Yule 2007, The almost all-night vigil
Last night was our all-night Yule vigil at CedarLight Grove. I technically didn’t stay all night because the pain in my knee was becoming quite unbearable (I think due to the cold). But I stuck it out till about 3am.
It was done with the Norse Hearth Culture, honoring Odin, Frigga, with Heimdall as the Gatekeeper. We also called the 12 handmaidens of Frigga throughout various parts of the ritual.
We honored our outgoing Witan and Senior Druid, who handed out special celtic beads for our pins to the outgoing Witan and then introduced the new Witan. Caryn even made up certificates to give the outgoing Witan for their service to the Grove. I think it’s important to acknowledge these things like this.
We also held a Grove raffle that I ended up running, where people brought in items to be raffled off. We had large ticket and small ticket items (Caryn made some ponchos for the large ticket items, and there was a big down comforter that I won for my dad). We raised about $260, which isn’t bad. I hope do to another fundraiser in the spring, I’m just not sure what kind yet.
It was a good ritual, and one I wish I could have stayed until the closing of the gates at 7am, but I was beyond my comfort level of pain already. There’s no telling if I could walk or drive with my knee the way it was by 7am.
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One Response to “Yule 2007, The almost all-night vigil”
January 1st, 2008 at 4:02 pm
That is really cool! I went to my first yule ritual (any ritual, actually) on the 22nd. It was light hearted, fun, and short, lol. We stayed for 5 hours because the kids were having so much fun. And it was freezing!
That sucks about your knee! That kind of limits you in any long term cold weather outing! I know they make heat packs that can be activated upon opening. Maybe put a heat pack on it and put something over it to keep it in place? Like ace bandage or one of those knee ‘things’ (I am being so specific here, aren’t I?)
If you don’t mind y asking, what kinds of things did you do for the vigil? I mean, how did you manage to stay awake?