It’s the time of year to party! Yule is a pagan holiday. It’s one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world and occurs from December 21, 2021, to January 1, 2022. It celebrates midwinter, the return of the Sun, and a festival of rebirth. Yule, or the Winter Solstice, marks the shortest day of the year. But despite being the darkest day of the year, it's also a time for reflection and celebration. The winter solstice, which occurs on December 21 or 22 depending on the year, marks the point at which the Sun begins to return to us. Days begin to lengthen again after this point, so Yule is a time of both dark reflection and bright celebration. This festival dates back to ancient times. The druids would hang mistletoe in oak trees, and the Yule log was originally used to represent the Sun and its movement during the dark period of the year. The Celts believed that the Sun stood still for 12 days during winter and lighted logs to keep away evil and bring good fortune.