We mark the dark.We lower the light and open the old stories.Yule is a threshold — not a season, but a crossing.
A time when fire is kept, names are remembered, futures are quietly shaped, and the dark is treated with respect rather than fear.
Over twelve nights, we followed the old pattern.
Each night a working.
Each day a choice.
Threads gathered from folklore, pagan winter rites, and the magic of survival — knotted with care and intention.
This is hearth-fire and watchfulness. Feasting and protection. Release, reckoning, and the steady choosing of what we carry forward.
We moved through it slowly. Listening more than speaking. Honouring what still stands, and loosening what no longer serves.
What follows is the record of that working —each day as it was held, each night as it answered.
Day 1 — Mother’s Night
The working began by honouring the matriarchs — blood, chosen, remembered, unnamed.Those who fed us, protected us, softened the world, or taught us how to endure it.
A night of sheltering love and quiet strength.
- Light a candle for the women and matriarchal figures who shaped you (blood or chosen).
- Place your hands over your heart and name one way you’ve been protected this year.
- Take a warm bath or shower with intention to rest, not fix.
- Talk to the women in your life, spend some time with them
- Use a recipe passed on to you from someone special
We held this with Festive Firelight, grounding ourselves in warmth, gratitude, and protection carried forward through generations.
Day 2 — Hearth & Home
Fire was tended. Doors were shut against the cold.This day belongs to safety, nourishment, and the magic of simply staying alive together.
We cleaned, cooked, and gathered close.
- Tidy one small area of your home (no deep clean required).
- Cook or warm something comforting and eat it mindfully.
- Light a candle near where you rest or eat to symbolise the hearth.
- Create a small altar space where you can practice your craft
Hearthfire Body Scrub marked the care of the body as an extension of caring for the home.
Day 3 — The Nisse
The house spirits were acknowledged — the unseen helpers, protectors, and tricksters.
Respect given, offerings made, mischief anticipated.
A reminder that homes are alive.
- Leave a small offering (food, drink, or gratitude) in your kitchen or by your door.
- Thank your home out loud for sheltering you.
- Do one practical act of care for your space.
- Acknowledge the hard work that goes into maintaining your home by patting yourself on the back or taking a moment to say thank you to someone
We honoured them with Nisse Crème Balm, practical, comforting, and quietly protective.
Day 4 — The Wild Hunt
The wind rises. The blood stirs.This night belongs to movement, chaos, and forces that cannot be controlled — only respected.
The Wild Hunt is not gentle. It is momentum, circulation, and the reminder that stagnation does not survive winter.
- Move your body gently: stretch, sway, pace, or shake it out.
- Take a warming bath or shower and imagine stagnation loosening.
- Acknowledge something you cannot control — and let it go.
We marked this night with The Wild Hunt Bath Bomb, made with ingredients known to encourage warmth, circulation, and energy — honouring motion, blood flow, and the body’s need to move and wake.
We did not invite — we observed. Honouring that not everything is meant to be tamed.
Day 5 — Eddas Night
This night belongs to the old stories — not as myths, but as memory.
The Eddas carried survival knowledge through long winters: how to endure, how to adapt, how to remember who you are when the world is hard.
- Read a myth, poem, or passage that feels old or grounding.
- Wrap yourself in warmth (blanket, heat pack) and rest intentionally.
- Reflect on one lesson you’ve learned through hardship.
- Research a new craft or skill. Or ask a friend to pass on their knowledge of it.
We honoured this night with Heat Packs — warmth as wisdom, comfort as continuity.
A reminder that rest, tending the body, and sharing warmth are ancient forms of care passed down through generations.
Day 6 — Odin’s Day
Gifts were exchanged — not for obligation, but for connection.Time, thought, care.This night reminds us that generosity is a form of magic.
- Give a small, thoughtful gift (time, words, care count).
- Write a message to someone you appreciate.
- Accept help or kindness without deflecting it.
Passing on wisdom, care, and what is needed.
Mystery Bundles felt fitting here — trust, surprise, and care wrapped with intention.
Day 7 — Ársgang
Looking forward. Walking the future before it arrives.This night belongs to hope that is practical, not naïve.
- Step outside briefly and look toward the horizon or sky.
- Name one realistic thing you’re moving toward next year.
- Massage sore muscles or joints with care, preparing the body for what’s ahead.
We held sore bodies and tired minds with Morningstar Massage Bar, easing ourselves toward what comes next.
Day 8 — Jólablót
Feasting, honouring the gods, the land, and the cycles that sustain us.This is a night of thanks for survival itself.
- Share a meal with others or eat something hearty alone.
- Thank the land, animals, or people who made that food possible.
- Indulge in a treat or something special you’ve been saving
We indulged our bodies with Gonger bread Body Scrub, grounding into warmth, fullness, and rest earned.
Day 9 — The Yule Goat
A symbol of strength, labour, and survival through winter. With a touch of playfulness.
Not cute — enduring.
This night honours the work done to get here.
- Acknowledge the work it took to reach this point in the year.
- Say aloud: “I did enough to get here.”
- Leave a mystery gift for someone, give an act of kindness to a stranger or do something future you will be grateful for
We marked it with Spirit Walker Bath Bomb, steadying and grounding.
Day 10 — Saturnalia
Laughter, games, hospitality, and shared joy.
A reminder that celebration is not frivolous — it is necessary.
- Play a game, tell jokes, or share laughter.
- Break a routine intentionally (eat dessert first, stay up late, do something silly).
- Invite joy without guilt.
- Host a gathering, big or small
We softened the edges of the season with Merry Mint Body Scrub, fresh, playful, and invigorating.
Day 11 — Fate Day
Threads were chosen, braided, knotted, and burned.
Release what no longer serves.
Carry what still matters.
Begin what is reasonable and real.
Choose three threads, strings, or pieces of paper:
- One for what you’re releasing
- One for what you’re carrying forward
- One for what you’re beginning.
Braid, knot, or hold them while reflecting.
Burn or safely dispose of them to mark the transition.
We held this with Nova balm, gentle, floral, and quietly hopeful.
Day 12 — Hogmanay
The working closed.The old year was released. The new one welcomed.
Doors were symbolically cleared. Hands were washed. Intentions set.
- Wash your hands or face to symbolise clearing the old year.
- Open a door or window briefly to welcome what’s next.
- Set one gentle intention for the year ahead — not a demand, just a direction.
- burn a sage bundle or insense
- Line your front door with salt for protection or blow cinnamon across a threshold to welcome good fortune
Reusable Face Pads marked renewal — practical, cleansing, and mindful of what we carry forward.
The dark was honoured.
The fire was kept.
The working was sealed.