Yule or winter solstice is a bright light in a dark time of year. By dark I mean literally darkness. Winter seems descend on us and simple stay. The days are short and the air is chilled. It is a difficult time for some and an effort has to be made in order to find enjoyment in this part of the cycle of the seasons.

Yule is a wonderful way to celebrate this time of year. It is a way to recognize the turning of the wheel towards light again. Think of Yule as celebrating the Sun and let your gifts and decorations reflect the Sun's golden light. Here are some ideas for decorating and gift giving for the Yuletide season.

Holiday sparkle

One nice thing about this time of year is that golden decorations abound. This is the time to find drapes of golden fabric for covering your altar, wrapping gifts and simple for enveloping your home in the Sun's brightness. Table runners, mantle cloths and placemats are all easy ways to bring some light into your winter home.

Gifts for Yule

Make a few simple gifts for giving and feel the joy of the season. Try finding some clear glass ornaments at your local dollar store. Using Gold poster or child's paint, place about 2 Tablespoon into the ornament. Swirl until there is an attractive pattern inside the glass. This is a great way for children to help make something special.

Another easy gift that is well loved is carved candles. Take white or other light colored candles and using something hard but blunt -a chopstick works very well- carve your desired design into its surface. I like to write designs that reflect my hopes for the recipient and highlighting them with glue that contains glitter. When this glue dries, only the glitter remains and the design really stands out. These candles may not be for burning unless they are the heavy pillar design that will only burn in the center.

Small squares of fabric can be sewn together to make coasters for mugs of tea. My children make these out of pictures they have designed with fabric paints or fabric crayons. I find that two piece of fabric sewn together work better than one and you can even sprinkle some herbs inside the two layers that will warm and smell wonderful: ground cloves, cinnamon and Nutmeg will smell great and last for quite a while.

As you can see, the focus in our home is on thoughtful, cheerful gifts for loved ones. Yule is a time of growing excitement for the upcoming warmer days and time of light. Enjoy!