Goddess Speak Sanctuary of Solace Newsletter - December 2025

"It's Christmas Eve. It's the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we smile a little easier, we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year we are the people that we always hoped we would be." ~ Frank Cross (Scrooged)

December Dates of Interest:

• Dec. 1 - World AIDS Day/Rosa Parks Day
• Dec. 4 - National Cookie Day
• Dec. 4 @ 3:14 pm - Full Cold Super Moon in Gemini
• Dec. 5 - Envision & Empower: A Vision Board Workshop for 2026 @ UUCLV
• Dec. 6 - Yule Log Crafting w/ Inner Circle Sanctuary @ UUCLV
• Dec. 10 - Human Rights Day
• Dec. 13/14 - Geminids Meteor Shower**
• Dec. 19 @ 5:43 pm - New Moon in Capricorn
• Dec. 19 - Winterfest - Celebrating the Return of the Light (ZOOM)
• Dec. 20 - UUCLV Food Pantry**
• Dec. 20 - Winterfest - Celebrating the Return of the Light (@UUCLV)
• Dec. 21 – Yule/Jul/First Day of Winter/Winter Solstice
• Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve / National Eggnog Day
• Dec. 25 – Christmas Day
• Dec. 26 – First Day of Hanukkah/Kwanzaa
• Dec. 31 - New Year's Eve

Click on days w/ bold type and ** for more information!

“At the darkest time of year, Lord Yule laid down his beard of snow and cloak of frost and ice to illuminate the gloom.” ― Stewart Stafford

“As the winter solstice approaches the chill in the air deepens, and the frosty grip of winter begins to tighten. Days grow ever shorter, and the nights are at their longest and darkest."

December's Lunar Spotlight

Excerpts from Cafe Astrology

December Full Moon in Gemini

The Gemini Moon exactly opposes the Sagittarius Sun. The Gemini-Sagittarius polarity is a mental axis, where Gemini represents the “lower mind” and Sagittarius represents the “higher mind”. A Gemini Moon encourages us to think logically, while Sagittarius persuades us to think in a far broader manner. Sagittarius symbolizes the quest for meaning and ideas that expand upon the here and now. Gemini is quite comfortable in his or her immediate environment or neighborhood, while Sagittarius stimulates us to venture beyond. Neglecting either end of the axis will surely backfire on us. Ideally, a balance should be found between the two energies, and this is what the Full Moon invites us to do. This Full Moon is about communication, attitude, and sense of adventure. Something has been building inside of us, and now is the time when the energy of the cosmos fairly demands that we let it out. Over the next two weeks, we will discover what this means for us. For now, we can’t sit on our feelings. We need to express them. The Full Moon is a time of culmination and the promise of fulfillment of that which was started at the New Moon. It is an emotional time–a time of romance, fertilization, and relationships. With the Moon full and bright in the sky, symbolic “illumination” occurs in our own lives. However, these feelings and revelations are emotional ones, as there is a sense of emotions bursting forth into our consciousness. It’s time to express ourselves and to let things out of our systems. Of course, we might want to exercise some care while doing so, knowing that what is coming out of us is not particularly rational as yet. Finalizing plans should probably be saved for a later date and we should watch for too-quick decisions and actions, but paying close attention to what’s illuminated now makes sense. Through the events or the tensions of this time, we can ultimately get to a better understanding of ourselves, and particularly of our desires.

~ The Full 'Cold' Moon ~

Excerpts from The Farmer's Almanac

Mark your calendars! December 4, 2025, brings the Cold Moon, and this year it’s a dazzling supermoon. Rising brighter and slightly larger than usual, it lights up the lengthening nights as we approach winter. Don’t miss this stunning celestial show—read on to discover the best times to watch, how to capture it in photos, and the fascinating folklore behind this late fall Moon.

