Gaian Tarot Artist's Journal

Advent-of-the-Sun Calendar: Solstice Day!

And on Solstice Day, my true love sent to me . . .

A song & slideshow from our family to yours.

Click here to play a Quicktime movie (high res version) or click here for the YouTube version.

“In the Deep Midwinter” performed by Craig Olson

Music by Gustav Holst (1906)

Lyrics by Christina Rossetti (1872), revised by Craig Olson (2006)

Photography Credits:

Snow scenes by Catherine Kerr and Joanna Powell Colbert

Interior scenes by Paul Bingman, Chele Eva Armstrong and Joanna Powell Colbert

Advent-of-the-Sun Calendar: Day 20

On the twentieth day of Advent, my true love sent to me . . . 

"In Praise of Christmas," one of the most beautiful Yule carols ever written, with revised lyrics by Helen Farias.

My friend Helen, founder of the Beltane Papers back in the early 80's and creator of the original Lucia parties, had a knack for revising lyrics to beloved melodies.  I first heard this song from her before Loreena McKennitt recorded her own well-known version.  Here is a video of Loreena's version (hauntingly beautiful).  Here are the songsheet and traditional lyrics.  And if you'd like to learn the song to sing for your own revels, here are Helen's revised lyrics.  Blessed be.  (Photo of an island maple taken by me a few winters ago.)

"To Drive the Cold Winter Away" (or, "In Praise of Christmas")



Melody: 17th century English traditional

Lyrics by Helen Farias

When Christmas’s tide comes in like a bride,

With holly and ivy clad,

Her candles aglow, her mantle of snow,

Shall make our weary hearts glad.

Your door open wide to call her inside

To brighten the gloomy day.

Our wassail is blest, our carols are best

To drive the cold winter away.

This time of the year is spent in good cheer

And friends together do meet 

To sit by the fire, with magic conspire

To make their holidays sweet.

The Lady and Lord with circle and ward

Will bid the good spirits stay,

And at our behest they’ll banish the rest

To drive the cold winter away.

So these are the days we joyfully praise,

Despite the darkening year.

We trust that the Light that shines in the night

Dispels all sorrow and fear.

The stars in the sky that sparkle on high

And here comes the Good Dame, plum pudding aflame

To drive the cold winter away.

Advent-of-the-Sun Calendar: Day 18

On the eighteenth day of Advent, my true love sent to me . . . 

Snowfall, wild visitors, and a warm, warm house.

Advent-of-the-Sun Calendar: Day 17

On the seventeenth day of Advent, my true love sent to me . . . 

"Firedance," a lively song to celebrate the Return of the Sun by Canadian group Jaiya.  (It's only a clip, not the whole song, sorry! But you can hear how lively it is.)

You can buy the CD or download it here.  

"Yule is come, now beat the drum,

and light the Solstice flame . . .

Tonight we raise a hymn of praise,

for the Sun returns again!"

Advent-of-the-Sun Calendar: Day 16

On the sixteenth day of Advent, my true love sent to me . . . 

"A Litany for the Winter Solstice" by John & Caitlin Matthews

In the Matthews' wonderful book The Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas, they suggest that we sit alone or with others quietly around a candle or fire. "Then," they write, "make a litany of praise to the thing that you hold most precious about this season and the great festival in which you are taking part. . . Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Once you begin, ask others to add their own lines — and remember, this can be fun as well as serious — witty lines are just as much a party of the litany since laughter is essential to any celebration." (pg 44)

For the return of the Sun — blessings and praise!

For the gifts we give, and receive — blessings and praise!

For all the gift-givers — blessings and praise!

For the Children of Wonder — blessings and praise!

For children everywhere — blessings and praise!

For sunsets and starlight — blessings and praise!

For fabulous feast days — blessings and praise!

For those who cook them — blessings and praise!

For the tree in the corner — blessings and praise!

For the candles in the window — blessings and praise!

For the icicles on the trees — blessings and praise!

For light on the snowfields — blessings and praise!

For the gifts of friendship — blessings and praise!

For hand-bell ringers — blessings and praise!

For the robin and wren — blessings and praise!

For animals everywhere — blessings and praise!

"You can continue with this litany for as long as you would like and as many things as you can think of. In this way nothing gets forgotten and the things that mean most to each one of us are acknowledged and honored." (pg 45)

Please add your favorite things about this Season to the litany in the comments!

