Winter traditions light the dark nights in Sisters Country

Winter solstice is an ancient celebration, evidenced by sacred sites such as Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland. Immense stones were aligned to illuminate the sun as it rose for solstice, and are still used as ceremonial sites on this special day.

photo by Jan McGowan

Sisters folks join a long history of winter solstice traditions; last year, local songwriter Kathy Marshall provided a song.

Candles and fires characterize winter solstice and related celebrations of light in darkness. Sisters Community Labyrinth organizers will light a contained fire at the large boulder in the labyrinth's center the evening of December 21 (Click here to see related story.).

Participants gather here—halfway through the silent labyrinth walk—to bask in the light, share a few words or songs, and place stones around the great rock.

Long ago, inhabitants of Ireland, Britain, and Northern Europe faced a season of snow and cold, when deciduous trees shed their leaves, their branches stark against the dim winter sun.

Global warming was not yet a concern. These ancestors lacked central heating and electric lights, making the fires and the hopeful sight of greenery more essential.

The Holly & the Ivy, as the old song goes, brought still-bright evergreens into homes to welcome good spirits and banish bad ones. Mistletoe, wreaths, garlands of fir boughs, and evergreen trees indoors stem from these origins. Traces of evergreen branches have been found in Neolithic sacred sites.

Ancient Norse peoples created one of the oldest winter solstice festivals, Jól. Themes of light, fire, and feasting were common threads.

Jól evolved into Yule, celebrated among Germanic peoples and adopted by Christians of Britain and America. Yuletide features a burning yule log and lasts for the twelve days of Christmas.

Gatherings throughout the northern hemisphere pop up around the time of winter solstice. In Wales, one was Alban Arthan. For the Romans it was Saturnalia.

For Christians it is Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Church services, lighting of candles, singing, and crêches or nativity scenes are among the traditions honored.

Contemporary Western peoples often partake in a secular, consumerist way, with Santa Claus, elves, gifts, parades, and Christmas trees.

Following a lunar calendar, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah falls in solstice season some years. It celebrates the miraculous oil lamplight and involves lighting candles in the menorah.

Modern-day Druids trace the Welsh solstice tradition, Alban Arthan, to legends of King Arthur Pendragon. The storied king brings with him light for the people of what is now the United Kingdom.

Arthur is symbolically reborn as the Sun Child or Mabon at winter solstice. Sources connect King Arthur to the Celtic word for bear, artos, the Celtic bear goddess Artio, and the constellation Ursa Major, which is visible year-round and contains the Big Dipper.

Wassailing on Twelfth Night originally took place in southern England, in pre-Christian times. People gathered in apple orchards to ensure a good harvest. A cider drink was passed around in the wassail cup; celebrants drummed and banged with sticks.

A Wassail king and queen are still nominated by celebrants in the UK. These royals lead other revelers a merry dance around the trees.

The Mari Lwyd is a wild custom practiced in Wales and Cornwall. Revelers carry the skull of a horse on a pole through the streets. It's decorated with ribbons and flowers, a candle sometimes burning inside the skull.

Participants sing bawdy tunes, dance boisterously, and tell bad jokes. The procession culminates at the village tavern.

Among Americans today, its closest cousin might be SantaCon, a pub crawl in many cities, inspired by the Cacophony Society. People dress as Santa Claus, stagger through the streets, mob taverns and bars, and generally cause mayhem.

Back in Old Portland, Oregon (the early 2000s), one of the earlier SantaCon cities, the merriment culminated at The Jasmine Tree tiki bar for Hail Santa!, an annual music and performance event.

Solstices draw big crowds, but a variety of nature-oriented traditions celebrate additional points in the turning of the Great Wheel of the Year - the passing of seasons, one to the next.

Vernal (spring) and autumnal (fall) equinoxes are celebrated, dividing the year into four seasons with the solstices. Sisters residents can often be seen walking the labyrinth on those days.

Some folks extend the tradition into cross-quarter days, which fall halfway through each larger season. Coming up soon is February's Candlemas, a.k.a. Imbolc.

Candlemas is also the feast day of Irish patron saint St. Brigid, "Brigid's Day," a national holiday in Ireland. "You might see me and a few friends walking the labyrinth on February 2, too," said a participant who lives near Sisters.

The remaining cro cross-quarter days - which sometimes attract casual labyrinth walkers - are Mayday (Beltane, Béaltaine), the Gaelic Lughnasadh in August, and the familiar Samhain season, encompassing Halloween, Día de los Muertos, All Hallow's Eve, All Souls Day, and All Saints' Day.

To join the Winter Solstice Gathering and Silent Meditation Labyrinth Walk, meet at East Portal at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 21. See https://sisters-community-labyrinth.mailchimpsites.com for details.