Anyone ever found a kid's picturebook about YULE???

[joyfulliving]

Hi, I've been looking, searching, combing for a picturebook about Yule. Has anyone ever heard of one?

Thanks
Joyfulliving

[Arduinna]

I know of one It's called The Winter Solstice by Ellen Jackson. It's for kids 4-8.

[joyfulliving]

Thanks Arduinna. Checkin' it out.

Thanks Arduinna -

I'll check it out on Powells right now!

Joyfulliving

[joyfulliving]

Arduinna, What about a solstice or yule songbook for piano?

Anything you know of? We'd take songs from any ethnic origin. Some of the songs in christmastime songbooks have celtic origins but I'm looking for something even more focused on Yule-solstice themes.

Thanks,
Joyfulliving

[Arduinna]

I'll look around, can't remember off the top of my head. I know we passed some around last year this time on another site I go to. I'll let you know.

[Arduinna]

here's some

HARK THE NEO-PAGANS SING
-"Sunblade"
(Tune: "Hark the Herald Angels Sing")

Hark the neo-Pagans sing,
Glory to the Holly King!
Peace on Earth and mercy mild,
God and Goddess reconciled,
Hear us now as we proclaim,
We have risen from the flames,
Our ancient Craft now we reclaim,
In the God and Goddess' names
Hark the neo-Pagans sing,
Glory to the Holly King!
Herne by highest love adored,
Herne the ever-reborn Lord,
At all times behold Him come,
Offspring of the Holy One,
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see,
Hail Incarnate Deity!
Our ancient Craft now we reclaim,
in the God and Goddess' names
Hark the neo-Pagans sing,
Glory to the Holly King!

*

YE CHILDREN ALL OF MOTHER EARTH
-Ellen Reed
(Tune: "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear")

Ye children all of Mother Earth
join hands and circle around
To celebrate the Solstice night
When our lost Lord is found.
Rejoice, the year has begun again
The Sun blesses skies up above
So share the season together now
In everlasting Love!

*
GLORIA
-Ellen Reed

Snow lies deep upon the Earth
Still our voices warmly sing
Heralding the glorious birth
Of the Child, the Winter King
Glo -- ria!
In excelsis Deo!
Glo -- ria!
In excelsis Dea!
Our triumphant voices claim
Joy and hope and love renewed
And our Lady's glad refrain
Answer winter's solitude
Glo -- ria! (Etc.)
In Her arms a holy Child
Promises a glowing Light
Through the winter wind so wild
He proclaims the growing Light.
Glo -- ria! (Etc.)
Now the turning of the year
Of the greater Turning sings
Passing age of cold and fear
Soon our golden summer brings.
Glo -- ria! (Etc.)

*

OH, COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL!
-Ellen Reed

Oh, come all ye faithful
Gather round the Yule Fire
Oh, come ye, oh, come ye,
To call the Sun!
Fires within us
Call the Fire above us
O, come, let us invoke Him!
O, come, let us invoke Him!
O, come, let us invoke Him!
Our Lord, the Sun!
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee!
Born again at Yuletide!
Yule fires and candle flames
Are lighted for You!
Come to thy children
Calling for thy blessing!
O, come let us invoke Him (x3)
Our Lord, the Sun!

*

SILENT NIGHT
-Ellen Reed

Silent night, Solstice Night
All is calm, all is bright
Nature slumbers in forest and glen
Till in Springtime She wakens again
Sleeping spirits grow strong!
Sleeping spirits grow strong!
Silent night, Solstice night
Silver moon shining bright
Snowfall blankets the slumbering Earth
Yule fireswelcome the Sun's rebirth
Hark, the Light is reborn!
Hark, the Light is reborn!
Silent night, Solstice night
Quiet rest till the Light
Turning ever the rolling Wheel
Brings the winter to comfort and heal
Rest your spirit in peace!
Rest your spirit in peace!

*
GLORY TO THE NEW BORN KING
-Ellen Reed (1st verse)

Brothers, sisters, come to sing
Glory to the new-born King!
Gardens peaceful, forests wild
Celebrate the Winter Child!
Now the time of glowing starts!
Joyful hands and joyful hearts!
Cheer the Yule log as it burns!
For once again the Sun returns!

Brothers, sisters, come and sing!
Glory to the new-born King!
Brothers, sisters, singing come
Glory to the newborn Sun
Through the wind and dark of night
Celebrate the coming light.
Suns glad rays through fear's cold burns
Life through death
the Wheel now turns
Gather round the Yule log and tree
Celebrate Life's mystery
Brothers, sisters, singing come
Glory to the new-born Sun.



*
SHARE THE LIGHT
(The First Noel)

CHORUS: Share the light, share the light!
Share the light, share the Light!
All paths are one on this holy night!
On this Winter holiday, let us stop and recall
That this season is holy to one and to all.
Unto some a Son is born, unto us comes a Sun,
And we know, if they don't that all paths are one.
Be it Chanukah or Yule,
Christmas time or Solstice night,
All celebrate the eternal light.
Lighted tree or burning log,
Or eight candle flames.
All gods are one god, whatever their names.

