Winter Solstice Winter Solstice celebrations are held on the eve of the shortest day of the year. During the first millennium in what is today Scotland, the Druids celebrated Winter Solstice honoring their Sun God and rejoicing his return as the days got longer, signaling the coming of spring. Also called Yule, this tradition still lives today in the Wiccan traditions and in many cultures around the world. Everyone dances and sings around the fire. All the noise and great excitement is said to awaken the sun from its long winter sleep, hurrying spring on its way as the cycle begins once again and the days grow longer than the nights.
Dancers dress up in hideous masks to frighten away the evil spirits for the coming year.
Feasting and prayers fill the days and the finale is when the pole is torn down by the townsfolk. At one time this was a solemn celebration reenacting the flight of the holy family into Egypt and ending with Mass in the church. The festival became very popular as it transformed into a humorous parody in which the ass was led into the church and treated as an honored guest while the priest and the congregation all brayed like asses. The Church surpressed it in the fifteenth century, although it remained popular and did not die out until years later. The legends say that Befana was sweeping her floors when the three Wise Men stopped and asked her to come to see the Baby Jesus.