A Yule altar is a little patch of light you make in the darkest weeks of the year.
It doesn't need to be big or expensive. A shelf, a windowsill or the corner of a table can hold a candle, a bit of evergreen and a symbol of the sun, and that's a Yule altar. If you've never set up an altar before, our guide to setting up a Wiccan altar covers the basics. This article is all about Yule: what to put on your altar and why, step by step, with ideas for every kind of space.
How to Set Up a Yule Altar in 7 Steps
- Choose your spot and clear it completely.
- Cleanse it with a little salt water, incense smoke or a ring of a bell.
- Lay a cloth in a Yule color: deep green, red, white or gold.
- Put the sun at the center: a gold candle, a sun disc, an orange or a sun wheel.
- Add evergreens such as pine, fir, holly, cedar or rosemary for life that endures.
- Place the Goddess and God (statues, candles or symbols), and any crystals and natural objects.
- Light the candle and dedicate the altar to the returning light.
What to Put on a Yule Altar
Here's a list of Yule altar items and what each one brings. Pick a few that speak to you; an altar with five meaningful things is better than one crowded with fifty.
| Item | What it means at Yule | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| A gold or white candle | The newborn sun and the returning light | Gold |
| Sun wheel, sun disc or a mirror | The sun reborn on the longest night | The Sun |
| Evergreens: pine, fir, cedar | Life that carries on through winter | Pine |
| Holly | Protection and the Holly King of the waning year | Holly |
| Oak leaves or acorns | The Oak King, who takes the crown at Yule | Oak |
| A small log or birch branch | The Yule log and the hearth fire | The Yule log |
| Oranges, dried or clove-studded | Little suns: joy and abundance | Clove |
| Pine cones | Seeds of new life and the cycle of rebirth | |
| Cinnamon sticks | Warmth, prosperity and protection | Cinnamon |
| Garnet, ruby or bloodstone | The fire of life and courage in the dark | Garnet |
| Clear quartz or snowy stones | Clarity, light and winter snow | Clear quartz |
| Frankincense or myrrh | Purification and the sacred; classic midwinter incense | Frankincense |
| A bell | Ringing out the old and calling in good spirits | Bell |
The Altar Cloth and Colors
Deep green is a lovely base for Yule, because it's the color of the evergreens that stay alive all winter. Red stands for the newborn sun and the life force, white for snow and new light, and gold and silver for the sun and moon. Many witches use a green cloth with red and white candles and a gold sun in the middle. Our guide to the colors of Yule explains what each color brings, and how to choose candles to match your intentions.
Put the Sun at the Center
Yule is the festival of the sun's rebirth, so it makes sense to give the sun the place of honor. You could use:
- A big gold or white pillar candle
- A brass or gold-painted sun disc, or a sun drawn on paper
- A round mirror that catches the candlelight
- An orange or a bowl of oranges
- A sun wheel, an equal-armed cross inside a circle, made from twigs and red thread
Leave the center candle unlit until the solstice itself, then light it as you welcome the sun back. Our guide to winter solstice rituals has a ritual that moves from the dark to that first flame.
Yule Altar Ideas for Every Space
1. A Holly King and Oak King Altar
Divide your altar into two halves. On the left, place holly, a dark red or deep green candle and something to stand for the old year. On the right, place oak leaves or acorns, a bright green or gold candle and a symbol of new growth. In the middle, a single gold candle for the sun. On Yule, light the Oak King's candle from the Holly King's to show the turning of the year. Our article on the Holly King and the Oak King tells the full story.
2. A Tiny Apartment or Shelf Altar
No room? Use a small tray or a single shelf. One candle in a holder, a sprig of evergreen in a glass of water, an orange and a small crystal are a complete Yule altar. A tray is handy because you can move it to the dinner table for your Yule feast and put it back afterward.
3. A Broom Closet Altar
If you're not out as a witch, a Yule altar can look like ordinary holiday decor: a wreath, a bowl of pine cones and oranges, a few candles and a sprig of holly on the mantel. Only you need to know that the oranges are suns and the candles are prayers.
4. A Family Yule Altar
Children love helping with an altar. Let them gather pine cones on a walk, make paper suns or salt dough stars, and write wishes for the new year to put in a jar on the altar. Use battery candles for little ones, and put toxic plants like holly berries and mistletoe out of reach.
