Happy Yule-stice...2013...

It is the time of the Winter Solstice for 2013. The longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere, we celebrate the return journey of the Sun. It's a time of new beginnings, of renewal. 

The Oak King and the Holly King engage in battle for one of their two yearly battles. This time the Oak King (depicted as the green man to some) will be victorious.

On a daily basis I am surrounded by all things Christmas. I work in retail, and wait on customer after customer buying gifts and decor for their Christmas celebrations. That's all fine. We all celebrate in our own way. I was well into my work day today, when a young woman walked up and placed her items on the counter. No sparkly Christmas items were present. She was rather quiet, and looked down the whole time. As part of my job, I need to ask each customer for their email address. I reached that point in ringing the transaction, and I asked her. She hesitated, and then started to spell it. "A-P-A" (another slight pause) "G-A-N", and that was followed by some numbers. The sale continued, I handed her her change, and she picked up her bag and turned to leave. "Happy Yule", I said. At first she didn't seem to notice what I said. Then she stopped turned her head slightly, gave a hint of a smile, and a nod. Then she left. Everyone around me all day is focused on Christmas, in all its glitter, and commercialism. That little moment was for me. To share a momentary, sincere, non-commercial acknowledgement of the Winter Solstice with someone of a like mind.

Christmas is in a few more days, so Happy Christmas to everyone celebrating the season.

To all the pagans, wishing you a blessed Yule.

The shots above are of December's Full Moon in Gemini. 

It was a very cloudy/hazy night. The glowing moon was quite spectacular.