The December full Moon is a supermoon, the third in a series of three consecutive supermoons at the end of 2025 (October, November, December). A supermoon occurs when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, called perigee. Because it’s a supermoon, it may appear slightly larger and brighter than a typical full Moon—up to 8% larger in diameter and 16% brighter. For most casual observers, the difference is subtle, but it’s more noticeable if compared to a micromoon, when the Moon is at its farthest point from Earth. Being near perigee and full, this Moon can also produce slightly higher tides, known as perigean spring tides or king tides, especially along coastlines, though the effect is modest. This supermoon also comes just before the peak of the Geminid meteor shower (December 13–14), which means exceptionally dark skies for a dazzling display of shooting stars.

When to see the Full Moon in December 2024:

The Full Cold Moon will be 100% illuminated on December 4 at 3:14 P.M. PST. For the most dramatic view, watch just after moonrise, when the Moon appears larger near the horizon—a phenomenon called the “Moon illusion.” Clear skies and minimal light pollution will make it easier to appreciate the Moon’s brightness and detail. 

If you look up during the December full Moon, notice how it’s nearly at the top of the sky, tracing a long path through the night, akin to Santa’s sleigh! It’s above the horizon longer than any Moon—hence, it’s the longest night! Conversely, near the summer solstice in June, the Sun is highest in the sky while the Moon has the lowest arc—hence, it’s the longest day!

Why is it called the Cold Moon?

The name “Cold Moon” is a descriptive label for the December full Moon, used by various native North American tribes and Celtic culture. In the Northern Hemisphere, December often marks the coldest day of the year, although temperatures can significantly vary, and record lows can happen at any point during the winter months. Since December signifies the official start of winter, it is often associated with the coldest temperatures, as the season settles and intensifies. This is also reflected in the Chinese name for this month’s Moon, “Bitter Moon,” which likely alludes to the bitter cold that arrives in December.

Another reason for the name “Cold Moon” is because of the long winter nights, when the cold lasts the longest before the Sun rises again to warm the Earth. This is why December’s Full Moon is also called “Full Long Nights Moon” or “Long Night Moon” by the Mahican, Oneida tribes, and neo-pagan cultures. The full Moon appears exceptionally long in December when nights are at their longest, allowing the Moon’s light to shine for a longer duration than any other time of the year. In contrast, the Sun’s presence is much shorter during December, leading to the Zuni tribe referring to it as the “Sun Has Traveled Home to Rest” Moon in the southwest.

Because of the emphasis of winter in this month, the simple name “Winter Moon” is often used, especially by the Shoshone tribe of the Great Basin. “Dead of Winter Moon” is a slightly more descriptive name used by the Alaskan Inupiat peoples, reflecting the greater severity of the season so far north. “Snow Moon” is another relatively common term with the Cherokee and Haida tribes, highlighting that the first snow generally falls in December in many areas.

In further relating to quirks of the beginning of winter, “Popping Trees Moon” is a name used by the Arapaho and Oglala tribes, noting that this is the time of year when sap can freeze and rupture the tree’s bark, causing popping or snapping noises from what seems to be an empty, silent forest.

ALTERNATIVE DECEMBER MOON NAMES:

• Drift Clearing Moon (Cree)
• Frost Exploding Trees Moon (Cree)
• Moon of the Popping Trees (Oglala)
• Hoar Frost Moon (Cree)
• Snow Moon (Haida, Cherokee)
• Winter Maker Moon (Western Abenaki)
• Long Night Moon (Mohican)
• Mid-Winter Moon (Lakota and Northern Ojibwe)
• Moon When the Deer Shed Their [Antlers] (Dakota)
• Little Spirit Moon (Anishinaabe)

In Europe, ancient pagans called the December full Moon the “Moon Before Yule,” in honor of the Yuletide festival celebrating the return of the sun heralded by winter solstice.

