information may or may not be accurate (:D), but it's interesting to glance at the topic. Much of the book is devoted to crafts - decorations, gifts, etc - which was quite a bit fluff.
I liked the idea of making bird baths from three sizes of upside down terra cotta pots and a saucer on the top, using silicone sealer to connect them.
Also, for my homeschool kids' holiday party, the "apple roll race" sounds entertaining for them: pantyhose with an apple in one foot; wrap around waist; use apple to roll ball / round non-glass ornament across the floor in a race.
Overall, this is not one I'd want in my personal collection, but okay for a library check-out.
I liked the idea of making bird baths from three sizes of upside down terra cotta pots and a saucer on the top, using silicone sealer to connect them.
Also, for my homeschool kids' holiday party, the "apple roll race" sounds entertaining for them: pantyhose with an apple in one foot; wrap around waist; use apple to roll ball / round non-glass ornament across the floor in a race.
Overall, this is not one I'd want in my personal collection, but okay for a library check-out.
October 8, 2015
I enjoyed some of the history that Dorothy Morrison provided, and the folklore behind the celebration of Yule, but I have to give it a low rating because of I cannot give credence to many of the items she touts as facts.
As a librarian, it is a huge offense to publish a "nonfiction" book with no regard for backing up your resources. When I went to find additional information about several of the items in this book, I found NO other references to them anywhere. Considering I have some idea of how to find information...this was appalling.
So, if you read the book, I'd take everything with a very large boulder-sized grain of salt.
As a librarian, it is a huge offense to publish a "nonfiction" book with no regard for backing up your resources. When I went to find additional information about several of the items in this book, I found NO other references to them anywhere. Considering I have some idea of how to find information...this was appalling.
So, if you read the book, I'd take everything with a very large boulder-sized grain of salt.
December 25, 2011
Nice book but the research is inaccurate. Overly simplified history of the holidays. Then the rest is about how she has tried to make Yule meaningful for her family. Some okay celebration ideas and lots of silly chants.
December 31, 2010
Not the best, not the worst. I have other books on Yule that I find much better written and informative.
December 13, 2021
Definitely outdated information, but the book IS 20 years old, so I can look a bit past that.
Still, it has a lot of cute ideas and encouraged me to continue my transition from celebrating just Christmas to celebrating a yuletide season.
Ps: the best part about this book came from the prior owner arguing with the author over historical inaccuracies in the margins!
Still, it has a lot of cute ideas and encouraged me to continue my transition from celebrating just Christmas to celebrating a yuletide season.
Ps: the best part about this book came from the prior owner arguing with the author over historical inaccuracies in the margins!
July 23, 2013
I liked this book for all the explanations of all the things we use to celebrate Winter Equinox holidays, as well as all the other holidays that are celebrated at this time. Yule was very interesting, and how all religions 'borrowed' from each other so as not to overwhelm the 'converted'. It has short descriptions of celebrations by country too. Well worth having as a reference and entertainment for kids, but adults should find it worth their time too.
December 7, 2016
Has a great review of the history of the season, some of the particular traditions for different locations. Also include great mini rituals, decor ideas, LOTS of DIY ideas for gifts and decor. Overall VERY pleased with this book and will be utilizing pieces of it into our Yule preparations and traditions. Not to mention my BOS!! Definitely a good buy being newer to the craft and looking to expand my personal library. Oh and Llewellyn has ENTIRE series of these for entire wheel of the year.
May 3, 2009
Morrison wraps the greenery around the myth, legend, lore, and spells of the winter solstice. Then she hangs her holly on the recipes, decorations, and meanings behind some of the most overlooked aspects of what is now the commercialized season of getting. It will warm your cocoa, stuff your tree with joy, and lift your holiday spirits as the meaning she gives the season takes shape on each page.
December 25, 2012
I enjoyed this history of the holidays in the beginning of this book and the different days of celebration at the end of the book. While I liked the recipes and crafts in the book, I thought they were not unique enough. I feel like I could find these anywhere online.
All in all, I give it a three star rating.
All in all, I give it a three star rating.
August 19, 2008
Great book on the lore, recipes, and rituals of this time of year.
December 29, 2011
Great book to learn more about the holiday of Yule.
July 6, 2013
I thought it was a neat book and discussed many different aspects of the holiday and gave you a lot of options
October 15, 2014
I'm pretty sure I could have written this myself, based off of research conducted online.
December 4, 2014
Very informative.
Content presented nicely but with typos.
Content presented nicely but with typos.
January 23, 2015
Very artsy-crafty. I would've rather had more history and less projects.
November 24, 2017
I love that this book is 90% activities and recipes and only about 10% pagan folklore. Some of the recipes and crafts are quite dated and corny, though.
November 14, 2021
This is a fun book that looks at the many traditions and activities around the world that take place at the time of midwinter in all its guises. It includes the symbolism around the evergreen leaves we use to decorate our homes, the Santa Claus myths (not forgetting the reindeer of course), wassail, ornaments, plus the various festivals celebrated at this time such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Yule. Quirky customs such as the Christmas camel in Syria to the roller skating in Venezuela and the burning bush in Iraq, as well as the strange beasties from around the world all add colour to the season
The book is neatly laid out in sections that look at the history and folklore, preparations and decor and the modern day celebrations that include all the feasting and partying. The last section includes something to dao on every day of December in an attempt to create your own traditions.
The inclusion of recipes, from pecan praline to Spanish turkey soup, are a nice touch, and make this a reference book for the practical crafts we can indulge in at this time of year. Bear in mind that Yule isn't particularly focused on the history aspect of midwinter but rather a modern-day pagan approach to celebrating light and warmth festivals. This is undoubtedly a new age festive book with broad appeal.
