LUSSE LONGNIGHT —- The 13th of December is the Festival of Saint Lucy, but also Lussi Night, a mini Yule, a time of Mischief and misrule and a also linked to The Wild Hunt. It is also linked to the “longest” night of the year because of the Scandinavian use of the Julian Calendar.
“The oldest practices associated with December 13th is in all likelihood the wearing of scary masks. An old word for this in Swedish is “skråpuk”, a combination of a word meaning “dry skin” and “demon” or “evil spirit” (puk, from the same root as “Puck” of A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Scary disguises have been used at several holidays throughout the year in Sweden, such as Shrove Tuseday, Easter and Walpurgis, but it seems especially to be associated with Yuletide. The Yule Goat was one of them, either from the same stock as Krampus or possibly connected to the goats pulling Thor’s wagon. There have even been “yule ghosts” and other frightful costumes.”
- Räv Skogsberg - Huginn’s Heathen Hof
RITUAL/HEATHEN suggestions
1. A hearty meal with family (if possible, or virtual zoom/Skype call)
2. The ancestors - remember the recent dead amongst your friends and family, tell their stories, and successes and why they mean so much to you.
3. As a symbolic time of rebirth and renewal and with heathen beliefs in the importance of community, take this opportunity to get in touch with friends and/or family you haven’t spoken to in a while.
4. Masked meditation - consider this a time of reflection upon your actions over the past year. In some forms of runology Dagaz ᛞ is considered the symbol of change, as well being linked to dæg/day (ie when days stop getting shorter) and these can both be a useful focus for any meditative practice. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagaz
5. Altar/hearth - if you have an altar or hearth cult practice, consider building all of these points into your daily/weekly ritual.
Image : The Wild Hunt of Odin by Henri Lievens
Part 3 tomorrow!