*
MOON OF SILVER
(We Three Kings)

CHORUS: Oh, Moon of Silver, Sun of Gold,
Gentle Lady, Lord so bold!
Guide us ever, failing never,
Lead us in ways of old.

Maiden, Mother, Ancient Crone,
Queen of Heaven on your throne,
Praise we sing Thee, Love we bring Thee,
For all that you have shown.

Lord of Darkness, Lord of Light,
Gentle Brother, King of Might,
Praise we sing thee, Love we bring Thee
On this Solstice night.

*
JOY TO THE WORLD

Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
Let Earth receive her king!
Let every heart prepare him room
And Heaven and Nature sing, etc.

Welcome our King who brings us life.
Our Lady gives him birth!
His living light returneth to warm the seeds within us
And wake the sleeping earth, etc.

Light we the fires to greet our Lord,
Our Light! Our Life! Our King!
Let every voice be lifted to sing his holy praises, As Heaven and
Nature sing, etc.

*


GOD REST YE MERRY, PAGANFOLK
(God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen)

God rest ye merry, paganfolk,
Let nothing you dismay.
Remember that the Sun returns
Upon this Solstice day.
The growing dark is ending now
And Spring is on its way.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

The Goddess rest ye merry, too,
And keep you safe from harm.
Remember that we live within
The circle of Her arms,
And may Her love give years to come
A very special charm.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy!

Wiccan Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace
How sweet the Earth,
That bore a Witch like me.
I once was burned,
Now I survive.
Was Hanged but now I sing.

'Twas Grace, That Drew
Down the Moon,
and Grace that Raised
the Seas,
The Magick in,
The people's Will
Will Set our Mother Free.

We Face The East,
and breathe the winds,
That move across the Earth,
From gentle breeze to hurricane,
our breath will bring forth change.

Turn Towards the South,
and Feel the Fire,
That burns in you and me,
The Spirit's flame shall rise again,
and Burn Eternally.

We Greet the West
Our Souls awash,
In Tides of Primal Birth,
Our Pain and blood, Our Tears and love
Shall cleanse and heal the Earth.

Reach in to North,
and Know your roots,
Down Deep ancestral Caves.
We find the Wisdom of the Crone,
of Circles we are made.

Amazing Grace
How Sweet the Earth
That bore Witches like We.
We once were burned
Now we survive
were hanged and now we sing.

Goddess bless,
So mote it be
Our Magick Spirals on,
Merry meet and Merry Part
and Merry meet Again.

[khrisday]

Those are so awesome, I am going to start learning them for the holidays!

Can I re-post them to other lists?

[amymarie]

Yes I agree those are awesome...I wish there was an album with those songs on it...

[Arduinna]

I didn't write them, they have made the rounds to alot of lists, so feel free to copy and paste at will.

[Arduinna]

forgot this one

Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland!
"Alexander & Aarcher"
Pagans sing, are you listenin'
Alters set, candles glisten,
Its a magical night, we're having tonight
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland


Blades held high, censor smoking,
God and Goddess, we're invoking,
Through Elements Five, we celebrate life,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland,


Queen of Heaven, is in her place,
Triple Goddess, now the Crone face
Above and below, She's the Goddess we know,
Dancing in a wiccan wonderland.


Now the God, is the provider
Supplying game for our fire,
Above and below, He's the Horned one we know,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland


In a cirle we can burn a yule fire,
And await the rising of the Sun,
It's the great wheel turning for the new year,
loaded with abundance and great fun


Later on, by the fire,
Cone of Power, gettin' higher
Its a Magickal Night, we're having tonight,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland!

[DaryLLL]

wow, these are great. We are singing them now! Really gets you in the Spirit!

[EarthWind]

I love the songs!!!! And I'm going on Powell's too to get the book.

Thanks you guys!

Peace,

Michelle

[frodo]

those look like susan moonshadow's collection of songs. i remember singing those with a local CUUPs group years ago.

i scored a kids' book at a used book sale (at a presbyterrian church,of all places) that is a real-thing, honest-to-goddess, pre-christian yuletide carrol. i'm trying to find it right now; it's on the floor somewhere, ds was looking at it earlier today.

it's called the thirteen days of yule i'll post the publisher's info as soon as i find it. i was so excited wheni found it i was almost jumping up and down, it was at a _bag sale_ for crying out loud! it must have cost me _less_ than a dime!

unfortunately the tune was lost, but it works great as a circle chant or round, and it sounds terrific with drums. it starts like this:

"the king sent his lady on the first yule day
a papingo, ay!
who hears my carrol and carries it away?"

