It’s the season of the Winter Solstice. Our liminal time of Samhain is winding down and the new spiritual year will start December 21st. If you are keeping track Krampus has already come through bringing a little chaos in his wake. Tomorrow, the 10th, starts the journeys of the Icelandic trolls and their household. I tend to start with the Jólakötturinn (Yule/Jul Cat), then Grýla and Leppaluði on the 11th followed by the Jul Lads each night until the 25th.

Depending on your path, some follow a 12 days of Yule starting around Mother’s Night (Dec 20th) with Twelfth Night occurring New Year’s Eve (Dec 31st). Other try to navigate the lunar cycles to observe Yule on the first full moon after the Winter Solstice, or the full month in the second Yule month (February). La Belfana rides on January 6th and we then get into Thor’s blot, Disablot, Mardi Gras, and Charming of the Plough. There are so many wonderful Yuletide traditions spanning December through January that will keep the home fires burning bright and cheery – feel free to choose one or many.

For me, I am still struggling with unemployment. No income, time is running out before I find myself without a roof over my head. Six months of applying to positions and not a single interview, only rejection emails. I know what I need to pay the bills but so many employers have started dropping what they are offering in salary and adding criteria that is absolutely unnecessary to perform the scope of the jobs. It’s hard to keep the spirits up even during this joyous time of year.

I don’t want to spread sad tidings so instead I did manage to get another podcast loaded to both podbean and YouTube. If you’re interested, go take a listen on Ramblings of Vanaheim podcast. It’s another part 1 of 2 and covers my thoughts on the genealogies of the pantheon.

Enjoy and Happy Yuletide.