Solstice Celebrations

by Frank Lewis

Before anyone worried about keeping Christ in Christmas -- before Christ was even born -- people marked the winter solstice. In fact many things long associated exclusively with Christmas -- the use of trees, holly and mistletoe, the Yule log, even the notion of a divine light being born unto the world -- were simply appropriated from much older traditions as Christians sought to bring these polytheists into the fold. (This is why I can't muster an ounce of sympathy for modern Christians who lament the commercialization and secularization of "their" holiday.) Anyway, whether you're a pagan or just curious, there are opportunities to see how the return of the light (after the winter solstice, the days slowly begin to get longer) was celebrated old-school. The First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia will host two events: the Delaware Valley Pagan Network's concert, featuring music and storytelling, on Dec. 20, and a solstice celebration on the 21st. Other pagan groups are planning events as well, such as the open Yule ritual sponsored by Sacred Crossroads in Media, and the Naturewise Coven's weekend-long celebration, held Dec. 20-22 in Ocean City. For more on these and other area pagan events, visit www.broomcloset.org.

Delaware Valley Pagan Network's Winter Solstice Celebration, Fri., Dec. 20, 8 p.m., $10 adults, $5 children, First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut St., www.dvpn.org.

Thelesis Camp's Winter Solstice Celebration, Sat., Dec. 21, 6 p.m., First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, thelesis@hotmail.com.

Open Yule Ritual, Fri., Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware Co., 145 W. Rose Tree Rd., Media, www.sacredcrossroads.com.

First Light 2002, a Yule Celebration sponsored by Naturewise Coven, Fri.-Sun., Dec. 20-22, $30 registration fee; Yule Ritual at Dawn, Dec. 22, free and open to the public, Port-O-Call Hotel, Ocean City, N.J., www.gemnaries.com/naturewise.