Yule, Christmas, Hanukkah or Winter Celebrations
Everyone loves a good celebration right? But how much do we actually know about our favourite holidays? So why not stick around and read more about our Magical and Muggle traditions to celebrate in December.

Yule

Yule, first up on our list of December Holidays is Yule, perhaps the most magical of them all. Yule celebrates the winter solstice, the longest night of the year! Hogwarts has traditionally celebrated this holiday with a Yule Ball, a decadent dance held in the Great Hall and attended by Students and Professors alike. Many common celebrations for Yule are shared with Christmas, and is perhaps the reason why Hogwarts decided to adapt and celebrate both the muggle and the magical holiday.

Yule usually occurs between the 20th - 22nd of December and Christmas begins on the 24th to the 25th. During this time exchange of gifts is common, thoughtful presents, handmade items and food are all common and very acceptable gifts.

Decorations often include mistletoe, and the colours red, green and white are thought to bring good luck. Handmade decorations are also very common, and during the month of December Professors’ often offload decorating tasks to their students and it is common to spot Charms students levitating decorations onto the larger than life Christmas Tree.

The House Elves also love the hustle and bustle, with most students returning home for the holiday period they make sure no one misses out on any of the delicious treats and so deserts throughout the winter months are often gingerbread, figgy pudding, eggnog and christmas cake. The House Elves have always been known to fill stockings for students staying in the Castle over Christmas. Though their gifts are often strange, students have never complained and those lucky enough to have received such a stocking often treasure those items.

Hogwarts has always considered itself to be quite progressive and as such numerous winter holidays are celebrations, not just Yule and Christmas. Students play a big, and important part in the decorations of the Castle and have much creative freedom in what they choose to decorate it with. Dinner times are more relaxed in the later weeks of December for those students following alternative Celebrations and Professors work together to ensure all students feel seen and heard during this time.

The Room of Requirement is also in high demand over this period with students having space for quiet reflection or rowdy parties with their friends.

Common Rooms are fun filled lively places, during all the Holidays but especially over Winter. Something about the cold, snow filled months just seems to make the students go a little stir crazy.

Fireplaces roar day and night, ceilings are spelled to snow and stars glitter on the walls. Heads of Houses often provide small gifts to their house members and turn blind eyes, or even occasionally join in when parties break out.

Written by Nina Hayes in collaboration with the SoMe Team and Anette Calvert.

P.S In the spirit of festivities, holidays, traditions and celebrations all commentors will recieve a special themed gift!