Witches Brew

I looked at the calendar today and realized it’s only 5 more weeks to Candlemas. Sheesh! I was not on the planning committee for Yule, and I hope to escape the committee for Candlemas or Imbolic–but somebody’s got to do it. Most Pagans have a horror of “organized religion,” but there is something to be said for having a building of one’s own and a liturgical tradition.

In the next five weeks, someone will have find a site for the ritual that will hold twenty or more Pagans plus children and guests. It will have to be within our fluctuating budget and handicapped accessible (which Yule was not) and traveler accessible if the weather is bad. And someone will have to write the ritual–we are trying to hand this off to our Druid who wrote such a moving ritual for Lughnasa in August.

And our brand new Bard’s Court’s will have to prepare something in a hurry if we are going to make a debut at Imbolic. And I have been wanting to switch our newsletter to a new format–and it will probably take most of five weeks to work that out. And I should really start NOW if I want to gather up witchy, unwanted items for our Freecycle table. I swear I am going to get rid of “stuff” and then I put it off until it’s too late. Luckily the frozen custard pies that I bought for Yule potluck were a huge success, so I don’t have to rack my brains for a dish to share… But it seems like we just got done with one Sabbat and here comes the next!

CIPS got together in Germantown Hills to celebrate Yule Sunday night. It was bitterly cold and the streets and sidewalks were treacherous, but Pagans came from Peoria, Bartonville, Canton, Eureka, and all the way from Arthur! The Holly King and the Oak King fought their twice-annual dual to great acclaim. We feasted on goose and ham, sweet potatoes and green bean casserole, and mounds of cookies, cupcakes, peanut brittle, cheese cake and pies.

No Yule celebration is complete without carols, and new Pagan editions of old standards are thick on the Internet. So, I present you with

Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland

(Words by Alexander & Aarcher
Tue: Winter Wonderland)

Pagans sing, are you listening’.
Alter’s set, candles glisten,
It’s a Magickal night, we’re having tonight,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland.

Chorus
In a Circle we can light 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.

Blades held high, censer 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.

Later on, by the fire,
Cone of Power gettin’ higher,
It’s a Magickal Night we’re having tonight,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland.