SCROLL FROM THE EDITOR
Welcome to the December 2023 edition of The Midnight Sun!
Well, folks, we’ve done it! We’ve made it another year. If you’re reading this, congratulations on another rotation around the sun. Whether this is your first issue, or you’re a long-time reader of The Midnight Sun, thank you for being here!
This is a momentous occasion for this publication in particular, for a few reasons! It’s the year anniversary of the new format, and we have another Community Submissions section!
As 2023 comes to an end, with all the lessons, all the hardships, all the things that we have to look forward to in the untapped potential of 2024 speeding towards us with promise and excitement, I encourage you to take a look back at the things that have happened to, for and around you this year. What have you learned? What have you shared with others? What will you take along with you in the New Year, and what will you be leaving in 2023?
I know I have plenty of lessons that will come with me, and both things I am glad to leave behind, and things that I am sad to be leaving behind, but most of all things that I am excited for, things to look forward to, and how I intend to craft the raw potential of 2024 as we dance forward.
Have a happy, safe, and lovely holiday. Whatever, wherever, and however you celebrate, may you experience the season how you enjoy, and we will see you in 2024!
~Miranda (Frick)
Curator and Editor of TMS
HK Jams - Dark Yule
NOMINATE THE MIDNIGHT SUN FOR A WITCHIE AWARD!
Nominations are open now, and will be open until December 15th, 2023
If you like the Midnight Sun, or really any of our social media content, The Witchcraft and Occult Media Awards are open for nominations! Really, for any Occult or Witchy media or content creator you want to see recognized for the hard work and teaching, or entertainment or sharing they do, this is a wonderful way to express your appreciation!
Check out Modern Witch for more information, and don’t forget to look into the Modern Witch’s Academy event Witch’s Sabbat (where the winners will be announced) for even more content by folks who care and are leaders of the community in education and all manner of occult practices!
Celebrating Yule, why we do what we do!
by Suz
Contrary to what some might think, Yule does not belong to any ONE group or religion. Most who celebrate the holidays have familiar traditions shared by many, the roots of which can be traced back to various northern European traditions, particularly that of pre-Christian Germanic and Scandinavian peoples as a celebration of the winter solstice.
When the days grew colder and nights longer, the people of ancient times would light candles and gather ‘round fires. They would share food and enjoy festivities, dancing, singing, and decorating their homes. Celebrated at the darkest time of the year, Yule is a celebration of light, welcoming the sun's return with good fortune, abundance, and excitement for the coming year.
Here are some Yule traditions that are still celebrated today, though the true reasons behind them may have been lost along the way.
Decorating homes with Evergreens and Holly:
Evergreen boughs were cut and brought indoors to symbolize life, rebirth, and renewal. They were thought to have power over death because their green never faded. Holly leaves were said to represent hope and their red berries, potency. Because of its prickliness, it was used to ward off evil spirits before they could enter a home and cause harm, most often decorating openings to dwellings such as doors, windows, and fireplaces.
Mistletoe:
Mistletoe's green leaves and white berries represented fertility and were often worn as an amulet or hung above the headboard. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe started in ancient Greece, during the festival of Saturnalia and later in marriage ceremonies, because of this association with fertility. During the Roman era, enemies at war would reconcile their differences under the mistletoe, which to them represented peace.
Decorate a Yule Tree:
In Pagan tradition, the Yule tree represented the Tree of Life or the World Tree. An outdoor evergreen was decorated with fruit and seeds to give thanks to nature and support animals. A gold star was often added to the top to symbolize solar energy and the five elements of the pentagram. Christianity moved this tradition indoors, often decorating the tree with candles; this has since been changed to fairy lights for obvious safety reasons!
The Yule Log:
The custom of burning the Yule Log began with the ancient Scandinavians and continued through Celtic traditions to honour the gods. Both would keep a continual hearth fire to prevent spirits from entering the home with the last remnants set aside to burn with next year’s fire. It was also popular belief that the longer the Yule log burned, the faster the sun would come to warm the earth.
Other familiar Yule traditions:
Candles represented eternal flame within the home. They symbolized the light and warmth of the sun and were used to chase away evil.
Wreaths symbolized the completion of another seasonal cycle. They were made of evergreens and adorned with cones and berries, hung as decoration throughout the home, and given as gifts to symbolize the infinity of goodwill and friendship.
Bells were often rung during the Winter Solstice to drive away demons feared to surface during the dark side of the year. They were rung in the morning to chase away the dark and herald in the warmer, brighter days following the solstice.
Elves first became associated with Yule because the ancients believed that the Spirits that created the Sun inhabited the land of Elves. By including elves in the Yule celebrations they thought to assure the elves’ assistance in the coaxing of the Sun's return.