and counts up through the 13 days, adding a gift each day, and always ending with the refrain, "who hears my carrol and carries it away?" it's the grandfather to "the 12 days of christmas". but it doesn't work with that tune. with drumming, circle dancing, or passing wassail, it can be quite boistrous and fun. we read it to ds on the eve of yule every year, after the yule log's lit, but he's audio-sensitive and won't even tolerate clapping, which is a pity because it's got this great rythym you really want to clap and stomp and drum to.

let this be a lesson to us all: bag sales are our friends!

blessings

[frodo]

who learns my carol and carries it away?

i found it! he actually picked it up when i told him to. it was on the coffee table.

i can't find a date on the thing. it was a library discard; it may be out of print. yes, i think it is; it must be pretty old because the library card pocket in the front says june 1969. it's illustrated by nonny hogrian. published by the thomas y. crowell company, new york, and printed in belgium.

according to the blurbs on the dust jacket flap and in the introduction, "the 12 days of christmas" is believed to date from the 15th century. this version is scottish, and believed to be much older.

the intro goes on to tell how in the 19th century, "the 12 days... was recited as a parlor game. the leader would recite the first days gift, and the players would repeat it. then the leader would recite the first and second gifts, repeated by the players, each in turn, and so on. a player who screwed up would have to forfeit, or some other penalty.

however, the carol's original form may have been a dance. a "king" was selected, and the dancers circled around him. for each day's gift, he would choose a person from the circle of dancers to symbolize it. (sacrifice? makes one wonder what the original gifts might have been?) anyway, at the end of the carol we have 13 gifts to a Lady (one for each moon?) circling round a (solar?) king.

(given the bloody histories behind many ancient rhymes and dances in which one or more people were selected to be singled out from the rest - "london bridge", for example - one wonders if the 13 Lady's gifts were to be guests of honor at the yule bonfire. or in the yule bonfire. is that why we burn a yule log? and does "the 12 days of christmas" have its roots in human sacrifice?)

anyway, here's the words:

the king sent his lady on the first yule day
a papingo -- ay!
who learns my carol and carries it away?
the king sent his lady on the second yule day,
three partriks, a papingo --ay!
who learns my carol and carries it away?
the king sent his lady on the third yule day
three plovers, three partriks, a papingo -- ay!
who learns my carol and carries it away?
the king sent his lady on the fourth yule day
a goose that was grey, three plovers, etc.
the king sent his lady on the fifth yule day
three starlings, a goose that wa grey etc.
the king sent his lady on the sixth yule day
three goldspinks, three starlings, a goose that was grey,etc.
the king sent his lady on the seventh yule day
a bull that was broon
three goldspinks, etc.
the king sent his lady on the eigth yule day
three ducks a merry laying, a bull that was broon,etc.
the king sent his lady on the ninth yule day
three swans a merry swimming, three ducks a merry laying,
a bull that was broon,etc.
the king sent his lady on the tenth yule day
an arabian baboon!
three swans a merry swimming, etc.
the king sent his lady on the eleventh yule day
three hinds a merry hunting
an arabian baboon! etc.
the king sent his lady on the twelfth yule day
three maids a merry dancing, three hinds a merry hunting,
an arabian baboon! etc.
the king sent his lady on the thirteenth yule day
three stalks o' merry corn
three maids a merry dancing, etc.


who learns my carol and carries it away?

blessings

[joyfulliving]

Wow! what a goldmine!!! Thanks Arduinna and Frodo. (I can only imagine your elation at your find Frodo!!! I'll try and find it even though out of print.)

Arduinna, We're singing them now!!

Blessings,
joyfulliving

[Arduinna]

bumping since Solstice is so close

[khrisday]

We found a book at the library that (while not specifically Pagan) really related the feeling of wanting the sun to return and even had a ritual of sorts. It's called Sun Bread, and even has the recipe to make Sun Bread. We will be doing this on Yule. I also was thinking that (because we are big Beatles fans) we will be singing that Beatles song about the sun on Yule.


Here Comes The Sun

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say, it's all right
Little darling, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say, it's all right
Little darling, the smiles returning to their faces
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say, it's all right
Sun, sun sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes, here comes the sun
It's all right, it's all right

[Susana]

khrisday, "Here Comes the Sun" is my absolute most favorite song of all time What a great idea to incorporate it into Solstice! Whenever I hear the first bits of guitar on that song, I get goosebumps. I'm a sap, I know...

I have that book by Ellen Jackson about the Solstice. In my opinion, it's all right. I ordered it through a local bookstore and got it super-quick!

[guestmama9924]

Circle Round has some nice stories for the entire wheel of the year including Yule. The CD also has some very nice songs for Yule that we have been singing all week!

The Sun was born again today
We greet the Suns first morning rays
We sing and celebrate the light
The Sun's born in the longest night....

[khrisday]

I borrowed Ellen Jackson's book from the library, and I was a little disappointed with it. It's great fro older kids, but I was hoping to have more of the symbolism and mythology for my little ones. It's pretty wordy and technical. Mine listened, with little blank stares. Sun Bread did some of that for me, though.