Supplies needed:

tiki torches, lit

Outside circle:

wash pan w/ water
towel

In circle:

4 candles
1 red candle
5 candle holders
1 offering bowl for milk
1 offering bowl for cookies
sword
spear
drinking horn
large goblet
cider or beer
cookies
milk
matches/lighters
Freddie & stuff
chalice for water
jug of water

Have all wash and dry hands before entering circle.

When all have entered:

Priest:

"Welcome all who have come to keep the Old Ways. We are here to honor the Gods, to keep the feast of Yule."

Priestess:

Priest makes an invocation to Odin:

Pour milk in bowl, take bowl of cookies. Hold both up.

Priest:

Place both bowls outside of the circle by the stream.

Priestess goes to the four quarters and makes the Hammer sign, saying:

"Hammer in the East, hallow and hold this holy stead.

Hammer in the South, hallow and hold this holy stead.

Hammer in the West, hallow and hold this holy stead.

Hammer in the North, hallow and hold this holy stead."

Then goes to the center and makes the sign overhead saying:

"Hammer above us, hallow and hold this holy stead."

And then toward the ground, saying:

"Hammer below us, hallow and hold this holy stead."

Priest:

Priestess:

Priest fills horn & goblet with cider or beer, holds them up, then begins passing them around the circle, saying:

"To all who dwell in this land, families of trees, and birds, and four-legged beasts, of herbs and lakes and streams, of snakes and lizards, and crawling things, of alfs and dwarfs and spirits of the land, this night we honor you. Landvetter, accept our offering."

Priest:

Priestess:

"Likewise the Disir / Great and good women
Mothers, grandmothers, / Peace-weavers, wise ones
Ancestors aid us / Hear as we hail you
Drink we this draught now / In honor and love"

The Horn is passed around the circle. When it returns to the harrow the remnant is poured on the ground by the Holly tree.

Priestess:

"Hail to the Alfs, all ringed round us, the Fathers of the folk.
Hail to the Dises, all ringed round us, the Mothers of our might.
Hail to our kin, in the hidden lands, Hail the ancestors on this holy Yule!"

Priest reads The Descent to Darkness:

"Sunna sinks down / into the dark sea,
Wolf and wind howl / outside the walls
Now winter shakes out / her snowy bed
Now are life-fires / hid in yew-night
Odin's grey steed / leads ghosts on the wind
Trolls fare from cliff-halls / the etins are risen
Well are we warded / who watch this night
By Fire and Water / by Thor's great strength."

Priestess reads:

"Now Sunna stands / in her lowest stead
Lost is all light / sleeping all life
The frost-cold wights / hold icy rule
We hail the might / That howls now from the north
Odin, from Yew-Dales / at Yuletide haring
Shield-God, ward us / with thy strong bow
Skadi the Giantess / skis from the north
Huntress, give us / your holy rede
Freya's might hold us / here in our hall
Golden Frey's might / hold us in frith
All of ye Gods / and Goddesses high
From darkness we hail you / from dragon-deep root
Lead us through darkness / through all dire dooms."

Priest:

"These verses are from the Havamal, the word of the High One."

"Young and alone on a long road,
Once I lost my way;
Rich I felt when I found another,
Man rejoices in man.

A kind word need not cost much,
The price of praise can be cheap;
With half a loaf and an empty cup,
I found myself a friend.

The coward believes he will live forever
If he holds back in battle,
But in old age he shall have no peace
Though spears have spared his limbs.

A wayfarer should not walk unarmed
But have his weapons to hand:
He knows not when he may need a spear,
Or what menace meet on the road.

A man should be loyal through life to friends,
And return gift for gift.
Laugh when they laugh,
But with lies repay
A false foe who lies.

If you find a friend you fully trust
And wish for his good-will,
exchange thoughts,
exchange gifts,
Go often to his house.

To a false friend the footpath winds
Though his house be on the highway.
To a sure friend there is a shortcut,
Though he live a long way off.

If you know a friend you can fully trust,
Go often to his house.
Grass and brambles grow quickly
Upon the untrodden track.

With a good man it is good to talk,
Make him your fast friend:
But waste no words on a witless oaf,
Nor sit with a senseless ape.

Cherish those near you, never be
The first to break with a friend;
Care eats him who can no longer
Open his heart to another.

An evil man, if you make him your friend,
Will give you evil for good:
A good man, if you make him your friend
Will praise you in every place.

Affection is mutual when men can open
All their heart to each other,
He whose words are always fair
Is untrue and not to be trusted.

Cattle die, kindred die,
Every man is mortal:
But a good name never dies
Of one who has done well.

Mock not the traveler met on the road,
Nor maliciously laugh at the guest:
Scoff not a guest nor to the gate chase them,
But relieve the lonely and wretched.

The sitters in the hall seldom know
The kin of a new-comer;
The best man is marred by faults,
The worst is not without worth.

The wise one has spoken words in the hall,
Needful for men to know,
Unneedful for trolls to know.

Hail to the speaker,
Hail to the knower,
Joy to him who has understood,
Delight to those who have listened."

Priestess:

"By Aesir and Alfar / And Dises mighty
By Thunar's strong striking / And Freya's Hearth-fire
We seek the shining / Of Yule-morning's magic
Sunna we call you / Come forth from the night
Bear to us blessing / Of spring and then summer
Shine on our land / In our homes, in our hearts
Increase and bounty / Be ours and our kindred's
Rising light, welcome / we hail your returning."

The chalice of water is lifted and the Hammer sign is made over it.

Priest:

"Now let the weal-might / Of Woden and Frigga
Of Frey and of Freya / Of Tir and all Aesir
Of Alfar and Disir / And all goodly wights
Shine in this Blessing / We pray as your people
Hallow these Waters / O mighty and shining
Offering we've given / Pray gift us in turn
Behold the Waters of Life!"

Priestess:

"Now by the might of Frey and Freya, by the blessing of all the Aesir, may the rising light of the Sun be in our hearts as it is in the world. May our strength grow with it, from good to good and gain to gain, throughout the turning year. All hail the reborn Sun!"

All:

"All hail the Reborn Sun!"