Winter Nights is a period of holy observation for Heathens and Norse Pagans, it marks the beginning of the Winter season. Also called Vetrnaetr and Winterfylleth, this festival blends feasting, rituals, and offerings to ensure protection and prosperity throughout the harsh winter months ahead.
The medieval, Icelandic historian, Snorri Sturlusson, includes the celebration of Winter Nights as one of the three major Pre-Christian holidays in Northern Europe. There are many different records for when Winter Nights begins: some say it starts on the first or second full moon after the Autumn Equinox, some say it takes place in mid-to-late October depending on the year, and others say it starts with the first winter frost. We know that Winter Nights was traditionally observed over some time, from 3 days to a month.
As is typical for many pagan festivals, a feast was given as part of the celebration and included a series of sacrifices as part of the holy rituals. The items sacrificed to deities would typically be the blood of whatever animal was slaughtered for feasting. Two sacrificial rituals are mentioned consistently in historical texts: Álfablót and Dísablót. Álfablót was an offering to the spirits of the land and community, while Dísablót was an offering made to the family’s spirits. Both were private events closed to non-family members. The participants thanked deities and local spirits for a fruitful harvest, and they also connected with the spirits of ancestors at this time.
You may find similarities between Winter Nights and the Celtic holiday Samhain: the two share themes surrounding the start of winter, the final harvest, and the memory of loved ones who have passed. This time of year in the Northern Hemisphere inspires us to consider these topics as the daylight dwindles and the barren winter approaches. Winter Nights offers those interested in Norse paganism or Heathenry a chance to explore winter celebrations with roots in those cultures. Although there are few historical records detailing how pagans observed Winter Nights, we know there was a toast to honor deities, a sacrifice made to family and communal spirits, and a feast.
You can follow in the footsteps of many Scandinavian pagans and observe Winter Nights in the modern day using this blueprint. Hold a feast with your closest friends and family, and remember your loved ones beyond the veil: friends, family, and familiars alike. Share stories of them to celebrate their life and memory, light a candle next to their photo, and leave them a food offering during your observances. Your “blood sacrifice” to the gods and spirits can be a cup of red wine, or a morsel of meat from your feast. Deities associated with Winter Nights include Odin, who commissioned the holiday, and Freyr, the god of the harvest. You can take the opportunity to bring any deity into your Winter Nights observances: clear a space for them on your altar and make an offering to them.
However you choose to incorporate Winter Nights into your practice, our pagan supply store is here to support you on your journey. You can find oils, candles, herbs, and other ritual tools in our online store or at our Asheville shop, and our knowledgeable and skilled staff will guide you in the right direction.
