Yule Traditions

Congratulations to Dr. Sharon Kaufman, who shared this Yule tradition to win a special contest in New Worlds:

In my immediate family, we make sure that whatever our individual plans for the holiday season are, we spend Solstice Eve together. Bundled against the cold and armed with packages of sparklers, hot chocolate, and assorted snacks, we wend our way to the beach of the lake near our home as midnight approaches. There we build a bonfire using wood we’ve been collecting from the property over the previous year specifically for this occasion. Once the fire is lit, we sit in silence until the wood is r-e-a-l-l-y burning—this usually takes half an hour or so. Then the youngest child in our gathering breaks the silence. She passes around slips of paper to each person in the group and instructs us to write down any lingering regrets we’ve carried with us from the past year. We read our “regrets” to ourselves, then toss the papers into the heart of the flames. With our regrets turned to ashes, we strike matches and light our sparklers, watching the miniature lights sputter and fly into the darkness like tracers. At midnight we join hands and welcome the Solstice, then “break bread together” by sharing warm beverages and treats, prior to the cold trek back to the house.