The Night Before Christmas, Or Yuletide, or such....

The Ancient season of Yule which includes The Midwinter Solstice (the shortest day of the Year, 21st December) is a Sacred time of reflection and celebration. Many different cultures from the Nordic Vikings and Celtic Druids, the ancient Egyptians and Hopi Indians have ritualized this time to promote Spiritual Unity, Peace and Joy.


Yuletide Dates:
December 21, 22, 23
December 24 Mother's night, (Modraniht (Anglo-Saxon)
December 24 -- January 6 = The 12 Sacred nights/'Time between the Years'

The 13 Sacred Days & 12 Sacred Nights

The Magickal season of deepest darkness starts in the Celtic tradition at Samhain, slightly earlier in the Nordic tradition.
During this supernatural time of Yuletide we may walk between the worlds.
Now that the veil between the worlds is thin, all sorts of Otherworldly beings including the dead roam the earth, we may even encounter elves or trolls and also Gods and Goddesses.

The Twelve Sacred Nights of Yule start with Mother's Night (December 24th) and are considered the 'Time Between the Years', the difference of days between the lunar year and the solar year.
As the old would end with Winter Solstice the New Year would only start at the end of the Rauhnaechte (January 6th).
During this time Odin rides the storm winds with his army of the dead, both in the Wild Hunt and also leading them to their afterlife new, most importantly the ensuing storms in their wake stir the fertility of the earth for the New Year...

Odin appears to be 'blind' in one eye which he sacrificed at the Well of Wisdom for Understanding, with this eye he sees the underworld and afterlife...

The tradition of bringing sprigs of Holly and Ivy into the home pays homage to the masculine and feminine elements.
Both of these powerfully magickal plants are evergreen, a reminder in itself that the earth never dies, but merely sleeps during the winter months.

Original Poem by celestial elf.
( http://celestialelfdanceoflife.blogspot.com/2010/11/night-before-christmas-or... )

En god jultid önskas även dig och dina nära och kära.
(A good Yuletide is wished for you as well and your loved ones)
A Happy Yuletide To You All!


More about Yuletide Here
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule)

Many thanks to All who took part;

As Odin, FreeSky Republic
(Mage Lord hair and Santa Claus beard c/oAlice Klinger)
As Black Eckhardt, Yani Jowisz,
As Sigurd the Viking, Cisko Vandeverre,

The Viking People;
Anthonie Ragu
Arwen Ohare
Dawn Breur
Natascha Randt
Radar Hawklord
Sienna Panthar
Scarlettt Underwood
Tetris Nexen


The Viking Spirits;
Anthonie Ragu
Arwen Ohare
Dawn Breur
Natascha Randt
Radar Hawklord
Sienna Panthar
Scarlettt Underwood

Grateful thanks to Ryann McMasters + Sienna Panthar for use of Vingolf at Nordhaven,
And to Twirlin Merlin of TMS Designs for providing Santa Sleigh and Reindeer Team.

Also many thanks to;
Thoij Kozlov of Kozlov Forge for donated weapons
Mirja Mills of Emo-tions for donated costumes
NightShade Fugu of NightShade Designs for donated props.



Original soundtrack created with use of
Copyright Free Music courtesy of
Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com
( http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/ )
licensed under Creative Commons
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Dark Dance
Lone Harvest
Himalayan Atmosphere
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy


Copyright Free Music Edited from Internet Archive Radio broadcast recording of,
Homebrewed Book Of Pagan Carols;
http://www.archive.org/details/HomebrewedBookOfPaganCarols_Yule_Side1

Additional sounds and effects via Freesound
http://www.freesound.org/index.php

Made using Frapps, Mixcraft 5, Serif MoviePlus X3 on Windows XP.
Conceived, Directed and Produced by Celestial Elf 2010.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Happy Christmas
• The Night Before Christmas
• Clement Clarke Moore
• Henry Livingston
• Halo
• Xmas
• Snow
• Father Christmas
• Santa Claus
• St Nicholas
• Odin
• Mother Earth
• Wicca
• Druid
• Paganism
• Noepaganism
• YULE
• Yule
• Yuletide
• Viking
• Midwinter Solstice
• Jolly
• Jolly Old Elf
• Machinima

[TheDolmen]

A brilliant representation, Well Done and thankyou for sharing this with the world.its really a great work of art.

[CelestialElf]

@TheDolmen delighted that you liked it thanks :D

[Larkworthy]

You have restored the magic of the yuletide! The Norse traditions are deeply embedded and buried in our modern mythos. I truly admire this work. Your version of Odin especially. Really wonderful way to start the holiday season. Bravo Elf!!

[CelestialElf]

@Larkworthy TY haha thats exactly what i wanted to do, happy yuletide to you!! :D

[jefersonvilaede]

So christmas IS just an invention, or rather its a pagan holiday! ok ..

[umaara100]

I love the legend of Santa Claus and i always feel that a good book or website should be put together to explain where he comes from.Not just Saint Nicholas but his deep pre christian orgins aswell.He meant so much to my childhood.Where i dress as him i sometimes use a crown of holly.

[pintaabe]

awesome! I will use this as inspiration for my pagan Santa Claus outfit

[Exitno1]

very good :)



[luckylyre]

This is just wonderful, just simply wonderful!

[Nitwacket]

This is your best one yet. Really nice use of sound and music.

[ArbitDelacroix]

Quality work C.E. Well done!

[MrMichehl]

Super ! Super ! ! !

[hadjipt]

Brilliant work! Always getting better and better!!! :D

Congratulations!