Ginger was not available until the 11th century. There were strict laws regarding specialty breads, so gingerbread was only allowed to be produced during the holidays, thus its association with winter and Yule.
Caroling was popularized by young children honouring the Winter Solstice with song. They would go through the villages, singing door to door, and in return, would be rewarded with tokens, sweets, and small gifts that symbolized prosperity shared.
Whichever traditions you celebrate with your family and friends this Yule, consider their origins and our ancestors. Honor them by celebrating and sharing kindness, prosperity, and bounty this holiday season.
May we all find peace and prosperity in the coming year, health, wealth, and happiness!
Much love,
Suz
Celebrating Your Harvest – A Lesson in Sharing
Hello, reader! Welcome to HK’s year anniversary of the Midnight Sun, in this new format! I hope you have enjoyed the last year of articles from House Kheperu, and that you learned some valuable lessons and maybe had a few giggles. My coffee is peppermint flavored this morning as I recall the last year of memories, happily and contemplatively sipping from my steamy mug. There has been so much change in just a year’s time, it’s enough to make my head spin! I look forward to seeing what other horrors, mysteries, pleasures, and experiences the next year will bring.
I don’t really do the whole Christmas decoration thing, apart from a small Christmas tree (one of those smaller 2ft tall ones with the multi-light led strings) that illuminates my room in a swath of colors. It really helps me sleep! However, all the festive and bright colors that others bring to the table are pleasant to look at and are generally a good pick-me-up. Our ancestors were often looking for such things too, as their harvested grain and stored meats sat and were carefully rationed, they sometimes found that there was an abundance of product from all the harvesting that couldn’t all be processed for long-term storage before it went bad… and that means party time~!
Our ancestors lived in times that were far harsher than we live in today. They didn’t have a fancy thermostat, or an electric heating blanket, or clothes that could be purchased with the push of a button.. The world gets extra dark and cold this time of year, and we all need to find reasons to carry on through it. They came together, in times that allowed it, to share the abundance. They hand-crafted gifts, wrote poems and songs, played new games they’d come up with, and shared in good memories and happy vibes with each other; also, a few extra barrels of beer and plenty of ripe meat most certainly helped the mood as well! What can you bring to the party?
This is a lesson that we are social creatures and when times get tough and dark, we need each other even more than ever. Don’t isolate yourself in the dark, instead realize that it’s dark for everyone, and each of us has a little light in us to share with those we love. This is also a lesson in balance; if you don’t have an abundance for the dark times if your harvest wasn’t ripe, then it’s okay to reach out to those loved ones who are sharing their plenty and join the celebration.
However, one must also ask the question “What can I change for next season? What do I need to plant in myself, so that in the dark times I can also be a provider?” Always be seeking, always be learning, and apply what you learn, whether times are bright or dark! Become what you want to see in the world.
I wish you a lovely holiday season.
May all those who need warmth, find their hearth and home.
Ten Reasons Why Vampires Must Feed
by M. Belanger
Vampires feed on life: it’s why the very word has been adopted by people within the modern vampire community. But, although most living vampires can agree on being vampiric, the reasons behind their vital hunger are hotly debated. Here are ten of the most popular theories for why vampires must feed.
High Metabolism: In the same way that some people must eat substantially more than others to maintain themselves, this theory posits that vampires have a higher energetic metabolism than is standard. When the usual sources prove inadequate, vampires meet their higher needs by consciously taking energy from people.
Complicated Digestion: Not everyone can eat the same foods. Additionally, a host of conditions can impact how efficiently our bodies make use of what we eat. Some vampires believe this also applies to energy. Whether they are limited in the types of energy they can “eat” or encounter issues with how efficiently they “digest” energy, the end result is a consistent need to take energy from people for sustenance.
Energy Leak: Related to complicated digestion, there are those who believe their vampirism stems from a fundamental inability to hold onto the energy one gains. Whether through auric damage, past life wounds, spirit attachments or some other metaphysical cause, these vampires believe they bleed energy and must feed to replace what is lost.
Learned Vampirism: Let’s face it. Everyone can (and does) take energy. Vampires stand out because they need a substantial amount, and they typically take this from people. But the mechanics for taking energy are simple, and anyone can learn how to do it. Several groups teach exactly that, using vampiric techniques as a way of consciously preying on other people for personal power.
Spiritual Symbiote: Most people don’t go out of their way to acquire a parasite, but that’s exactly what happens with vampiric symbiotes. There are some within the vampire community who seek out intelligent and powerful disembodied beings with the intent of allowing those beings to feed through them in exchange for a measure of control over those spirits’ abilities. Is vampirism by proxy a good idea? That’s up to the people who practice it.
