For Auld Lang Syne

Auld Lang Syne (The Good Old Days) is a song traditionally sung at midnight when horns are blown, confetti is thrown, and a general party atmosphere is created to ring in the New Year with happiness and hope for a bright and prosperous year. The outgoing year is often represented by an elderly man known as Father Time and the new year is represented by a baby known as Baby New Year.


Robert Burns sent a copy of the original song to the British Museum with this comment: "The following song, an old song, of the olden times, and which has never been in print, nor even in manuscript until I took it down from an old man's singing , is enough to recommend any air." (Gavin Grieg: "Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads") He set it to a traditional Scottish air that is quite different than the popularized version.


Throughout the English-speaking world, Auld Lang Syne is traditionally sung on New Years Eve (known as Hogmanay in Scotland). That tradition does not hearken back to Burns but rather only to Canadian band leader Guy Lombardo who sang at midnight January 1, 1929 in the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. Guy Lombardo's orchestra played the song every New Years Eve, in live broadcast from New York, until 1976. Since then, their recording has been played each year as part of the Times Square "ball drop."

I remember watching Guy Lombardo every New Years Eve with my Grandparents. Then it was Dick Clark forever and now I guess, when Dick Clark finally fully retires (will he ever) it will be Ryan Seacrest.




Robert Burns wrote the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne in the 1700's.


Auld Lang Syne

Robert Burns



Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

and days of auld lang syne?



For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet

For auld lang syne



We twa hae run aboot the braes

And pou'd the gowans fine;

we've wander'd mony a weary foot

Sin' auld lang syne



We two hae paidled i' the burn,

Frae mornin' sun till dine;

But seas between us braid hae roar'd

Sin' auld lang syne



And here's a hand, my trusty friend,

And gie's a hand o' thine;

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet

For auld lang syne



Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

and days of auld lang syne?



For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet

For auld lang syne

Gratitude

I was reading the LillahsNorthEastPagans Spell of Gratitude and it make me think about Gratitude at this time of the year. Since my beliefs are slightly different for a witch, I decided to do a kind of paraphrasing and interjection of my thoughts in the matter.

Gratitude is one of the most profound emotions we can feel. To be grateful is to feel content and to acknowledge the things in your life that you truly and fully appreciate. So often, we go through life forgetting to say "thanks" to life itself. We often focus on the negative and forget to count our blessings.

I cannot tell you how many people I know, including my mother, who reflect only on the negative and pass that on to other people. Don't do that - if you need to gossip, try to make it positive information and not negative. We are so quick to speak the negative onward, but fall silent when it is something good.

Gratitude is essential on any spiritual path—including the path of life itself! It is after Hannukkah, (the Festival of Lights, celebrating a light that did not go out) Christmas (celebrating the birth of a Savior), and is shortly after Yule, the Winter Solstice, which celebrates the rebirth of the Sun and Kwanzaa, celebrating a heritage. And now because this time of year represents rebirth, renewal, gift-giving, and love, it's a perfect time to give thanks to the universe. Take a walk in nature by yourself, smelling the natural smells, feeling the Earth and the trees, and seriously paying attention to the profundity of the natural world. Give an offering of food or incense, and say your own prayer of gratitude.

Tell the Universe, put it out there, put it positive, shout it, whisper it, whatever way, just say it.

Sacred Plants of Winter Solstice

by Selena Fox

This was first published for a workshop at the 1994 Circle Sanctuary Community Yule Festival

Evergreens

Symbolizing: Continuity of Life, Protection, Prosperity. Types: Pine, Fir, Cedar, Juniper, other evergreens. Forms: boughs, wreaths, garlands, trees. Divinities: Green Goddesses & Gods; Hertha; Cybele, Attis, Dionysius (Pine); Woodland Spirits. Traditions: Roman, Celtic, Teutonic, Christian

Holly

Symbolizing: Old Solar Year; Waning Sun; Protection; Good Luck. Forms: boughs over portals, wreaths. Divinities: Holly King; Old Nick; Saturn; Bacchus; Wood Spirits; Holly Boys. Traditions: Roman, Celtic, English, Christian

Oak

Symbolizing: New Solar Year; Waxing Sun; Endurance, Strength, Triumph, Protection, Good Luck. Forms: Yule log, acorns, wood for sacred fires. Divinities: Oak King; Oak Spirit; Sky Gods including Thor, Jupiter, Zeus. Traditions: Teutonic, Celtic, Christian

Mistletoe

Symbolizing: Peace, Prosperity, Healing, Wellness, Fertility, Rest, Protection. Forms: boughs, amulet sprigs above doorways, kissing balls. Divinities: Oak Spirit; Frigga and Balder. Traditions: Celtic, Teutonic

Ivy

Symbolizing: Fidelity, Protection, Healing, Marriage, Victory, Honor, Good Luck forms: crowns, wreaths, garlands. Divinities: Dionysius; Bacchus; Great Goddess; Ivy Girls. Traditions: Greek, Roman, English, Christian.

