There's often a good deal of debate this time of year about whether or not Santa Claus has Pagan roots. Although Santa isn't completely Pagan -- after all, St. Nicholas was a 4th century saint -- there are definitely some Pagan influences on the man in the red suit. Learn more about how the legend of Santa evolved over the centuries into the tradition we know today: The Origins of Santa Claus

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Did anyone catch that gorgeous full moon last night, or in the wee hours of the morning? This is the month of the Long Nights Moon -- so named because the nights are indeed getting longer. In some cultures, it's know as the cold moon, or the big winter moon.

As the days get shorter and Yule approaches with the longest night of the year, we force ourselves to get through the darkness because eventually we will see the sunlight and warmth again. Think about the things in your life that you've had to endure. Sometimes, a part of us must die in order to be reborn. Now is the perfect time for spiritual alchemy -- time to evaluate your life, and know that you'll get through these darker times: Long Nights Moon

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Everyone talks about spring cleaning, but Yule is a good time to get the positive energies going that come with having a clean physical space. Start by de-cluttering, and work from there. Here are some tips on how to get your house physically and spiritually clean during the winter holidays -- and if you do just a bit each day, it won't be as overwhelming as you think: Yule Cleansing Ritual Sign up for the Yule Seven Day Sabbat Class, Get Ready for Yule!

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Neat piece in the Wall Street Journal, in the form of a piece by Robert Ferguson, a professor of Scandinavian studies. Ferguson looks at the romantic poetry of the Viking culture from the centuries between 800 - 1100 c.e. Ferguson explains that while the Vikings were certainly best known for pillaging, plundering and drinking, they also had a cultured and literary side.

He quotes, in part, a verse by Kormak Ogmundarson, who pays tribute to the lovely Steingard, a farmer's daughter. Although he has only caught a glimpse of the young lady's ankles, he's immediately smitten, and writes,

At the door of my soul she is standing,
So sweet in the gleam of her garment:
Her footfall awakens a fury,
A fierceness of love that I knew not,
Those feet of a wench in her wimple...

That's some pretty hot stuff there for the eleventh century. Young warriors were expected to not only be valiant in battle, but also eloquent and emotional in their speech. Although the Icelandic Eddas are fairly well known for their mythology and legend -- and certainly for their entertainment value when spoken aloud -- it's these overlooked bits of love poetry that show us the true heart of the Viking age.

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