Yule

Yule is the sabbat of the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, around 21 December in the northern hemisphere and 21 June in the southern. It celebrates the rebirth of the Sun: from that day on, the light begins to grow again. Its name comes from an old Germanic midwinter festival, and many of its customs passed into Christmas, such as the Yule log, the evergreen tree, holly and mistletoe. In Wicca it is associated with the Goddess giving birth to the Sun God, and it is a time of gathering, hope and candles kept burning through the dark.