The Winter Solstice

Between the 20th-23rd of June (21-22/6/27)

Yule, Yuletide, Midwinter, Matariki - Māori New Year, Jól, Saturnalia, Advent, Christmas

Many of our modern Christmas traditions came from Yule originally. It was celebrated in December in the Northern Hemisphere but for it to be seasonally accurate for us here in the Southern Hemisphere we need to celebrate in June instead.

Celebrate by feasting, singing, dancing and burning a Yule log. Decorate with evergreens, pinecones, spices, red berries and Sun symbols. Create your own family traditions for the 12 Days and 13 Nights of Yuletide, as it brings so much joy and comfort to the middle of Winter.

Yuletide was always a season not just a single day feast like some of the other festivals. Just like most of us have the Christmas holidays off, we have the whole lead up to decorate and gather gifts and then we enjoy Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, followed by New Years Eve and New Years Day.

The rebirth of the Sun after the longest night and shortest day, this way always considered the beginning of the New Year. The return of Matariki (Pleiades constellation) in the dawn sky also signifies The Māori New Year. The Oak King conquers The Holly King and the light returns from now onwards.