The book is neatly laid out in sections that look at the history and folklore, preparations and decor and the modern day celebrations that include all the feasting and partying. The last section includes something to dao on every day of December in an attempt to create your own traditions.
The inclusion of recipes, from pecan praline to Spanish turkey soup, are a nice touch, and make this a reference book for the practical crafts we can indulge in at this time of year. Bear in mind that Yule isn't particularly focused on the history aspect of midwinter but rather a modern-day pagan approach to celebrating light and warmth festivals. This is undoubtedly a new age festive book with broad appeal.
August 21, 2018
Not impressed. I had failed to read the reviews for this book, before ordering it for my library, but I gave it a shot, to form my own opinion of it. Not impressed. Some of the crafts, I could have found on Pinterest, and they didn't really seem all that Pagan/Wiccan to me to begin with. The author seemed to switch Christmas and Yule out quite a bit, which was annoying. I will be honest, I celebrate both holidays, the former more for family togetherness and presents, than the Christian context that it originally had, especially since a lot of my secular friends celebrate it as well. But to try and change out the words for two completely different high days, from two completely different religions, seems a little ignorant to me. There was a lack of resources on the multiple topics in the book, and what was referenced, were online sources. I wasn't completely comfortable with that. Compared to a lot of other books in the series, I was the most disappointed in this book. But there are other sources out there for inspiration and information, so at least there's that.
January 10, 2020
If you're new to paganism or are trying to learn about pagan practices, put this book down! You won't learn anything from this piece of trash!
From nearly the first sentence I could tell this was a pile of misinformation. The author seems enamored of Christmas and tries to use it interchangeably with pagan Solstice and Yule briefs and practices and I was frankly disgusted by that. She also got many of the origin stories either mostly wrong or entirely wrong. Mainly when it involved Norse deities and customs, from what I could tell. If she got those as wrong as that, I imagine she butchered the other cultures too.
This isn't the first time I've wasted my money on a book of this nature, but it's probably the first time it's happened and I've found myself wondering if I should sell the book to the second hand bookstore or just throw it into the recycle bin.
From nearly the first sentence I could tell this was a pile of misinformation. The author seems enamored of Christmas and tries to use it interchangeably with pagan Solstice and Yule briefs and practices and I was frankly disgusted by that. She also got many of the origin stories either mostly wrong or entirely wrong. Mainly when it involved Norse deities and customs, from what I could tell. If she got those as wrong as that, I imagine she butchered the other cultures too.
This isn't the first time I've wasted my money on a book of this nature, but it's probably the first time it's happened and I've found myself wondering if I should sell the book to the second hand bookstore or just throw it into the recycle bin.
December 9, 2018
It's a really good and very basic book to begin with. If you've been through a few Yule's or are well-researched, this might need a pass. I enjoy Dorothy Morrison for her writing style, so I picked up a copy. I didn't walk in thinking it would be factual or historically accurate. Morrison isn't known for that kind of writing. She is, however, accessible and fun. It's more recipes and craft ideas than anything and it's geared toward parents of younger children. But it's a light, breezy read that doesn't ask much and provides a useful starting point to grow from. I like the sense of play and wonder sprinkled like sugar throughout and will probably reread this each year. I'll just look elsewhere for actual, you know, information. ^_^
December 6, 2020
Oh this was awful. I barely got into Chapter 2. The Pilgrims brought Santa Claus to the New World? No. They didn't celebrate Christmas.
In her glossary she has an "African" Christmas greeting. Uhm. Africa is made up of 50some countries, 2000 languages and I don't know how many cultures. It doesn't have ONE Christmas greeting.
On page 5 she writes, "Not long after the Persians caught on and began to ...[celebrate a winter festival]." And ends that paragraph with "By the end of the festival, order was restored to the Greek world." Uhm. Persia is not Greece.
I can't deal with her lack of research.
In her glossary she has an "African" Christmas greeting. Uhm. Africa is made up of 50some countries, 2000 languages and I don't know how many cultures. It doesn't have ONE Christmas greeting.
On page 5 she writes, "Not long after the Persians caught on and began to ...[celebrate a winter festival]." And ends that paragraph with "By the end of the festival, order was restored to the Greek world." Uhm. Persia is not Greece.
I can't deal with her lack of research.
November 17, 2018
The 1-5 Star Review is the total of what I have to say about this book, specifically.
Caveat: This review is historical/archival in nature. 'Date read' is speculative.
This book is one of many books I have read about the occult/paganism/witchcraft. This was the readily available faith in my household as a child. Additionally, I worked for a company in this field, 2015-2016, and had to read an ocean of this stuff to do my job.
Caveat: This review is historical/archival in nature. 'Date read' is speculative.
This book is one of many books I have read about the occult/paganism/witchcraft. This was the readily available faith in my household as a child. Additionally, I worked for a company in this field, 2015-2016, and had to read an ocean of this stuff to do my job.
December 4, 2022
I really appreciated the thoughtful way this book is organized and presented. Nothing is a mandate, just suggestions for how to make the season special to each person. That said, the history at the beginning is rather Eurocentric and not acknowledged as such. But other traditions and holidays that are more global are included toward the end of the book. Good reference and will be buying a copy for my bookshelf. 4 stars
November 23, 2019
Other reviewers said it better. Combines Yule and Christmas, frequently intermingling the two as if they were one and the same. Tries to be inclusive, but not particularly historically accurate. Recipes and craft ideas are okay, but could find the same or better on Pinterest. Checked it out at the library for a quick read but didn't find it compelling.
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