December Long Nights Moon

December Long Nights Moon

Also known as: The Oak Moon, The Elder Moon, Birch Moon, Poinsettia Moon, Snow Moon, Bitter Moon, Yule Moon, Christmas Moon, Big Winter Moon, Moon of Popping Trees, and Tortoise Moon.
* Colors: White, Silver, Blue, Red, Green and Black.
* Scents: Patchouli, Rose Geranium, Frankincense, Myrrh Citrus and Evergreen Trees, Spices
* Gemstones: Serpentine & Peridot, Selenite Obsidian, Ruby, Jacinth, Turquoise
* Herbs and Trees: Winter Jasmine, Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus, Cinnamon, Fir, and Pine trees, Holly, Mistletoe, English Ivy, Apples, Bayberry, Violets, Birch, Yew.
* Gods: Hathor, Horus, Osiris, Ra, Neith, Hecate, Athena, Minerva, Cronos, Mithra, Persephone and Hades, Poseidon, Cybele, Attis, Apollo, Thor, Odin, Frey,
Ixchel, Horned God, Herne, Cerunnos, Lugh, Bladr, Befana, Santa Claus throughout the world, Green Man, Father Time,
* Animals: Deer, Elk, Moose, and Reindeer, Horse, Geese, Ducks, Wren, Robin, Heron, Cranes, Mice, Spiders,
* Foods: “Christmas,” Cookies, Fruitcake, Turkey, Goose, Roasts, Ham, Plum Puddings, Wassail, root veggies, soups, comfort foods,
* Element: Fire
The Long Nights Moon is the Moon closest to the Winter Solstice. It gets its name for the cold, long and dark nights in which it shines. The December Full moon is quite striking and brilliant; a stark contrast to the dull and weak Winter Sun. The Moon raises extra high over head and seems to hover in one place for a long time. Its light reflects off the snow and lights up the night, creating a magickal and mysterious world, full of wonder and peace. This is a silent, cold and hopeful Moon. It can also be a lonely one with the Moon hovering alone, the only light in the black sky and a feeling that the darkness is never ending. The December Full Moon is also called the Snow Moon and Bitter Moon to reflect the weather conditions at this time and the Yule Moon, and Christmas Moon, due to its proximity to these holidays.

The December Full Moon’s second most popular name is the Oak Moon. The Oak tree is a very masculine, sacred and resilient tree. It withstands even the harshest weather. The Oak is a sacred tree to the Druids and to the God Jupiter. The Oak has its branches in the sky connecting it with the Gods and higher consciousness; it’s trunk in the material world and its roots deep in the soil connecting it with the dead, the Ancestors and the Underworld. This tree is a very balanced and grounded tree. It is a good symbol for us to look to at this time of year, as we can be swept up in a flurry of activities and can lose ourselves and find ourselves in an imbalance. It is important at this time when all the green world lies sleeping to make sure we take time to recharge and rest. It also is a symbol reminding us that we exist in the mental, physical and spiritual planes, and that more is going on now than meets the eye. At this time of year the Waning God, the Holly King, Battles the Waxing God, the Oak King and temporary loses his kingdom to the Oak King , who brings forth the Newborn Sun, and heralds in the lengthening days, light, growth and promise of rebirth. Mistletoe is a parasitical plant that grows high in the Oak branches and produces white berries at this harsh time of year. The berries are a symbol of fertility and the semen and seed of the God.

The Long Nights Moon is a time to rid yourself of any darkness you may be holding onto. It is a good time to rid yourself of negativity and banish bad habits. It is also a good time to forgive and let go of any grudges, especially as it relates to people closest to you; your family and friends. At Yule the year is born anew and you do not want to be dragged down by anything. Clean, prepare and make ready for the New Year. Set goals and perform spells for balance, prosperity, endurance, strength and courage. Candle and fire magick is very appropriate at this time. As well as magick for the hearth and home. Perform a house blessing. Spend some quality time with your family, decorating, cooking, crafting, sharing stories of Yuletides Past and of those who have gone before. Connect with your ancestors, make them part of the celebration, bake your Grandmothers gingerbread recipe Put out photos of deceased loved ones. Make ornaments with their pictures. Set a place for the dead at the dinner table, toast and honor their memory. Teach children some stories of your ancestry; explore Christmas/Yule traditions throughout the world. Craft; make your own ornaments and homemade gifts for those you love. Celebrate and remember.

