The Symbolism & Magic of Holiday Wreaths

Holiday wreaths are festive and delightful, but what is their deeper significance?

This is the question I'd asked, so I looked into the symbology of the wreath and here is what I’ve discovered…

As some of us may already know, the Winter Solstice is when the Sun is symbolically reborn.
It is when darkness reaches its peak, and this period is followed by the “returning” of the light.

The wreath takes the shape of a circle which represents eternity, the cycles and seasons, and the endless cycle of life, death and rebirth.

Evergreens are traditionally used in holiday wreaths because they represent everlasting life, as their vibrancy endures even in the darkest time of the year.

Therefore the holiday wreath signifies the celebration and reminder that life is constant, even in times such as these of withdrawal and rest- which is really just preparation for renewal!

Evergreens also bring to our homes the magic and blessings of these sacred plants.
With conscious intention, you can choose specific ones for your wreath, based on your desires.

Here are some plants you could work with…

YEW- Yew is the tree of death, rebirth and eternity, and is held to be a connector to the eternal realm of the spirits and the ancestors.
They can live for a very long time, therefore they also represent longevity.

HOLLY- The figure of the Holly King is held to be the ruler the dark half of the year.
It is vibrant and resilient, and represents strength and victory.
It is also considered protective because some of them have spiky leaves.
It’s been believed that if you bring holly into your home, you also bring shelter to faeries who bless your home in return.

ROSEMARY- One of my favorite herbs ever!
Rosemary is held to correspond to the Sun.
It is also known to be protective, invigorating and purifying.

CEDAR- I’ve been falling in love with this sacred tree!
Cedar is protective against all kinds of unwanted energies.

PINE- Like the other evergreens, pine is refreshing and cleansing and full of vitality.
It is also a physically healing plant, and its essential oils treat many issues such as cold, flu, sore throat, coughs and other respiratory problems.

IVY- Ivy grows in a spiral, signifying the spiral of life.
It is a plant that binds to others, and therefore represents connections with others and friendships.

Why I've Claimed a New Name

Hello!
It’s been a long time since I’ve posted on this blog.

Some of you may have noticed that I’ve gone from calling myself “Ellie” to “Litha Rose”, and I thought I ought to share an explanation, here.

This change was actually a long time coming, as I had been considering claiming a new name for about two years.

In short, I believe this is part of a big transformational process I’ve been going through for several years, now. This also has been part of my process of individuation- claiming my own self-expression. My parents gave me a name, but this is the name that I am declaring for myself.

I have not legally changed my name- at least, not yet. But for now, I am considering Elizabeth my “given name”, and Litha Rose my “chosen name”. I also consider Litha Rose to be my “priestess name”, or “spiritual/soul name”.

Here is a more detailed explanation I shared on social media a few months ago, as my announcement…

About two years ago, a thought occurred to me: isn’t it strange that in our culture, it is not the norm for us to choose our own names? Shouldn’t what we are called be something we decide? Understandably, when we are born, we don’t have the capacity to speak, let alone tell our parents what we’d like to be called.. and our parents have to call us something.. but I wondered why it is not more common for us to-after a certain point in our lives, choose our names? 

Someone shared with me this interesting idea that when parents are expecting, the unborn child tells them what their name is. I suspect that if it’s true (and I believe it is), it doesn’t happen in all cases. I think it’s worth looking into the meaning of our names (first AND last), and really feeling into whether it suits us and is a true expression of ourselves. 

Since this idea has occurred to me, I’ve been considering changing my name. I like the names Elizabeth/Ellie, but I guess I feel that something else could be a better fit for me. 

But I also feel that changing a name is a big deal, and I don’t take it lightly. I believe our names carry a vibration- and to change our name is to change this vibrational influence on ourselves and our lives. 

So I’ve been taking my time, while considering possibilities. And finally, right around Samhain and on the first day of my bleeding phase, one came to mind. I mention these details because I believe that when women menstruate, our intuition is heightened. And Samhain is a pagan holiday (which Halloween is based on), and it is held to be a time that is a portal of transformation, and when the veil between the worlds is thinner. 

The name that came to me was Litha Rose. Litha is the neo-pagan term for the Summer Solstice/Midsummer, which is when I was born. This is when the Sun is at its peak. Interestingly, I was also born on a SUNday.

Litha was also the Anglo-Saxon term for the month of June (again, when I was born), and meant “gentle, navigable”, because it was at this time when sea breezes were more gentle and navigable for sailors…

As for Rose, I have this very strong affinity for all flowers, and especially roses which are my absolute favorite. I don’t have any tattoos, but if I were to get one, it would be of a rose for sure! Roses bloom the most in June, and so my name basically means “Midsummer Rose”. With my surname Brucia, it means "Burning Midsummer Rose". 

There is even more I can say about this name numerologically, but I’ll stop here. Some people say you get a tattoo or change your name when you undergo some kind of initiation. I think that may be the case for me, as I have been undergoing a big transformation for over four years, now. Perhaps this new name is an indication of an emergence.. a change of form.

But anyway, there it is! I thought I’d better share an explanation. Honestly, I've felt afraid that people would judge me and think I am crazy, but you gotta do you, ya know? And be courageous about it.

I invite you to also contemplate your name and its meaning. Does it suit you? Is it a fitting expression of you? What would you like to be called? We can be called whatever we want to be called!