#holly tree

Nestled in the shade of a California holly tree, the rustic table and chairs get a lot of use - they seat more people than any table inside the home.

Today is the 13th and last new moon of the Celtic year; the Elder (tree) Moon. You may know it as December 1st 2024 but next year the new moon and the first of December may not coincide. The vagaries of the secular Roman calendar mean that it does not follow the moon's female cycle.

It was mild.  We set out for the Wild Wood on a Holly Forage. I love going out to cut holly for the house. Most of you know by now that I do everything naked. This day was no exception.  It was good to be outside with the soft winter light bathing my skin.  I grabbed my Minnie Mouse shopping bag then we headed up the track to the wood.  It lies part way up a hill and the brisk climb warmed us. I kept on my beanie and my pink wellies. Black over the knee socks kept my legs and feet warm.

In Celtic mythology, Holly carries great importance. I have spoken of the Derwen (Oak tree) before.  The Oak King reigns the bright half of the year. Celynen, the Holly tree, is an emblem of Winter. Its shiny dark green leaves and scarlet berries shine out in an otherwise leafless woodland.  The Holly King now reigns supreme in the darker portion of the year.

For thousands of years, people have gathered sprays from this Winter tree to garland and beautify homes in the darker days.  The berries are poisonous to humans but the tree and leaves are known for their wonderful, magical properties. Holly wood, ivory white and hard, makes well balanced spear shafts for hunting.  Babies were bathed in holly leaf water to safeguard them from ills. The Holly, like the Elder, was known to protect homes from evil spirits and to guard against lightning. The Holly symbolises peace and goodwill. An entwined wreath of holly brings good luck and faeries are thought to use it for shelter in the winter months; bringing good fortune on those who keep some of the boughs in their home.

We threaded the muddy paths of the Wild Wood and saw few other folk.  Out on the pasture close by, a mixed flock of sheep were grazing, brought down here from the winter fells. There are many holly bushes here, dotted about among the taller trees.  Most of them are male.  You can tell them by the yellow flowers they sport in the warmer months. The female trees bear pure white flowers, and later, abundant scarlet berries. One male tree can fertilise up to about eight females (as long as they are no more than 300 feet apart)!

The Holly has a life of around 100 years, sometimes a little more. Like most trees, they embody a wisdom all their own. Look at a mature holly tree, particularly the taller ones (they can grow at least to 30 feet).  Lower down, the leaves are spiny; a great defence against being eaten by cattle.  Up above, the leaves lack spines and are gently smooth around the edges.

Once home, we will use the holly boughs to adorn our home as the Winter Solstice approaches. We decorate the fireplace, dresser, door frames and mantles to cheer the house as the light fails.  Naked, you have to take care not to get pricked by the spines; ouch! We'll place holly above the old Welsh Dresser too.  On its shelves, alongside the plates and crockery, stand two bottles of wild raspberry schnapps made from fruit foraged in late summer. Here's raising a glass to the turning of the year, the lengthening days and the returning power of the northern sun. Only then will we be able to spend long warm, naked days outdoors again.

If you are a naturist like us and you enjoyed this post, please like, share and re-blog with our blessing.  All photographs were provided by my professional photographer husband (also pictured below).

Thank you Mart for taking such great images. All photos remain our copyright. We welcome messages of support and chats with other genuine naturists or the 'naturally inclined'.

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My blog depicts non-sexual nudity. This time I won't be posting solo pics separately as I have done previously.  Too many of those shots have been re-blogged onto sexually themed sites, sorry. I love sex and intimacy but you won't find it on this blog. My blog is flagged as 'adult' because of its naturist content, not because there is anything sexual in its pages.

Enjoy your Winter naturism.

Jane xx

Kaito's Word of the Day: Holly