mystery gift

In 2001, when tragedy struck the nation in September, some of us fell into a paralyzing, frozen state of emotion. As we neared Yule, I knew I wanted to celebrate but it just seemed…wrong? Perhaps not wrong, but hard to let myself enjoy much of anything given so much that had happened. Then, two realizations hit me. One, was in picking up a book I had been reading before the Towers were hit–it was one of Janet Evanovich’s books. As I started to skim the pages, I heard myself laugh for the first time since that horrible September day. And that was when I realized how very much entertainment matters–even in darkness, it brings a breath of relief. A little respite. And second–it occurred to me that–by ignoring the holiday, by refusing to celebrate all that was good in my life, I was giving the shadows power and validating their actions. To sort through my feelings, I wrote the following…and every year, I bring it out, and read it, to remind myself that we must always have hope, even when there are cruel people and horrendous acts going on around us and throughout the world.

A Merry Yuletide To All
By Yasmine Galenorn

T’was two days before Yuletide and all through the coven,
The Witches were baking sacred cakes in the oven,
Astrologers were eyeing the stars for great omens
The bards were penning their stories and poems.
The Norsemen were blasted on grog and on ale,
The Celts hoarded mistletoe while it was on sale.
The New Agers were dreaming of angels of light,
As the snow piled up through the long winter’s night.

Yuletide was coming, Yuletide was near
And all that we craved was a little good cheer.
The trees sparkled with light in this season of snow,
This year gifts seemed bigger, or maybe not so,
Cookies and cakes and roast hams and roast geese
Filled the tables with promise, the promise of feasts.
Parties and dinners abounded this year,
Though underneath all lurked the presence of tears.

The rain in my town poured down, cold as sleet,
The skies overcast were, as usual, bleak.
I took a deep breath and I trimmed my fake tree,
(I’d rather not cut down a real one, you see).
And wondered again at how traditions brought peace,
And how these few baubles could make my pain cease.
The year had been hard, many lives had been lost,
And my heart surged with winter’s white frost.

I turned off the lamps and plugged in the lights
Circling the tree, they were shining so bright.
I curled by the fire, my cats at my feet
And listened to silence, and to my heart beat.
No elaborate ritual planned for Yule night,
Just a few friends and my loved ones held tight,
Just a few thoughts for those not as lucky as me,
For those sitting alone, by a mourning-dimmed tree.

As I curled by the fire, in front of my eyes,
A man dressed in holly showed up by my side.
“What the…?” I asked as the cats raced down the hall.
Home invasion?  Freak psycho?  Just a tad off the wall?
He shook his head and with a chill in his eyes,
Sat on the sofa and gave a soft sigh.
“My dear, I’ll save you the trouble to ask.
Answers you want, to give answers—my task.”

His breath swirled with ice, his hands crackled with frost
The Holly King—visiting? Perhaps he was lost?
I offered him grog and I offered him cake
But neither treat would the Winter King take.
I knelt at his feet, questions filling my heart,
“How can we celebrate in times that are dark?
Are we just kidding ourselves anymore?
Does the Mother still care? Have we outlived our lore?”

He put his hand on my shoulder, wiped a tear from my eye,
Leaned forward and whispered, “Tomorrow I die.
Tomorrow I meet my brother and fight,
Then descend into the long winter’s night.”
“Then why are you here?”  I grabbed for his hand.
“You’re doomed, and yet you still travel the land.
You bring the beauty of winter, the keen chill of ice,
You’re here in my home, gifting me with advice.”

He held tight to my fingers, he would not let go,
His smile remained, his eyes clouded with snow.
“I bring you beauty because it’s my nature and force,
I travel the land—it’s our lifeblood and source.
I will die tomorrow, others have died today,
And not every trouble will vanish away.
And not every hunger will feed, not every tear dry,
But to ignore beauty for pain is to let your soul die.

He lifted my chin and whispered, “Listen to me,
Let go of the guilt, set it loose, set it free.
Be grateful for that which the Goddess has sent,
Help those who you can, and give prayers where you can’t.
Don’t deny yourself celebration and mirth,
For the joy that you feel, to more joy it gives birth.
Don’t dwell on the pain, on the death, on the tears,
You’ll only empower more anguish and fear.”

And I saw what he meant, a world driven by pain,
Where fear ruled out courage and kept us in chains.
Where tears became bars of a cage holding us in,
Where laughter and music and joy were all sins.
And I vowed that my magick would not build that world,
And as I so vowed, the energy swirled
And swooped and rose and the Holly King laughed,
He kissed me soundly and winked as he danced.

