In Scandinavian tradition, it's held that the dead come back to visit at Yule (rather than Halloween/Samhain).
Speaking of Death :) --this year I am pondering that death can mean many things, not only the loss of dear ones or the contemplation of one's own demise, but the death of plans, of projects, of dreams, even.
As I grow older, though I've done many things, I realize more and more that I will not have time to do all the things, so some will have to be gently put away. This is not necessarily as sad as it might sound, because this process allows one to evaluate what things *really* matter most to them, and focus on those for the remaining decades of life. And you don't have to wait until you're an elder, think of how much more effective your life would be if you focus on what's really important when you're still young!
So this Yule, take a little time to think of what you've done in life so far, what you want to do, and what is the most important to you--and do THOSE things first! Stop wasting time and energy on trivial and unimportant things, time is not infinite in this particular world.
I hope everyone has a Good Yule and a happy new year.
