Did you know that decorating your tree with ornaments is a pagan tradition? It's true! The tradition of decorating evergreen trees with ornaments is a LONG storied tradition that can even be found as early as the Ancient Egyptians who would decorate at the solstice with palm leaves to signify the promise of eternal life.
Then, again, in Ancient Rome, during the feast of Saturnalia—a 7 day long debauchery honoring the god Saturn—Romans would adorn their homes and temples with the boughs of evergreen trees and small metal ornaments for their patron gods and deities. This feast was the birthplace of many current Christian traditions.
Even the pagans of Germanic England had theirs, using citrus, evergreens, candles, and ribbons to adorn their homes and temples at the Solstice. This was an offering, pleading with the Gods of Spring and Summer to return and bring with them a long growing season.
Creating your own ornaments is an easy way to restore some pagan tradition back into your Yule and Solstice celebrations. Find instructions below! Want to shop and not craft? Check out our handmade and hand painted ornaments made right here on the Swamp and bring home some magic from our homes to yours.
Oranges and other citrus fruits are used during Yule and Winter Solstice celebrations as they represent the sun. Many traditions reference their ornaments as an offering to the Gods, begging for the suns return. For this craft, you can utilize any citrus fruit to make this beautiful stained glass effect.
Oranges represent happiness, luck, tradition, and celebration.
To dry your oranges:
You can use Grapefruit, Blood Oranges, Navel Oranges, Lemons, or Limes. I love to use a variety!
Slice about a half inch thick and set onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Preheat oven to 200° and now it’s time to go lowwww and slow. Leave them in the oven for 6-8 hours, rotating every 30 minutes or so until they’re dried completely.
Once they're done, pull them out and let cool.
Next up, gather your supplies to create your ornaments.
This is what I used but feel free to create your own using the symbols and traditions that mean the most to you.
Cinnamon Stick: Prosperity and attraction.
Witch's Bell: Protection. Bells are often kept on doors to help dispel any negative energy that lingers near entries.
Cedar Sprig: Immortality. You can use any evergreen tree as they represent eternal life through the harshest of seasons
Jute Cord or String
Charms, Beads, or Crystals
Hot Glue, optional to secure pieces together
To begin, use a skewer to poke a hole through the top of one of the orange slices and thread about 4" of cord through. Tie it into a knot to hang your ornament.
Place down a sprig of evergreen tree (Cedar is pictured but you can use Spruce, Pine, or any other evergreen you prefer) and then a cinnamon stick on top of it.
You can secure these using hot glue or tie them up tightly using more cord. Using more cord or string, you can attach the your charms, crystals, to the center.
You can further add energy to your ornament by including colorful ribbons. Green is a symbol of hope and life. Red represents love and life. White is used to represent calm and new beginnings.
Lastly, I love to put a few drops of essential oil on them prior to hanging them on the tree for an added sensory effect at the Yule season!
Happy crafting! Want to support our efforts here on the Swamp? Shop our 2024 Yule Small Batch for handmade hand cream, lip balm, Swamp Water Spray, and ornaments!
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