I love this time of year. By “time of year,” I don’t mean all of the snow piling up outside, or the super cold days (it was nine below zero this morning!), or the icy roads. I mean that I love this time of year for its winter holidays. Christmas can be bittersweet for me, as it can for so many, but honestly, I love the holiday, love the festivities, the symbols, and I love the deepest meaning of the day. And though it sounds cliche, what I love most of all is gathering with my favorite people.

During this time of year I’m making a lot of plans, in preparation for my daughter and her partner visiting for a few days, as well as for the holiday parties I might be going to, for the gift shopping, and for the other outings I’ll share with my husband. I’m making menus, doing a deep clean in some areas of the house that have been a little neglected (I see you, ceiling corners), and of course, decorating.

Slow down

It often occurs to me during all this hustle and bustle though, that I need to slow down a little. Most of the things I need to do to prepare for the holidays bring me joy (except maybe standing in long lines at the store, or sitting in traffic, with shoppers and drivers growing grumpier and grumpier).

Christmas and the Winter Solstice, or Yule, celebrate the return of light. Although it hasn’t really been that long since the last leaves fell off the trees and the first snow fell, the shorter, colder days, and the earlier sunsets, can make us feel like we’ve plummeted into darkness. We aren’t really in the deep dark of winter, but it often feels that way.

With the solstice we literally see the shortest day of course, followed by a slow, gradual lengthening of days again. Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ, the arrival into the world of the brightest light. Whether we celebrate in a pagan way or a Christian way – or somewhere in between, or not at all – we can sit with ourselves in a winter silence, and look to the light within.

I designed this spread for slowing down, and for looking right at that light. I kept it pretty short, and of course, I designed it to form an outline of a basic Yule or Christmas tree.

The cards and their meanings

Card 1. Let’s start at the base, or the trunk of the tree. It’s grounded, it’s rooted, and here things are really dark near the soil and under the heaviest boughs. Why do you need or long for the return of light? This could be challenges in your life, specific stressors you’ve been dealing with, fears, or even secrets.

Cards 2 and 3. What do you think keeps you safe? What do you buffer yourself with, or what gives you comfort in the dark? Be open here to just seeing the messages and symbols. Don’t doubt your intuition too much here, because this really could be anything.

Cards 4 and 5. How do you share or can you share this season and its beauty with others? Like in cards 2 and 3, be open here. Don’t judge yourself. Some people do a ton around the holidays to help others, to reach out, volunteer, do all the baking or hosting, etc. Some people need to be more quiet, or even need some alone time. Even when we are the quiet ones, we are sharing the season with others. Let the cards just show you how you might be sharing your own light this season.

Cards 6 and 7. What are you excited for, or what are you afraid to hope for? Christmas and Yule are times of wishes, of being hopeful, of kind of suspending disbelief and imagining our wildest dreams or greatest wants. That’s what these cards are going for.

Card 8. Of course, the star at the top, radiating its light. This card should show you the potential for your returning or renewing light, whether it is from within or without. Be open to its light, to the potential, and to the positive, as this can be a most beautiful season.

I hope you find this spread useful! I think it’s important that we all honor the light, or the beauty, we each have within – it might sound a little hokey, but seriously, appreciate yourself 🙂

If you’re interested in more original tarot spreads, check out my Card Spread for Ostara, or the Maple Leaf.

Happy Holidays!

Bright blessings for a wonderful winter season! As always, please feel free to reach out and say hello.

~ Nellie