Winter Solstice Rite
This information has been taken in part from "The Crafted Cup" by Shadwynn.

The altar should be in the center of the Circle, facing North; if chosing an altar cloth, green is the color to go with. The candles should be green for "The Low Earth Rite of the Winter Solstice". The Quarter candles (per the author) should ALWAYS be blue in the West, red in the South, yellow or gold in the East, and green in the North (my thought: whatever makes you happy). All other candles used for extra lighting should be earth-tone.

Special items: a large Yule candle should be procured. Its color should be either white or red. (A seven-day candle may be found at religious supply stores and is probably the safest and the tallest. It will be placed in the middle of the ceremonial cauldron.)

Cast the Circle according to your tradition. (The author recommends widdershins due to the astrological path of the constellations.)

Assemble the Quarter Regeants according to your custom (North has priority for Winter Solstice)

Introductory Reading (Purpose of Ritual):

Yule celebrates the birth of the Sun-child
and His promise of returning warmth,
but this is also a time,
when we give thanks for Winter's enchantment,
and the icy spell of its bewitching beauty.

Invocation of Goddess (spoken by priestess):

We invoke Thee,
Luminous Lady in White,
sweeping mount and vale with falling flakes
as Thy Winter-wand
scatters upon us
a spell of sparkling snow!

We invoke Thee,
Ice Enchantress,
star-studded Goddess of Northern nights;
Thy frosted garments
shimmering in the slumber-still
visions of December dark
as Thou guardest the gateway
to the portals of polar Mysteries. We invoke Thee,
Crystal Queen,
Crone of cold and Artic climes;
in this season of barren woodlands
and naked branches
upraised to grey-veiled sky,
we invoke Thee
to be here among us!

Invocation of the Sacred Stag (spoken by priest, if available):

We invoke Thee,
antlered Ancient One,
both Lord and Victim
of the Winter's hunt;
giver of Thy flesh
for the love of our lives,
in this,
Thy season of Sacrifice.

We invoke Thee,
shape-shifting Solstice Stag,
Thy hoof prints brushed away by driven snow
as Thou guardest the pathways to the Invisible. Winter-reigning forest-phantom,
be here among us
as we celebrate
this turning of the Solar Wheel!

At this point in the ritual, you may wish to either act out the dying of the Sun, or sing a lament to the Sun. After which, you would then praise the coming of the Goddess through the death of the Sun...all is not lost..."as She brings forth new life, renewing the radiance of Life!"

The Solstice Gloria (joyfully spoken by priest, if available)

Let us give glory
to He Who is the Firstborn,
the Celestial Sun-Child,
soon to set afire
the circled stones of Salisbury
with the Solstice sunrise!

Sun of Righteousness!
Sol Invictus!
Solar Savior!
We hail Thy birth
from the womb of wintry night,
for Thou art the light
that shineth in darkness!

From Thy majesty
proceedeth the very Light of nations,
the shining brillance of illumined Truth,
and the manifest splendor of the Sacred. Hallowed Blaze of Heaven,
Thou art the living Light,
Source of inspiration
to sage and saint,
priestess and prophet.

Therefore,
we add to the adoration of the ancients
as we ascribe unto Thee praise and honor,
O New-Born king of planetary gods!

Taking a candle-lantern, the priest (if available) will approach the Eastern quarter and then the Western quarter and repeat the following:

God of Light and God of Life,
dying daily
Thou descendest into darkness;
rising early,
Thy radiance renews the day!

The priestess will then go to the cauldron which is sitting in the Southern quarter with the unlit Yule Candle within it. The priestess lights the Yule Candle and then recites the following:

Tonight we light this candle
for the infant Solstice Sun;
one small flame to pierce the darkness;
a ray of Hope,
a symbol of the Light within us all:
Light that can never be extinguished,
even by the longest Winter night;
Light that will grow into glory,
waxing strong despite the cold to come;
Light that dispells despair and resignation,
giving us a glimpse of golden days ahead.

Behold the Light that can never die,
reborn anew in the Solstice sky!

The priest (if availabe) then moves the cauldron half-way between the edge of the Southern quarter and the altar in the center of the Circle. At that time, he will instruct the others with the following words:

Come now!
Let us give from the strength of our spirits
encouragement and vitality
to this fledgling Light of Winter's night!

At this time, the priestess and priest will lead a circular procession widdershins (see note above) around the Yule Candle, while all say in unison:

The Yule light burns,
and the Sun-wheel turns! The Yule light burns,
and the Sun-wheel turns! The Yule light burns,
and the Sun-wheel turns!

The chant is said continually until the cauldron has been circled eight times for the eight Sabbot-spokes on the Wheel of the Year. Then, at the direction of the priestess, all will focus their energies towards the Yule Candle as the physical symbol of the newborn Sun God.

At this point, the ceremony will differ dependent upon your individual or coven path; if in a group celebrating an earth rite, with an ordained priestess and/or priest, they may choose to perform the liturgy of the Great Rite. If the group is performing a Grail Quest study, then they may celebrate the Grail Mass.

When the priestess and/or priest senses that it is time to close the rite and open the Circle, all will stand before the altar, facing the Northern quarter. The priestess, lifting up her hands, will speak the following:

Glimmering Goddess,
draped in the blackened folds
of the galaxies which art Thy garment,
once again Thou hast given birth
to Thy Celestrial Sun,
the reborn Christ
of the ever-turning Solar Wheel! O Heavenly Virgin,
Thou hast brought forth Thy Son
that we might live in the Light!
For this we give thanks,
rejoicing at this ebb and flow of Solsticetide. Blessed Be,
O High Holy Lady!

At this point, the priestess will identify the priest as the Sacred Stag (possibly by placing an antlered headdress on the priest). The priest will begin his parting prayer to the God:

O Horned Lord of Winter's Darkness,
Companion of the Leprous White Lady;
we give Thee thanks,
for Thou teachest us well of inner Mysteries
through the cold,
the dark,
and the foreboding spell of Winter,
even as we rejoice in Solstice joy!

Blessed Be,
O High Holy Lord!

At this time, the Quarters will be dismissed according to group or individual preference and the Circle will be opened according to established procedures. As a final proclamation of the ritual's conclusion, the priestess will recite the following:

This rite of the Winter Solstice is ended!
May the grace of the Goddess
be upon thee,
and the benediction of the Queen of Holly
be thy portion. Merry Meet and Merry Part!

NOTE: There is both a play on words and symbolism here. Superficially, the reference is to the actual Sun itself; however, the deeper meaning points to the Cosmic Christ, of which the Sun is a universal symbol. Also, the previous reference to the Sun as being in a sense "the reborn Christ of the ever-turning Solar Wheel" is taken directly from ancient Norse terminology for the reborn Sun at the Solstice; besides, it also dovetails nicely with the traditional Christmas symbolism of the season (see Barbara G. Walker's, "The Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets", San Francisco, CA, Harper Row, 1983, page 516.)