Yule Candles: Red, Green & Gold Magic

BY NICOLE LAU

The Sacred Flame at Yule

Fire has been central to Winter Solstice celebrations since humans first gathered around flames for warmth and light. At Yule, candles serve as miniature sacred fires, each flame a symbol of the sun being reborn, each color a specific magical intention, each lighting a ritual act connecting us to thousands of years of practice. Candle magic at Yule isn't just about creating ambiance—it's sympathetic magic at its most powerful, using fire to encourage the sun's return and light to banish winter's darkness.

The traditional Yule colors—red, green, and gold—weren't chosen randomly. They reflect the season's deepest themes: vitality and life force (red), evergreen persistence and growth (green), and solar energy and prosperity (gold). When you light candles in these colors with clear intention during the solstice, you're working with both the transformative power of fire and the specific frequency of each color, creating potent magic aligned with cosmic forces.

This guide explores Yule candle magic in depth: the meaning of each color, preparation and dressing techniques, specific spells and rituals, and how to use candles to honor the returning sun and manifest your intentions for the solar year ahead.

The Power of Color in Yule Candle Magic

Color carries vibration and meaning. Each hue resonates with specific energies, intentions, and magical purposes. At Yule, when the sun is reborn and the wheel turns toward light, candle colors become especially significant—they're not just decoration but active participants in your magic.

Red Candles: Vitality, Passion & Life Force

Magical Properties

• Life force and vitality
• Passion and desire
• Courage and strength
• Action and motivation
• Physical energy and health
• Survival and primal power
• Blood and life itself
• The Oak King's victory
• Fire and warmth

Yule Uses for Red Candles

Life force magic:

• Light red candles to honor life persisting through winter
• Represent blood, warmth, and vitality
• Maintain energy through dark months
• Connect to primal life force

Courage and strength:

• Burn for courage to face new year challenges
• Strength for transformation and change
• Warrior energy for pursuing goals
• Determination and willpower

Passion and motivation:

• Ignite passion for new year projects
• Motivation to take action on intentions
• Sexual and creative energy
• Enthusiasm and excitement

The Oak King:

• Red represents the Oak King who defeats the Holly King at Yule
• Victory of life over death, light over darkness
• The waxing year beginning

Red Candle Ritual: Vitality and Life Force

What you'll need:

• Red candle
• Garnet or ruby (optional)
• Cinnamon oil
• Matches

Process:

1. Anoint red candle with cinnamon oil
2. Carve symbols of vitality (spirals, sun wheels)
3. Place garnet near candle base
4. Light at noon (sun's peak) on solstice
5. Say:
   "Red flame burning bright and strong,
   Fill me with vitality all year long.
   Life force flows through every vein,
   Passion, power, strength I claim.
   As the Oak King claims his throne,
   Vital energy is my own."
6. Let burn for at least one hour
7. Carry garnet as vitality talisman

Red Candle Correspondences

• Element: Fire
• Direction: South
• Chakra: Root
• Deities: Oak King, Mars, Brigid
• Crystals: Garnet, ruby, red jasper, bloodstone
• Herbs: Cinnamon, ginger, clove, dragon's blood
• Time: Noon, full daylight

Green Candles: Growth, Prosperity & Evergreen Life

Magical Properties

• Growth and abundance
• Prosperity and wealth
• Fertility and renewal
• Nature and earth connection
• Healing and health
• Evergreen persistence
• The natural world
• Balance and harmony
• Heart-centered energy

Yule Uses for Green Candles

Evergreen symbolism:

• Represent plants that stay green through winter
• Life persisting despite cold and darkness
• Hope and resilience
• Connection to nature's cycles

Prosperity magic:

• Powerful for wealth and abundance spells
• Financial growth in the new year
• Business success and expansion
• Attracting opportunities

Growth and renewal:

• Personal growth and development
• New projects taking root
• Fertility (literal or metaphorical)
• Healing and regeneration

Nature connection:

• Honor the earth during winter
• Connect to plant spirits
• Grounding and centering
• Environmental awareness

Green Candle Ritual: Prosperity and Growth

What you'll need:

• Green candle
• Coins or bills
• Basil and cinnamon
• Citrine or jade
• Paper and pen

Process:

1. Write prosperity goals on paper
2. Fold toward you three times
3. Place under green candle
4. Arrange coins around candle base
5. Sprinkle basil and cinnamon around coins
6. Place crystal nearby
7. Light candle and say:
   "Green like growth, green like gold,
   Prosperity and wealth I hold.
   As evergreens persist through cold,
   My abundance grows, my fortune bold.
   Seeds planted now will grow and thrive,
   Prosperity flows, I am alive."
8. Let burn completely if safe
9. Keep coins and crystal on altar through Yule season

