When is Samhain and Yule?

[Selena Silverlynx]

Hi,
I've been checking a witch book of mine. I got confused about the dates of Samhain and Yule, so I wonder if it is better to ask here.
When is Samhain and Yule?

Selena Silverlynx

[Xiao Rong]

Samhain is October 31 (Halloween); Yule is on the winter solstice (which is generally Dec. 21, give or take a day).

[Selena Silverlynx]

Samhain is October 31 (Halloween); Yule is on the winter solstice (which is generally Dec. 21, give or take a day).

Thank you!

[Vervain]

Well, I believe technically Samhain is the sunset of October 31 to sunset on November 1st. Samhain Day is Nov 1st, therefore, and Hallowe'en, or All Hallows Eve (before All Hallows Day) is the evening of Oct 31.

These dates for Samhain and Yule are correct for the Northern Hemisphere. In Australia the cycle is off by half a year.

[Selena Silverlynx]

Well, I believe technically Samhain is the sunset of October 31 to sunset on November 1st. Samhain Day is Nov 1st, therefore, and Hallowe'en, or All Hallows Eve (before All Hallows Day) is the evening of Oct 31.

These dates for Samhain and Yule are correct for the Northern Hemisphere. In Australia the cycle is off by half a year.

Thank you for your info! I got really confused, because I thought Yule was on the date of Christmas.

[Firebird]

Yeah... Yule is very close to Christmas, it can be the 20th, 21st or the 22nd, but usually it's on the 21st.
Course it was easier to sway the thinking of our Pagan ancestors when the early Christians placed their Holidays close to the ones the Pagans already celebrated. Christ was born in the spring, but if the return of the Sun could be exchanged with the return of the Son, then hey...they were half way there. (argh)
Christmas (X-mas) is still called Yule by many in Northern Europe and the Scandinavia's ...my Mom always called it Yule (Jul) as she was of Norse descendants. Yule is also known as Mid-Winter, Winter Solstice (the longest night of the year/shortest day) the ancient Welsh called it Me'an Geimhridh and Alban Arthan.
Many blessings,
Firebird

[Selena Silverlynx]

Yeah... Yule is very close to Christmas, it can be the 20th, 21st or the 22nd, but usually it's on the 21st.
Course it was easier to sway the thinking of our Pagan ancestors when the early Christians placed their Holidays close to the ones the Pagans already celebrated. Christ was born in the spring, but if the return of the Sun could be exchanged with the return of the Son, then hey...they were half way there. (argh)
Christmas (X-mas) is still called Yule by many in Northern Europe and the Scandinavia's ...my Mom always called it Yule (Jul) as she was of Norse descendants. Yule is also known as Mid-Winter, Winter Solstice (the longest night of the year/shortest day) the ancient Welsh called it Me'an Geimhridh and Alban Arthan.
Many blessings,
Firebird

Thank you for the info, Firebirdflys!

[valerian moon]

I start my samhain celebrations on sunset oct 30 and end nov 1
and as for yule, I celebrate it on dec 24, or "Christmas eve" because i feel it should be closer to Christmas due to my Baptist upbringing.
but that's not how people usually do it.