More about Santa Lucia

Several people have asked me for more information about St. Lucia.  She's been a part of my life for so long that I forget that most people don't know her history and mythology.  The following is an article I wrote in 2000 that was published a year or two later in PanGaia magazine.  Warning: it's long, and has footnotes!

The Magical Giftbringers of Yule: St. Lucia 

One of the most charming customs of the Yuletide season is that of the Lucy Bride.  She is the young woman or girl who wears a crown of candles on her head and walks through a dimly lit home, carrying a tray of pastries and coffee to feed her family.  She is called St. Lucia and is most commonly known as the Christian saint who was said to light the way to salvation.  But why did this Italian saint, with her origins in Sicily, capture the hearts of the people of the far north?  For it is in the dark, northern lands of Scandinavia that she is the most beloved.  As Clement A. Miles wrote a hundred years ago, the imagery of the light shining forth out of darkness is a primary Yuletide theme, one that seems to strike deeply in the hearts of humankind.   “Lux in tenebris is one of the strongest notes of Christmas: in the bleak midwinter a light shines through the darkness; when all is cold and gloom, the sky bursts into splendor, and in the dark cave is born the Light of the World.”¹

Lucia Party 2008

My friend Helen Farias started the tradition of Lucia Parties back in the 80's, and my circle sisters and I hosted them continually since 1997.  The last 8 parties were held at Heron House on the island. This year, we rented a beautiful Victorian mansion in downtown Bellingham.  A good time was had by all, although many people left early because of the blizzard that swept in halfway through.  After a harrowing drive home on icy hills, a few of us continued the party into the wee hours, then rose Sunday morning to a blanket of snow.  The hostesses & overnight guests gathered for brunch at Rainbow Cottage and we spent a day of "time out of time."  Our hearts are full and grateful.

I uploaded photos to my Flickr account here.

Advent-of-the-Sun Calendar: Day 15

On the fifteenth day of Advent, my true love sent to me:

Fabulous revised lyrics to a favorite carol:

Lady Greensleeves

Lyrics by Lady Isadora

Midwinter Moon is shining bright

The Yuletide log is burning

Good people gather round tonight

The Sabbat Wheel is turning.

Joy, mirth, the Sun’s rebirth

Now as of old we greet thee

Gladdening the songs we sing

Of praises to the Lady.

‘Twas at the feast of bright Beltane

When we were all a-Maying

Sweet minstrel queen in her gown of green

Swing round, a lay was playing

And though now robed in snow

Her wintry garb deceives

For bedecked with holly and mistletoe

She is still our Lady Greensleeves.

So drink ye wassail everyone

Good pagans all make merry

With wine as red as the reborn Sun

As red as holly berry.

Dance, sing, come join the ring

As her Yuletide spell she weaves

Fair Queen the Evergreen

Sweet lovely Lady Greensleeves.

Advent-of-the-Sun Calendar: Day 13

On the thirteenth day of Advent, my true love sent to me:

The appearance of Santa Lucia, whose Day this is!

Lo! on our threshold there,

White-clad, with flame-crown’d hair:

Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia.

"I hear you singing this refrain as I enter your homes on the darkest night, bearing my gifts of light for your souls and bread for your bodies.  Oh, Hail!  Do you know me?  Even my name speaks of the Light.  I am that Lightbringer whose visit heralds the imminent Return of the Sun.

You know me as Lussibruden, the Lucy Bride, in Scandinavian countries, or as the Italian Santa Lucia, that good Christian girl who tore out her eyes rather than submit to violation.   But before I was converted to Christianity, I was known to you as Freya, Mistress of Cats, as I dispensed wealth and plenty to you and your tribe at Yuletide.   Like the Norse Sunna of the Firey Wheel, I light up the darkness with my crown of flames.  And like Juno Lucina of ancient Rome, I am midwife to the First Light, the Child of Wonder."

(Excerpt from an unpublished manuscript, The Magical Giftbringers of Yule, by Joanna Powell Colbert. Artwork by moi as well.)

Advent-of-the-Sun Calendar: Day 12

On the twelfth day of Advent, my true love sent to me:

The biggest, brightest Full Moon of the whole year!

I unearthed this piece of artwork from my archives, done in 1999.  (My, how my colored pencil technique has improved since then!)  In 1999, the full moon rose just 10 hours after the Solstice and inspired this piece.  May tonight's Full Moon be just as blessed.