The lights on the tree grew bright, shimmering clear,
The gifts given with love no longer seemed shallow cheer,
The garlands smelled fresh, the rain turned to snow,
Then the Holly King said, “I really must go.
I’ve a battle to lose, a duty to season,
And as to my death—you know there’s good reason.
The world cannot live in perpetual cold,
Even the Holly Lord must fade and grow old.”

I reached up to his wizened face, gave him a kiss
As the room clouded over with fog and bog-mist.
He gave me a hug and then pulled back near the tree,
And as he vanished, he was waving to me.
I opened the drapes to see snow sparkling like gems,
Covering the trees—every bough, needle and limb.
And I fixed myself tea and thought of the night,
What a wonderful gift—the gift of clear sight.

Tomorrow our friends on our home would descend,
And we would be here to welcome them in,
We’d eat and we’d drink, exchange gifts, in the light
Of a fire that crackled all through the night.
And we’d mourn the Holly come Yuletide Day,
We’d turn the Wheel in our nouveau ‘ancient of ways’.
We’d drive back the darkness with song and with mirth,
And welcome the Oak King as the Goddess gave birth.

Yasmine Galenorn

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Twas the Night Before Solstice
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13 thoughts on “Twas the Night Before Solstice

  • 01/03/2016 at 1:33 am
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    That was amazing, thank you for sharing. I hope you had a wonderful Yule.

    Reply
  • 12/24/2015 at 9:06 am
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    That is so true, and truly beautiful. I think once it’s safely New Years and I am finally done with everyone’s gifts (this year was odd… now that it’s known I sew, knit, embroider, etc – the number of people who basically submitted order forms was staggeringly high. In some cases – like family members, I found myself essentially being informed I would make so many such and suches for them to give OTHER people. And being an idiot, I agreed almost across the board and haven’t been able to so much as touch a project for myself or my home since August. 2016 will be my year of mostly ‘selfish’ thing!) I will either create an embroidery panel for my studio wall OR dig out my calligraphy/illumination gear for the panel so I can ensure both myself and my immediate circle of loved ones remember the worldview. (with permission and a promise – legally binding if requested – to only create the one, making it clear you are the author, and to never sell it). Hope you have an amazing holiday, your New Years Eve is safe and wonderful but even more, that 2016 is the best year you will have had in a long long time.

    Reply
  • 12/22/2015 at 9:47 pm
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    “to ignore beauty for pain is to let your soul die” – so lovely and true. Thank you.

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  • 12/22/2015 at 2:48 pm
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    Thank you for the wonderful reminder that we can enjoy life even when it seems overwhelmingly harsh. This season sometimes seems like all work and no play, but you have made it fun again by reminding me that it’s not wrong to enjoy things even if others aren’t able to enjoy as much.
    May you and your family, both human and furred, have a wonderful Yule and thank you again. Both for the holiday poem and your wonderful books. Whenever I need to escape, Camille, Menolly and Delilah are waiting to take me adventuring.

    Reply
  • 12/22/2015 at 2:25 pm
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    Love the poem. It says something important about this season.The tree is beautiful. Happy Yule, hope it is a joyous one!

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  • 12/22/2015 at 10:20 am
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    Just beautiful! I have been feeling so down this holiday season and needed something like this to change my perspective. My holiday baking and preparations look a little more enjoyable and a little less obligatory. Thank you for sharing your lovely words and reminding me that its ok to enjoy the holidays even though life may be trying to suck the joy out of me.

    Reply
  • 12/22/2015 at 9:15 am
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    Thank you for sharing. I needed this so much today! Blessings to you & yours this holiday season.

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  • 12/22/2015 at 6:57 am
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    Wonderful – thank you for sharing. Blessed be to you and yours.

    Reply
  • 12/22/2015 at 6:05 am
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    Thank you, that is lovely. Hope that you had a wonderful Yule! Wishing you happiness.

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  • 12/22/2015 at 12:30 am
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    Thank you for your beautiful words. We mortals get tied up in our daily lives and forget to be thankful for each breath we take and the many blessings we take for granted every day. May your Yule tyme be joyful for all of you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from my family.

    Reply
  • 12/22/2015 at 12:24 am
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    That was so touching and true. What a beautiful way to put everything into perspective. The written word is truly a wonderful thing. Thank you! Happy Holiday’s from my family to yours.

    Reply
  • 12/21/2015 at 6:27 pm
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    Beautiful poem Yasmine…Thank you for reminding us that even when the world seems harsh and cold, we must find the beauty in our lives and in the world also. Bright blessings to you, Samwise and your wonderful kitties in the new year and this holiday seasons. Happy Yule to you and Merry Christmas as well from mine to yours. Thank you for your wonderful worlds-they are my escape from my pain.

    Reply

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