The Long nights Moon is an excellent time to face your own darkness and to allow yourself to be reborn in the new light of the season to look back at the old year and see what you endured, to acknowledge your strength, your accomplishments and to set goals and remove obstacles. The Long Nights Moon is a great time to work with children and to honor your inner child. Let the children in your life bring energy and magick into your own. It is also an excellent time for psychic and astral work, teaching yourself to recognize and read omens, divine for the future and it is an amazing time to do past life work.

The Long nights Moon is an excellent time to honor the Goddess, and Mother’s throughout the world. Take some time to recognize all the hard work your Mother has done, and all she has sacrificed. Realize that it was a great act of love, compassion and strength to endure the pain of childbirth and to bring you into this world. Honor you Mother with gifts, help her around the house, cook and clean for her, give her a break and just make it known how much you appreciate what she does for you, and how much she means to you. A great ritual for this time of year would be to perform a healing and support spell to the Goddess so that she may have a quick and easy labor. You may make an herbal pillow, stuffed with healing and labor easing herbs, (Apple, Black and Blue Cohosh, Cherry, Cornsilk, Chickweed, Chammmomile, Dandelion, Lady’s Mantle, Lavender, Mallow, Meadowsweet, Motherswort, Mugwort, Nettles, Oatstraw, Peach, Plum, Raspberry/blackberry Rosemary, Rose, Strawberry, Trillium, Valerian, etc). You may place this pillow in a basket or bed with a symbol of a pregnant goddess. Or take some of these herbs and make them into an infused oil to rub upon a Pregnant Goddess statue. You may wish to bath a pregnant statue in healing and calming herbs, offer her healing and strengthening foots, anoint her in infused oil and your blessings. You may sing, dance, to ease her pain. You may send energy and breathe in a Lamas type style to help her. You can stand watch and stay up at Yule and wait until the Sun rises. Be the Goddesses Midwife, her support and her strength. You may also wish to craft a blessing to the new born Lord and give symbolic gifts, of health, strength, prosperity, fertility and love to him.

Long Nights Moon is an important time to be aware and generous of those less fortunate than you; those suffering, cold, alone and without. Give what you can to those in need. Donate canned food, and warm clothes to local charities, sponsor a family, and spend some time shoveling snow for your elderly neighbors. Set out bird seed for your local birds. Be mindful and kind and count your blessings. Bless the money, food or objects you donate with some extra energy, charge a can of food with much needed prosperity; the clothes with comfort, warmth and job opportunities, etc. Also, know that no matter how desolate you are how much you are suffering that even giving a little helps a lot and is spell for abundance itself and that your small act will reverberate to the people who receive it and to yourself as well.

The Long Nights Moon is an excellent time to recognize and help foster peace, and the unification of humanity. We are all celebrating such similar ideas. We are all facing the darkness and waiting for the light, celebrating our cultures, our traditions and our families. Having faith and trusting that Light will return, that peace can spread to the world and that the divine creates miracles. We are united in our similar beliefs, and should embrace them and each other. This is not the time to cry out saying that pagans did this or that first, but is a time to embrace and realize that simple truths never die just are reborn and transformed for the cultures and time periods they exist in. Embrace your neighbor, you culture and your fellow man, live and love and be at peace and one with all your human family.

Blessed Be!












Grandmother Moon ZSuzsanna E. Budapest
Wheel of the Year Pauline Campanelli
Moon Magic DJ Conway
Brighid’s Healing Gina McGarry
Everyday Moon Magic Dorothy Morrison

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