Yule, Night 5: Finding Abundance During the Holidays

Appreciation and Fullness

We’ve all been sick with the flu for the past two weeks.

I kept my immediate household away while I languished in my room for days. Thankfully, no one in the house got sick besides me. However, my eldest and his wife, who run their farm across the street from us, were not so lucky. I know they didn’t catch it from me, but this week, they are dragging themselves through the day, fueled by ginger tea and DayQuil.

Being sick for the holidays definitely puts a damper on some of the traditional activities. We’re clearly not gathering for a meal on Christmas Day (or anytime soon). This evening’s cookie-baking extravaganza took a back seat to helping the kids finish their farm chores. However, we did learn a lot about the true meaning of abundance: having help when you most desperately need it, in the form of tea and toast, or help hauling buckets of feed, or a ride to a doctor’s appointment. And the true meaning of the holiday – hope and light arising out of the darkness – sometimes shows up as a pot of chicken soup prepared with love to soothe an ailing body.

On the fifth night of Yule, we adopt a spirit of gratitude for the abundance of the past year: the lessons learned in the darkness, the flame that kept burning when hope was dim, the spark that we have tended day after day, the joy of still being here to step into a new year with the ones we love.

Holly and other evergreens remind us to be grateful for endurance during challenging times.

Evergreens: Symbols of Winter Abundance and Endurance

Today, while I was shopping for chicken feed, I found a cute little ceramic pig with a wreath around her neck – perfect for my holiday table. I also snagged a couple of miniature Christmas trees. On markdown, I found a garland made of felted wool and wooden beads that will add to the rustic decorations I want to put out for the season. But why do people use evergreens, garlands, and lights for the winter holidays?

I had an abundance of oranges, and chose to dry some slices to use as a fragrant, homey table “arrangement”

My 50% off piggy with her fancy wreath necklace looks lovely on the dining table this Christmas

I always use candles as table decor – all year round. Star anise and a Dollar Tree platter add simple elegance.

I am famous for using seasonal fruits as a table display. Don’t worry – we eat a lot of fruit, and it doesn’t spoil there!

This rooster flour sifter has been in my household for decades – he got a place of honor on the holiday table along with my two new Tractor Supply tree ornaments.

We learned in an earlier post about the origin of the mid-winter holidays as ancient celebrations of the return of the sun after the Winter Solstice. Decorating with candles, lights, and gold and silver ornaments hearkens back to the ancient practices of using fire to draw back the sun from the darkest night of the year. Evergreens, holly, and mistletoe were used by the ancients as symbols of life, protection, and blessing because they retain their green leaves through the coldest months of the year. Today, we add garlands, wreaths, and other greenery to our holiday decor as a reflection of this sentiment, and to enjoy their fragrance in our warm homes.

Wishing You Abundance and Peace

Whether you are gathering with loved ones or celebrating in solitude, decorating with greenery or keeping things simple with a candle or two, we at The Garden Way wish you a season of peace, prosperity, joy, and gratitude. Every moment is a gift – and we wish you many precious moments this holiday.

Don’t forget to download the 12 Nights of Yule, a reflective journaling guide for the season.

Embracing Liminal Spaces: Toads as Garden Guides

Garden toads arrive as the soil warms and spring begins to bring life back to the garden. Read about toads as messengers from the in-between places in the garden, and in life.
Embracing Chaos Gardening: Lessons from Year Two

In our lives, as in our gardens, sometimes the results don’t turn out as we planned – but they teach us important lessons to improve our efforts going forward. My chaos gardening experiment has taught me valuable lessons about surprise as a part of life’s abundance.
Lemon-Avocado Oil Quickbread Recipe

Combine whole lemons, avocado oil and pantry staples to create this sunshine-y, lemony quick bread.
January’s Portal: Looking Back and Forward

January is a portal between what was in the past and what is soon to come. As we reflect on the lessons from the darkness, we begin to turn toward the coming light.
The Sacred Cycle of Yule: Reflection, Renewal, and Completion

ith the lengthening days, we prepare for the natural world to return to life again. Likewise, it is our hope, here at The Garden Way, that you, too, are hearing that small voice of hope and seeing that glimmer of light on the 12th Night of Yule.
Yule, Night 5: Finding Abundance During the Holidays

On Yule Night 5, we are grateful for the abundance of the previous year, and show appreciation for the way evergreens endure the coldest season.
Yule: Ancient Winter Celebrations and Modern Influences

Join us at The Garden Way to learn more about the origin of Yule and how we celebrate mid-winter worldwide, today.