Best Days in December 2025 Harvesting: Aboveground crops: 25–26 | Belowground crops: 6–7 Setting Eggs: 4–5, 12–13, 31 Fishing: 1–4, 19–31

MOON FOLKLORE

• If a snowstorm begins when the Moon is young, it will cease at moonrise.
• December changeable and mild, the whole winter will remain a child.
• Thunder in December presages fine weather.
• Frost on the shortest day is said to indicate a severe winter.
• December cold, with snow, brings rye everywhere.

December Full Moon Magic:

Wigington, Patti. "Long Nights Moon." Learn Religions, Aug. 28, 2020

The last moon phase of the year is the Long Nights Moon in December, also called the Cold Moon or Big Winter Moon, depending on where you live. This is often a time of introspection and self discovery, as you evaluate the trials and tribulations that you've endured over the past year. However, this self analysis has a definite benefit — it gives you a chance to re-evaluate where you want to go and who you want to be in the coming twelve months. This is a season of adaptation and change. In many magical traditions, and certainly owing to its proximity to Yule and Christmas, this is also a time of sharing one's blessings with those less fortunate.

Correspondences:

• Colors: White, red, and black are associated with December's full moon, in part due to the darkness of the season
• Gemstones: Obsidian, ruby, and serpentine
• Trees: Pine, holly, and fir are connected to the winter solstice, and also to the full moon this month
• Gods: Minerva, Osiris, Athena, Persephone, and Hades are tied to the darker half of the year and the season of long nights
• Herbs: Ivy, mistletoe, holly and berries, and cinnamon
• Element: Even though this is a season of darkness, with Yule, the winter solstice, comes the return of the light, so this full moon is often connected to the element of fire

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 survive the dark times. Get rid of that excess baggage you've been toting around.

If you've already put the darkness behind you, take your good fortune and share it with others. When it's cold outside, open your heart and home to friends and family. Reach out to people who might be suffering from the chill of winter, either spiritually or physically.

Long Nights Moon Magic:

Because this is, for many of us, a fallow time of year, often the magic of December focuses on self-discovery and change. As we evaluate who and what we have become — and wish to be — we allow ourselves to share our blessings with those around us, and spread our good fortune and well wishes.

• Take some time to examine the relationships you've had in your life over the past year — and not just romantic ones. Are you doing everything in your power to maintain healthy, happy connections? If not, what can you do differently?
• If there's something you need to let go of — something that's been dragging you down for the past year — now's the chance to release your baggage. Write your problem on a piece of paper, sit outside under the full moon, and burn the paper, scattering the ashes into the breeze. Alternatively, tear it up and throw it into a moving body of water. Either way, once it's gone, you can start thinking about how to move forward with your life.
• Set up an outdoor altar with seasonal items like holly branches and pinecones and burn some cinnamon or winter solstice incense. Go outdoors at night with a bowl or cauldron full of water and do some moonlight scrying. This is particularly helpful if you know you need to make some changes but aren't sure how to get started.
• Go through all of your old stuff that you don't use anymore. Some people take an approach in which anything that (a) doesn't fit, (b) hasn't been used in six months, or (c) no longer brings you happiness should be eliminated from your life. Clear out the physical clutter, donate it to an organization or individual that will repurpose it, and help someone else out in the process. You may want to include a blessing of donations ritual as well.

As the calendar year draws to a close, this is also a good time to start planning ahead. Think about what changes you're going to want to make in the coming months. You know all those New Year's resolutions you always make? Put some planning and forethought into them this time around, and you'll be far more likely to keep them. Get ready to break your bad habits, and start forming some good ones, to become a new and improved version of yourself in the new year.

Excerpt from: The Outdoor Apothecary

As December’s Full Moon rises, casting a silvery glow across the quiet winter landscape, take a moment to settle into a comfortable space where the moonlight can touch you, or imagine its presence if you are indoors.

Close your eyes and take three deep breaths, inhaling, and exhaling any tension or worries. Visualize the moon’s rays as a gentle, cleansing light, bathing you in a silvery glow.