Wounded (Self) Healer: The concept of the “wounded healer” is inextricably tied to Western interpretations of shamanism, but there are surprising parallels with vampirism. Key to modern vampires who follow this path is how their own innate need to take energy also makes them potent energy workers. Where feeding is healing the self, the very ability also opens a profound skillset for healing others.
Alien Origin: Does this mean ETs? For some, it does, but soul origin is how many others understand this approach. In this theory of vampirism, vampiric folks started out somewhere else and their souls do not interface perfectly with their human bodies. This results in higher energetic needs than mortal bodies are accustomed to meeting, leading to vampirism for support.
Chronic Illness: Not everyone experiences vampirism from birth and not everyone experiences it positively. Folks with latent or developed energetic gifts who suffer from chronic illness may find themselves taking energy from others to keep themselves going. If the medical condition can be resolved, the energetic need diminishes, making their vampirism temporary.
Cut from Source: In several traditions, there is a belief that spirits return to their source, either for a period of replenishment or to be completely reabsorbed, then remixed in a new incarnation. Some vampires believe they broke this cycle. Whether this severing was an accident, consequence, or intentional rebellion, the result is identical: cut off from a passive supply of universal energy, they must feed to support themselves through each incarnation.
Energy Body Alterations: Some groups connect their vampirism with alterations intentionally performed upon their energy bodies now or in the distant past. The purpose and techniques for achieving such alterations vary, but the concept is basically body modification for the soul. Change can be desirable, but, according to this belief, too much tinkering can result in vampiric conditions.
COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS - DECEMBER 2023
This month’s community submission is a work of fiction, from a member of our wonderful Discord community! Be sure to send kudos if you’re a member, and if not, see the icons below to join us on Discord so you can!!
Steve
by Shalyn Dey
Once upon a time a puppy found himself lazily awakening to a misty sunrise in a
verdant forest. This puppy had unusual coloring for a Husky-Pitbull mix. He was a
brilliant orange mixed with feathery brush strokes of black, as well as having luminous
white fur on his face, chest, belly and paws. This puppy also had Heterochromia, which
was best known by humans, as a gene mutation resulting in two different colored eyes;
in Steve’s case, his eyes were brown and blue. Interestingly, most humans of this time
had no idea that this trait not only indicated a being of high intelligence but that the
lighter color of these eyes was often imbued with mystical powers; exactly what powers
depended entirely on the soul in possession of them.
Steve, as he remembered his name to be, was vastly confused, as he could not
recall anything but his name. Finding himself alone in this forest, Steve soon began to
feel a pulling sensation from his heart; this sensation was so great that he could do
nothing but follow it. After hiking through the lush and humid greenery for half of the
day, he found a crystal clear stream for which he joyously jumped into for a refreshing
swim to cool off. Having lost track of time playing Tag with the various fishies, he came
to realize he had actually drifted about a mile and a half downstream. Upon leaving the
cool waters, Steve curled up on a large flat rock that was bedded with soft moss and
perfectly exposed to a wide beam of warm sunlight that broke through the tall canopy of
ancient trees. In his state of contentment, he easily drifted off to sleep, completely
unaware that the pull on his heart had ceased.
- - -
Yet again, Steve awoke to find himself in an unfamiliar place. As he slowly came
to, it was hard for him to tell which sense was activated first; was it the sounds or smell
of the crackling blaze before him? Panicked for only a moment, he opened his eyes to
see that the fire before him was safely maintained within a circle of large rocks in the
sparkling sand. Wait…sand? Fully awake and alert now, Steve looked around to see
that he was no longer in the forest, but on a beach, under the light of a full moon, next to
a span of cavernous cliffs…and he was not alone.
Through the dancing flames, Steve’s gaze instantly found a pair of soft emerald-
green eyes, under a mass of chaotic crimson hair, staring steadily back into his own; his
soul shivered. He was not afraid of this creature – quite the opposite. In this instant, he
knew she had been waiting for him; she had been waiting lifetimes for him. The joy that
filled his heart made him feel as though it would burst from his chest…but instead, it
was he who burst from where he lay in the cool sand to launch himself over the flames
and directly into her waiting open arms. He licked her face and neck with so much
loving affection as she sputtered and giggled and ran her clawed hands through his soft
fur, as tears of joy spilled from both of their eyes. Through the magical power of vision-
sharing, granted by Steve’s glacier blue left eye, the pair stayed up all night sharing the
lifetimes of stories and trials they’d each gone through in order to be reunited once
more. The familiar had finally found his Vampyre – his soul was finally home.
A Short Story by Shalyn Dey, July 2023
From all of us to all of you;
Have a Safe, Happy Holiday
And a Blessed New Year, too!