Perhaps your tree is trimmed and you’ve strung up the festive lights outside your home, but this ritual invites you to create a sacred space where you can light a candle that’s just for you where you can go to spend a few minutes at in reflection each day.

There are no rules for creating a Yule altar but you may want to consider bringing in the elements of fire, earth, wood, air and water. Here are some suggestions:

1. Fire: Make space in the centre of your altar space for at least one candle, maybe more. You may want to have one pillar candle surrounded by smaller tea lights. Yule celebrates the return of the sun which is what your candle can represent.

2. Earth: Adorn your space in the colours of Yule which are (yes you guessed it!) red, white and green. If you have a crystal selection, consider adding those that are red, yellow and orange such as red tigers eye, carnelian and citrine, to your space.

3. Wood: Bring in some natural artefacts. You may wish to add pine cones, sprigs of holly and evergreens to your space. Just be aware if you’re adding Yew that children and pets don’t swallow its poisonous berries!

4. Air/Water: I usually have some shells and feathers on my altar space. You may want to make some paper snowflakes to represent these elements on your altar.

If this is your first time creating an altar you may be wondering if this is a particularly religious practice which is only for those who worship or consider themselves part of a certain religion. This is not the case at all and creating a special place in your home where you can mark the changing of both the seasons outside in the more-than-human world, and maybe the seasons of your life, is a beautiful practice that I myself have found particularly grounding and soothing over the years.