With each breath in, draw in the moon’s energy, feeling it fill you with calm and peace. As you breathe out, release thoughts and feelings that no longer serve you, letting them dissipate into the night.

Now, picture yourself standing in a snow-covered landscape, the Full Cold Moon bright above you. Reflect on the cycle of the year gone by – the growth, the harvest, and now the quiet and rest of winter. Contemplate the lessons you’ve learned and the wisdom you’ve gained.

As you stand under December’s Full Moon, think about your hopes and dreams for the coming year. What intentions would you like to set? What do you wish to bring into your life? Imagine these desires as seeds, planting them in the fertile ground beneath the moonlight.

Spend a few moments basking in the moon’s glow, feeling its strength and stability. Know that just like the moon, you have phases and cycles, and each has its own beauty and purpose.

When you are ready, take three deep breaths, bringing your awareness back to the present. Open your eyes, carrying the peace and clarity of the moon’s light with you into the days ahead.

New Moon in Sagitarius

The final New Moon of 2025...

The New Moon in Sagittarius marks the beginning of a new cycle. Representing new beginnings, the New Moon occurs with the Sun and Moon’s alignment in the mutable fire sign of Sagittarius. It’s a time when we can focus on some of the constructive traits of the sign of the Archer – optimistic, enthusiastic, adventurous, honest, outspoken, independent – and consider how to positively incorporate these qualities into our lives. As we advance, we can focus on goals that will increase our understanding and awareness, give us the courage to expand our horizons, and gain confidence and optimism from a broader perspective. All too easily, we can get lost in the details of mundane existence. With this potent Sagittarius energy, however, we can find ways to transcend these details of day-to-day life and nurture our faith, hope, and vision. Because Sagittarius thinks in big terms, we may have a tendency to overdo our expectations – something to watch for. We are setting the stage for reaping the rewards from our braveries, as little or big as they may be, in approximately two weeks’ time after the Full Moon occurs. This New Moon is near the midpoint of Venus and Mars and is widely conjunct both bodies, supporting our creativity, energy, and motivation levels. However, it forms a square with Saturn and Neptune, suggesting blocks to our efforts to begin anew, especially in the form of attitudes that swing from overly pessimistic to overly idealistic. Its quincunx to Uranus disrupts the flow as well, and it can result in some hesitance even with a strong desire to start fresh. We may not fully trust our inner muse.

“Night was in the sky, night in her winter austerity - keen, clear, a-glitter with stars as though her robe were spangled with cosmic frost.” ― Warwick Deeping, Uther and Igraine

Ye Ol' Crafty Corner...

Magical Gingerbread Poppets

As Yule rolls around, many of us get into crafting mode – and that is as good a time as any to work a little holiday magic. Why not take the holiday tradition of gingerbread men, and turn it into a practical poppet working? A poppet is essentially a magical doll, designed to represent a person – traditionally, they’re made from cloth or some other sort of fabric. Because we’re not going to eat these, we’ll simply be making them from felt and other craft materials and stuffing them with magical ingredients. Then you can give them as gifts, hang them on your holiday tree, or put them around your house.

Here are just a few ideas for magical gingerbread poppets that are appropriate for the holiday season: Love poppet: Make a poppet to represent the object of your affection -- remember that in some magical traditions it's frowned upon to make a specific person the target of your working. If you are simply trying to attract love to yourself, but you don’t have a specific person in mind, focus on all the desirable qualities you want to see in a potential lover. Stuff your poppet with small bits of rose quartz, rose petals, parsley and peppermint. Prosperity poppet: The holiday season is a good time to focus on prosperity. Fill the poppet with a bit of cinnamon, orange, or ginger, and maybe even a small coin to get the message across. Healing poppet: When you make this poppet, be sure to indicate what - and whom - you are trying to heal. Focus all of your energy on the ailment in question. Fill with lemon balm, feverfew, ivy, and pine, as well as bits of turquoise and bloodstone. Protection poppet: Create poppets that represent each member of the family, blending herbs and stones into the clay. Use hematite and amethyst, as well as basil, patchouli, and coffee for filling. Finally, decorate your gingerbread poppet with craft paint, fabric scraps, buttons, or other embellishments. Stitch a loop of ribbon into the head so you can hang him or her on your Yule tree – or give it to a friend!

