Yule & Christmas Cards

Although some people think of Yule and Christmas as synonymous, Yule is actually celebrated several days earlier, on the night of the winter solstice. On December 21 or 22 (in the northern hemisphere), the Wheel of the Year reaches a tipping point, when the longest night of the year occurs, and the daylight hours again begin to lengthen, bringing a return of light and warmth to the world.

If you look closely, a few of the cards contain overtly pagan symbols, most notably pentacles. But for the most part, the images found on our Yule cards are familiar and festive even to those outside of the pagan community. Many incorporate fantasy creatures, like fairies and dragons. Even traditionally pagan greetings, such as “Bright Blessings!” are mainstream enough that they will not be commented on by non-pagans. In general, pagan symbolism will be subtle, and will include things such as holly and ivy, stags in the forest, owls in flight, and the interplay of light and dark.

Dragon Yule cards are wildly popular, and are always some of our best-selling cards. It’s easy to assume that this means pagans are drawn to fantasy and “make believe”. A better answer, however, might be that pagans have a deeper understanding of the world that lies beyond everyday existence. Dragons, for instance, are closely tied with the element of Earth, and the season of Winter, so their appearance on Christmas/Yule cards is hardly surprising. Of course, the best answer might simply be, dragons are cool!