How to Make Pagan Yule Greeting Cards
Easy Ideas for the Artistically Talented and Those Who Can’t Draw
Nov 22, 2008
The colors of the Pagan Solar Festival, Yule, are red, green, gold and white. Plants, animals, crystals, incense and mythical creatures are included in the Sabbat’s symbolism. Cards can be made with construction paper with the holiday’s colors. The artwork is the symbols: plants, animals, herbs, crystals, the Yule log, the mythical Phoenix, the eight-spoked wheel representing the cycle of the year and the wreath, representing eternal life. One can draw the symbols, paste these on the cards or both.
Yuletide Animals and Their Keynotes
- Stag: independence, pride and purification
- Squirrel: gathering, preparedness and activity
- Wolf: spirit, loyalty, teacher
- Hawk: guardian and the power of vision
- Robin: renewal and joy
- Wren: greatness and resourcefulness
- Phoenix: immortality and love
Plants of Yule
- Holly: winter magic, repels evil and protects people and homes from lightning bolts.
- Ivy: immortality and eternal life
- Evergreens: eternal life and eternity
- Mistletoe: fertility, cures diseases, protection from evil
- Bayberry: good fortune and wealth
Yule Herbs
- Cloves: repels negativity and hostility
- Ginger: love, wealth, success and power
- Myrrh: protection and purification
- Nutmeg: clairvoyance
- Rosemary: love, purification, protection and intellectualism
- Saffron: healing, clairvoyance and purification
- Valerian: harmony and love
- Wintergreen: healing, breaking hexes and protection
Crystals of Yuletide
- Bloodstone: victory, courage, wealth, strength, and healing
- Cat's eye: beauty, protection, healing, wealth and luck
- Crystal quartz: can substitute for all other crystals
- Garnet: strength, healing and protection
- Ruby: joy, banishes nightmares, power, protection and wealth
- Topaz: love, wealth, healing and protection
Creating Greeting Cards
This is a great family project. Imagine creating Yuletide cards on a cold, snowy or rainy late fall or early winter evening by the fire in the hearth or flames in a space heater. Hot chocolate, cocoa, tea and cookies are on the table. Reminiscences of Yuletides past, legends and, perhaps, as in the song, ghost stories are exchanged. The animal family members are dozing in front of the fire. Or imagine one of those days when children are restive and bored, looking for something to do. Children can create their own cards, especially making them by hand. In addition to the “goodies on the table, the aroma of homemade soup, stew or pasta sauce permeates the air. It’s a welcome greeting to those coming home after work, school or running errands.
Once the paper is selected, one can draw or paste pictures on the paper. Hand-written notes with the desired greetings are added. Writing about the symbols and their meanings is a pleasant touch.
For those who want to use computers, the cards can be saved as a Word document, then printed out on heavy paper. There are copyright free pictures and borders on the Internet that can be used or one can take pictures of chosen symbols.
Combining both methods to create the cards is another option.
Sample Card Created in Word Document
Pictures on front cover and greeting, second page of card’s interior if using traditional greeting card format or using non-traditional card format. These can be printed out to add to a traditional card.
Dear (name) handwritten
T’is the season for the holly, ivy and evergreens!
Holly is for winter magic, Ivy, immortality and Evergreens, eternal life.
May you have the joys and blessings of the holiday season and the best of New Years
Love, light and laughter,
(Signature)
Related articles:
Magi: Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh
Sources:
Animal-Speak,Ted Andrews, (Llewellyn Publications, 2002)
Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic, Scott Cunningham, (Llewellyn Publications, 1989)
Magical Herbalism,Scott Cunningham, (Llewellyn Publications, 1993)