What you’ll need:

• Felt – brown, white and red
• Gingerbread man template
• Embroidery threads – black, white and any colorful threads for the buttons
• Stuffing
• Scissors, fabric chalk, needle and pins
• Glue gun (optional – you can also stitch the edges)
• Small black beads (again, optional – you could also stitch the eyes)
• Herbs, crystals, trinkets, etc.

Directions:

1. Start by printing off the gingerbread man template and cut out the template pieces. If you want to make them bigger or smaller, adjust the printing size as required.

2. Next pin the template onto your felt and either cut it straight out, or if you prefer you can trace around it with the fabric chalk and then cut out. You’ll need two pieces of each gingerbread man cut from the brown felt.

3. We are going to decorate the front of the gingerbread man before stitching the front and back together. Let’s start with the face. Stitching the face (or glue on/paint on features) I use the fabric chalk to mark out where I want the eyes and mouth to go (and if you muck this up, just turn it over and try again!). Stitch two black beads on the face and then a few short back stitches to make the mouth. Tie off the thread and trim the excess. Next, we’re going to stitch the buttons. Of course, you can simply glue or paint them on as well!

4. Now we will join the front and back of our Gingerbread Man, You can glue them or sew them. To sew the front and back together, use a blanket stitch. Start the first stitch by bringing the needle through just the top layer so that the knot is hidden between the two pieces. Now carry on with small neat blanket stitches. Once you are about halfway around, start stuffing the head and limbs as they are stitched up. You can add your herbs, crystals, etc. to the tummy area before fully closing the side.

You’re done! Once the Poppet is all closed up and decorated to your satisfaction, it's ready to fulfill its purpose! Happy Crafting!

Go the extra mile and add a few drops of essential oil to your poppet to make it smell amazing. For Yule, I love any of these:

• rosemary essential oil - Protection/Purification/ Memory & Clarity/ Healing
• cinnamon essential oil - Prosperity & Success/ Love & Passion/ Spiritual Energy
• cedar essential oil - Protection/ Grounding/ Purification
• orange essential oil - Joy & Creativity/ Prosperity/ Love & Attraction

“Deep in the secret world of winter's darkness, deep in the heart of the Earth, the scattered seed dreams of what it will accomplish, some warm day when its wild beauty has grown strong and wise.” ― Solstice

“The dark and cold of winter pressed its snowy blanket down. It stilled the land and bid it rest, to dream beneath its frosty gown.” ― Solstice

The Kitchen Witch's Cauldron

Enchanted Gingerbread for the Winter Solstice

On the eve of the longest night, when shadows stretch and the world holds its breath, the ancient magic of gingerbread calls us to the hearth. This vintage recipe is a spell in itself—treacle dark as midwinter, sugar sweet as returning light, and spices that whisper of far-off lands and forgotten lore. Ginger for warmth, cloves for protection, nutmeg for luck, and seeds of caraway and coriander to weave blessings into every bite. Shape the dough into charms and symbols as your heart desires, then let the quick heat of the oven awaken their power. When golden and fragrant, these Solstice sweets become more than food—they are talismans of hope, offerings to the newborn Sun, and a promise that light will triumph over darkness once more. Solstice Baking Ritual As you mix the ingredients, stir deosil and speak: “With sweetness and spice, I call the light. Bless this hearth, bless this night, May warmth and joy now take flight.” Before placing the gingerbread in the oven, pause and breathe deeply. Visualize the returning sun and whisper your intentions for the coming year—health, happiness, abundance, or peace. When done, share the first piece with gratitude, saying: “The wheel turns, the light returns. Blessed be.” ~L

Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat, Please put a penny in the old man's hat; If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do, If you haven't got a ha'penny, Goddess bless you! —Beggar's rhyme.