Frankincense

Symbolizing: Sun, Purification, Consecration, Protection, Spiritual Illumination. Forms: incense, oils divinities: Sun Gods, Ra at Dawn, Bel. Traditions: Babalyonian, Assyrian, Egyptian, Jewish, Greek, Roman, Christian

Myrrh

Symbolizing: Healing, Death and Afterlife, Purification, Inner Peace. Forms: incense, oils. Divinities: Isis, Ra at Midday. Traditions: Egyptian, Jewish, Christian

Wheat

Symbolizing: Sustenance, Abundance, Fertility, Good Luck. Forms: grain, straw figures and symbols, cookies, cakes, breads. Divinities: Earth Goddesses; Saturn & Ops; Goat Spirit; Fairy Folk. Traditions: Roman, Celtic, Scots, Teutonic, Swedish, Christian

Celtic Tree Calendar's Sacred Trees of Winter Solstice

Yew: Last Day of Solar Year; Death. Silver Fir: Winter Solstice Day; Birth. Birch: Month following Winter Solstice; Beginnings.

Celebrating the Light's Return at Winter Solstice

Celebrating the Light’s Return at Winter Solstice

by Barbara Schiffman, CHt and Cat Williford, MCC

Winter Solstice marks the shift of the seasons from harvesting crops to rejuvenating the Earth.In 2009, this longest night of the year falls on December 21. While the notion of winter usually evokes images of warm coats, mittens and boots, in ancient times Winter Solstice was honored as the turning point when the sun begins warming the Earth a little bit longer every day. Like the Earth, our moods are affected by the abundance of darkness at this time of year. Medical studies have shown that many people—especially women—get depressed as daylight diminishes steadily between October and December. So the gradual return of light helps us begin feeling more optimistic and hopeful as we prepare for a new year.

Winter Solstice Legends and Lore

In both ancient and modern religions, the sun’s rebirth has long been celebrated by lighting candles and dancing under the stars at Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa. In Goddess or Celtic traditions, Solstice marks the first of the year’s Sabbats, which mark the phases of the changing seasons. It follows Samhain or All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween) on October 31, which denotes the start of the lengthening nights to foster introspection and rest. As winter moves into spring, the Earth regains its strength—and so do we.

Winter Solstice marks the birth of new life and the rebirth of the Goddess. Many cultures and traditions honor Sun Goddesses at Yuletide such as Sunna (Scandinavia), Lucia (Sweden), Befana (Italy), Rhiannon (Wales), Grainne (Ireland) and Sun Woman (Australia). Others honor Fire Goddesses like Pele (Polynesia), Oya (Africa) and Fuji (Japan). After the decline of matriarchy, most religions transformed their Sun Goddesses into Sun Gods, retaining only Moon Goddesses to reign over the night sky.

Sun Goddesses are key figures in many cultures’ Winter Solstice legends. The Japanese believe Sun Goddess Amaterasu retreated into a cave to escape her Storm God brother Susu-wo-no, plunging the world into darkness. The people begged Amaterasu to return when their crops stopped growing. Months passed but she would not emerge from her cave until sacred clown Alarming Woman finally charmed Amaterasu to come close to the cave’s mouth. Then she yanked Amaterasu out as if through a birth canal. The metaphor of going underground during this time of year is echoed in the Greek myth of Persephone. She goes into the Underworld for six months of the year until her mother, Demeter, brings her out. In the Hopi Indian observance of Soyal, fires are lit and creation stories told to help the kachinas (spirit helpers) emerge from dark kivas (sacred caves) so they can live with the people for six months as daylight increases.Other traditions consider the Goddess to be the Sun’s mother and so many sacred birth legends echo the Christmas story. In Celtic lore, Rhiannon gives birth to sacred son Pryderi. In Egyptian tradition, Isis rebirths Horus. In Roman myths, Leto gives birth to sun god Apollo.

Symbols from ancient ceremonies used in today’s Solstice celebrations include evergreen trees, mistletoe and holly which represent how seeds and the color green remain alive even in dark months. Flames on candles and Yule logs echo the sun’s returning light and warmth, as does the color red.

Winter Solstice and Renewal

Winter Solstice can be celebrated as a re-birthday for modern Gods and Goddesses. As we release the old year and prepare for the new, it is an ideal time to complete projects and resolve unfinished business in relationships so that we can move on with a clean slate.What do you need to feel safe and secure as you rebirth yourself into the new year? You can celebrate alone or in a circle of likeminded and supportive friends to release the past and celebrate all the ways you’ve evolved in 2009.

Celebrating Solstice

This is an ideal time to clean house, literally and figuratively. This freshens your environmental energy so you can move from winter to spring with a clean slate.Sort through cupboards and closets to remove items that weigh you down emotionally or no longer serve you. Swap clothing that doesn’t fits your lifestyle or body anymore with friends who are also cleaning house. Donate items to a needy family or charity. File all the papers on your desk, toss out old magazines and put your financial books in order (which will make tax preparation easier in April). By literally putting your house in order, you will feel lighter and more energized.Write a list of projects and communications that still feel unfinished for you. Decide which no longer interest you and which ones you want to continue working on in the new year.

Now reflect on the year that’s ending by writing out a list of your accomplishments in 2009. For this list you can use special paper or ink with the colors of the season: red for the fire of rebirth and renewal, green for growth and love.Next write a paragraph describing your overall experience of 2009.When you’re done, take a few minutes to sit in quiet gratitude. If you like, you can imagine you’re moving through a cosmic birth canal to emerge afresh into 2010. Envision yourself as you wish to be in the new year or see and feel yourself as an infant ready to start over. Take your first big breath as you open your eyes and see the world anew.

No matter how you choose to celebrate Winter Solstice, gift yourself with the knowledge that you are not the same as you were yesterday. Dozens of cells in your body are new, as are your thoughts and feelings. All that you are is constantly evolving.

Let Winter Solstice remind you to make 2010 a year of renewal and rejuvenation as you celebrate the return of the light in everything you do.