5. An Outdoor Altar for the Wild Ones
Many witches keep a small outdoor altar at Yule as a gift to the creatures who stay through winter. A flat stone or stump with a bowl of fresh water, a handful of birdseed or unsalted nuts, and a pine cone rolled in suet and seeds is a beautiful offering. Avoid bread, salty snacks and spiced foods, which aren't good for birds.
6. An Ancestor and Remembrance Corner
Midwinter is a time when many families remember those who are gone. Add a photo, a small candle and a sprig of rosemary for remembrance to one side of your altar. If you kept an ancestor altar at Samhain, you might carry one item from it over. Our guide to honoring your ancestors has more ideas.
Dedicate Your Yule Altar
Once your altar is ready, take a minute to dedicate it. Light a candle (not the sun candle yet, if you're saving it for the solstice), ring a bell, and say:
In the dark of the year, I make a place for the light. Goddess and God, bless this altar and all who see it. May it hold hope through the long nights until the sun returns. Blessed be.
Visit it each evening if you can. Light a candle, add a wish, or simply sit with it for a minute. An altar that's used every day grows in power.
Design Your Altar Before You Build It
If you like to plan, members can lay out a Yule altar in our Altar Builder, pick items from the Witch's Cabinet, see what each one means, and save the design to their Book of Shadows. Both are members-only features you can explore with our 7-day trial.
When to Set Up and Take Down Your Yule Altar
Many witches set up their Yule altar in early December or after Samhain decorations come down, and keep it through the twelve days of Yuletide, until about New Year. Others keep it until Imbolc on February 1, when they swap it for the first signs of spring. When you take it down, return natural items to the earth or compost, save a piece of evergreen or your Yule log for next year, and cleanse your tools.
Yule Altar Safety
- Holly berries, mistletoe and ivy are poisonous to people and pets. Keep them out of reach, or use silk versions.
- Dry evergreens catch fire easily. Keep candles well away from greenery, ribbons and paper, and never leave them burning unattended.
- Use a sturdy fireproof dish under every candle, and consider battery candles for altars near children, pets or curtains.
- Burn incense in a ventilated room and away from birds and small pets.
Final Thoughts
Your Yule altar is a small promise that the light will come back. Start with a candle and a sprig of green, add what feels meaningful, and let it grow with you through the season. For everything else about the sabbat, see our Yule guide and the Yule page in the Witch's Cabinet. Our Wiccan Holidays course explores altars, rituals and lore for every festival of the year.
What's the center of your Yule altar this year? Tell us in the comments!
Sources
Scott Cunningham, Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (Llewellyn, 1988).
Edain McCoy, The Sabbats: A New Approach to Living the Old Ways (Llewellyn, 1994).
Ellen Dugan, Seasons of Witchery: Celebrating the Sabbats with the Garden Witch (Llewellyn, 2012).
Scott Cunningham, Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Llewellyn, 1985).
Check out our other articles:
Yule: The Pagan Winter Solstice and How to Celebrate It
How to Set Up a Wiccan Altar
Samhain Altar Ideas
The Colors of Yule
See All Articles
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Yule Altar FAQs
What do you put on a Yule altar?
Popular Yule altar items are a gold or white candle for the sun, evergreens like pine, fir and holly, pine cones, oranges, cinnamon sticks, a small log, crystals such as garnet and clear quartz, frankincense and a bell. Choose a few that feel meaningful.
What colors are used on a Yule altar?
Green, red, white and gold are the main Yule colors, with silver often added. Green stands for evergreen life, red for the newborn sun, white for snow and new light, and gold for the sun itself.
When should I set up my Yule altar?
Many witches set it up in early December and keep it through the twelve days of Yuletide, until about New Year. Some keep it until Imbolc on February 1.
Can I have a Yule altar in a small space?
Yes. A tray or shelf with one candle, a sprig of evergreen, an orange and a crystal is a complete Yule altar, and a tray can be moved to the table for your feast.
How do I make a Holly King and Oak King altar?
Divide the altar in half, with holly and a dark candle for the Holly King on one side and oak leaves, acorns and a green or gold candle for the Oak King on the other. On Yule, light the Oak King's candle from the Holly King's.
Is holly safe on an altar?
Holly berries, mistletoe and ivy are poisonous to people and pets, so keep them out of reach or use artificial versions, and keep all greenery away from candle flames.