Magical music for your Winter Solstice! 'Solstice Carole' by Merrigan

December Book Review

The Dead of Winter:

Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures

by: Sarah Clegg

Synopsis:

Discover the monsters, witches, and other ghoulish creatures that make up lesser known Christmas folklore in this gleefully creepy guide–perfect for horror fans who love the wintry holidays. When you think about Christmas, you likely picture mangers, glowing fireplaces, sweet carolers, and snow-blanketed hills. But behind all this bright magic, there’s something much darker lurking in the shadows. In The Dead of Winter, Cambridge-trained historian Sarah Clegg delves deep into the folklore of the Christmas season in Europe, detailing the way its terrifying and often debaucherous past continues to haunt and entertain us now in the twenty-first century. Perfect for the growing mainstream audience obsessed with horror and monsters, this guide makes the perfect gift, beautifully packaged in a stocking-stuffer-friendly trim size.

Reviews: Praise for The Dead of Winter: "Away from the turkey and tinsel, Sarah Clegg bravely escorts us to the dark side of the festive season, a wintry underworld of witches and demons, sinister customs, and strange ancient rites. A fascinating, menacing miscellany."―Malcolm Gaskill, author of The Ruin of All Witches and Witchfinders "Sarah Clegg's dark and delicious The Dead of Winter isn't just a frightful and sometimes funny account of Krampus, Mari Lwyd, Christmas ghosts, monster mummers, and a winter witch named St. Lucy, but is also a thoughtful examination of why these stories continue to capture our imagination. I plan on spending every Christmas now revisiting this wonderful book."―Lisa Morton, author of Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween "Enchanting, atmospheric, and charmingly spooky, Sarah Clegg's THE DEAD OF WINTER will transport readers with these immersive and near-forgotten celebrations of the season." ―Lydia Kang, M.D. author of Quackery “A fascinating, scholarly and entertaining history of the dark side of Christmas lore.”―Nikki Marmery, author Lilith “A lively, moving, thoughtful, and erudite survey of the more disturbing aspects of the modern world's most important festival. It is probably the best, and certainly the most accessible.” ―Ronald Hutton, author of The Witch: A History of Fear from Ancient Times to the Present Praise for Woman's Lore: 4,000 Years of Sirens, Serpents and Succubi: Shortlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown Award "A remarkable work... Extraordinary, meticulous detail."―Literary Review (UK) "Ambitious in scope, guiding the reader across millennia of cultural history... deftly fuses scholarly rigour, control of literary and archaeological sources, an accessible, entertaining style, wonderful illustrations, and a warm-hearted sympathy with women's plight across the centuries."―BBC History Magazine "A delightful romp through four thousand years' worth of sinister superstition, offering an empathetic interpretation of these supernatural creatures, so-called monsters, with a particular focus on women's experiences of them. Sarah Clegg provides thought-provoking insights into a range of beliefs and practices so often overlooked by mainstream history."―Jane Draycott, author of Cleopatra’s Daughter "Woman's Lore is a fascinating exploration of the mythology and trope of the 'demonic woman' that has existed for centuries and persists even today. Thoughtfully researched, it is an empowering and enlightening read."―Catherine Cho, author of Inferno: a Memoir of Motherhood and Madness "Clegg writes beautifully and displays her vast knowledge and passion for the subject with such ease... Brilliantly and seamlessly informs the reader of the human context of the tale."―All About History

About the Author:

Sarah Clegg has a PhD in ancient history from the University of Cambridge. She has written for various publications including History Today and has appeared on podcasts such as BBC History Extra and History Hit The Ancients. Her first book, Woman’s Lore traced a group of seductive, child-snatching demonesses through folklore from ancient Mesopotamian to the present day and was shortlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown. Sarah lives in London and works in publishing.

December Laughs:

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