With Every Ending Is A New Beginning - Yule and the New Year

When one door closes, another opens. When one chapter ends, another begins.

Winter Solstice (Yule) is the last celebration of the calendar year. It marks the beginning of winter's end, where days become longer and nights become shorter again. It is, quite frankly, the beginning of the end; the last chapter in winter's book.

Although, here, winter seems to only have just begun. We received our first snowfall (that stuck to the ground), freezing temperatures, and school closings within the past week. It makes it hard to remember that winter is already beginning to end.

Yule in our house was quite different this year. We welcomed another person into our home; my significant other. I also completed my higher education, and am currently job searching again. A member of the family is preparing to move 200+ miles away as his job relocates, and our budget seems to be getting tighter with the times. However, despite the highs and lows that came with winter, I would not change this time for the world.

We had a wonderful Yule. Everyone really got into the season this year. The family put up five Yule trees!

This is the family tree, decorated with homemade ornaments as well as others that celebrate highlights of our lives. 

This is our music themed tree, decorated with musical instruments, lights that make music, and music notes. We decorate around this tree with Santa, Mrs. Clause, reindeer, and a Santa climbing a ladder up our tree, with his elves carrying the presents he has dropped right behind him.

This is our vintage/victorian themed tree. It is decorated with pearl strands, crystals, and other vintage/victorian styled ornaments.

This tree sits on the ledge by our staircase. We decorate it with multi colored lights and ornaments. In front, we put two carolers, still with song.

And finally, this is our snowman themed tree. All the ornaments are snow or snowman related. In front are two polar bear cubs building a snowman.

It's all very "Christmas-y" I know. But when you live in a home with two Catholics, a Buddhist, and a child too young to understand anything more complex than Santa, things look a bit more like "Christmas" than Yule. 

Of course, I decorated my altar for the season. It is more Yule than "Christmas," and as promised, here are photos of my altar:

As usual, I also have the template for my altar, with everything explained:

And, of course, an infographic:

Finally, as 2014 ends, and 2015 begins, I want to share my year's goals with you. This was inspired by WitchyWords.blogspot.com so creative credit to her. I did make my own, personalized for me. I think it is a wonderful idea, and I encourage others to do the same. Writing your goals down and putting them in a place you will see, helps you to achieve them! So here's to 2015, in all it's splendor and glory. Here's to hoping this chapter of life will be better than the next. Here's to achieving goals, and working hard. And here's to a blessed, witchy year!