The festival of the Winter Solstice and Midwinter, Alban Arthan, Yule, Mother Night, the start of a new year and the rebirth of the new sun
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Rituals
The festival of Midwinter begins with the ceremonies of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the longest night, when the power of darkness is honoured, the divine mother, the womb of creation. This is a specific astronomical moment and occurs anywhere between 20 – 23 December. Three days later, between 23 – 26 December, it is possible, without technological help, to see along the horizon that the sun is rising once more nearer to the east. This is the more traditional time of celebration. So, although Druids don’t celebrate Christmas, the winter rites are held on and around the same days. Midwinter in the Druid tradition is called Alban Arthan, Welsh/Brythonic for ‘the light of the bear’. For some it is understood to imply both the constellation of the Great Bear in our northern winter skies, and also Arthur, the saviour king and mythic hero of the British Isles. Historically a Christian Romano-British warrior king, Arthur fought the pagan Saxons, delaying their incursions into the Prettanic Isles for two more generations. (Excerpt from Ritual by Emma Restall Orr)