In the Bleak Midwinter: Why We Celebrate in Darkness

Today, the 22nd of December 2019, is the astronomical winter solstice. The time of the shortest day and the longest night. Historically, this was known to the Anglo-Saxons, as Bede tells us that “The months of Guili derive their name from the day when the Sun turns back [and begins] to increase” (1). Giuli, or Geōla, being the twin months roughly corresponding to December and January and the origin of the modern word “Yule”.

Various sources (both primary and secondary) suggest that this was a time of year especially associated with Wōden, the Wild Hunt, and other such unquiet wihta. This makes sense, on an almost subconscious level, as it is the darkest part of the year, where little outdoor activity was required for the majority of people in the British Isles. The crops were long since gathered, the herds had already been culled for winter, and it was simply much warmer inside the home. This left outside to the wihta – especially those said to haunt the darkness. Grendel, for example, is described in line 703 of the poem Bēowulf as a “sceadugenga” – literally “one who goes in shadow”.

Such a time would be a worry for people who had little to do to take their minds of the grimness. Making offerings, especially blōt*, would be a good way to propitiate potentially malevolent wihta in order to ward off their depredations.

It was not only a time of doom and gloom, though. The acknowledgement of Geōl as the darkest part of the year also showed that people knew the days were about to get longer and the warmth of the sun would return to wake the land from its wintry slumber. As such, Geōl was also a time for holding feasts and making merry. This revelry would also be a heartening distraction from the more dire aspects of the time of year.

For the modern Fruman, Geōl is a tide of coming together as a hearth* to celebrate family and to gladden each other’s lives at a time when things can otherwise feel rather bleak. It is a time for feasting and merrymaking. However, it is also a time to be aware of the looming darkness and making offering to the wihta who may look to the strȳnd as sport.

By making an offering to Wōden at midwinter, the strȳnd gains protection against the worst that the wihta can offer. Even keeping the Wild Hunt at bay. Whilst the blōt itself will be a solemn event, other parts can be merrier. A good idea would be a “mock hunt”, where members of the strȳnd guise as the Wild Hunt and parade through the village, perhaps chasing those dressed as “the hunted”.

Regardless of how you observe Geōl, I hope you and your hearth have a good one. Wesaþ ge hāle, gehwā!

*See the wordhoard for definitions.

(1) p. 54. Wallis, F. (1988) r2004. Bede: The Reckoning of Time. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. ISBN: 0-85323-693-3