Green Candle Correspondences

• Element: Earth
• Direction: North
• Chakra: Heart
• Deities: Earth goddesses, Green Man, Cernunnos
• Crystals: Citrine, jade, aventurine, malachite
• Herbs: Basil, pine, cedar, mint, bay
• Time: Midnight, earth hours

Gold/Yellow Candles: Solar Energy, Success & Illumination

Magical Properties

• Solar energy and power
• Success and achievement
• Prosperity and wealth
• Confidence and personal power
• Joy and optimism
• Mental clarity and focus
• Divine masculine energy
• Illumination and enlightenment
• The returning sun itself

Yule Uses for Gold Candles

The returning sun:

• Gold represents the sun being reborn
• Central to all Yule candle magic
• Solar energy growing stronger
• Light returning after darkness

Success and achievement:

• Manifest goals for the new year
• Success in endeavors
• Victory and triumph
• Recognition and honor

Prosperity and wealth:

• Gold color = literal gold and wealth
• Financial abundance
• Luxury and comfort
• Material success

Joy and optimism:

• Dispel winter depression
• Bring light to darkness
• Hope and positivity
• Celebration and happiness

Gold Candle Ritual: Solar Rebirth

What you'll need:

• Gold or yellow candle
• Clear quartz or citrine
• Frankincense incense
• Sunrise timing

Process:

1. Begin before sunrise on solstice morning
2. Sit in darkness with unlit gold candle
3. Hold crystal
4. Light frankincense
5. As first light appears, light gold candle
6. Say:
   "The sun is reborn, the light returns,
   This golden flame forever burns.
   From darkest night to brightest day,
   The sun grows stronger in every way.
   I am the sun, reborn anew,
   My light shines bright, my power true."
7. Watch sunrise with candle burning
8. Feel yourself as the returning sun
9. Let candle burn for at least one hour
10. Carry crystal as solar talisman

Gold Candle Correspondences

• Element: Fire
• Direction: South (or East for sunrise)
• Chakra: Solar plexus
• Deities: Ra, Apollo, Lugh, Sol, Helios
• Crystals: Citrine, clear quartz, sunstone, amber
• Herbs: Cinnamon, frankincense, orange peel, bay
• Time: Sunrise, noon, any daylight hour

Supporting Yule Candle Colors

White Candles: Purity & All-Purpose

Properties: Purity, clarity, peace, protection, spirituality, new beginnings

Yule uses:

• Represents snow and winter's purity
• The newborn sun (white light contains all colors)
• Substitute for any color if needed
• Purification before rituals
• Peace and blessing

Silver Candles: Moon & Reflection

Properties: Lunar energy, intuition, reflection, feminine divine, balance

Yule uses:

• Balance solar energy with lunar
• Goddess energy alongside God energy
• Reflection on the year past
• Intuition and inner wisdom
• Winter's crystalline beauty

Orange Candles: Joy & Threshold

Properties: Joy, creativity, attraction, success, adaptability, change

Yule uses:

• Represents the threshold between dark and light
• Joy and celebration
• Creativity for new year
• Success and achievement
• Warmth and vitality

Candle Preparation and Dressing

Cleansing Candles

Always cleanse candles before use to remove manufacturing energy.

Methods:

• Pass through pine or cedar smoke
• Visualize white light filling the candle
• Sprinkle with salt water
• Leave in moonlight overnight

Anointing/Dressing Candles

Dressing candles with oil programs them with intention.

Basic technique:

1. Choose appropriate oil (olive oil works if you don't have magical oils)
2. Hold candle in non-dominant hand
3. Apply oil with dominant hand
4. For drawing energy TO you: stroke from top to middle, then bottom to middle
5. For sending energy AWAY: stroke from middle to top, then middle to bottom
6. Focus on intention as you dress
7. Speak intention aloud

Yule oil blends:

Solar prosperity oil:

• Carrier oil (olive, jojoba, or sweet almond)
• 3 drops cinnamon essential oil
• 3 drops orange essential oil
• 2 drops frankincense essential oil

Evergreen blessing oil:

• Carrier oil
• 3 drops pine essential oil
• 3 drops cedar essential oil
• 2 drops rosemary essential oil

Success and vitality oil:

• Carrier oil
• 3 drops cinnamon essential oil
• 2 drops ginger essential oil
• 2 drops clove essential oil

Carving Candles

Carving symbols adds another layer of intention.

Tools: Nail, pin, athame, or dedicated carving tool

What to carve:

• Solar symbols (sun wheels, spirals)
• Your intentions in words
• Runes: Sowilo (ᛋ) for sun, Fehu (ᚠ) for prosperity, Jera (ᛃ) for harvest
• Astrological symbols
• Personal sigils
• Oak leaves (Oak King)

Technique:

1. Carve from bottom to top for drawing energy in
2. Carve from top to bottom for sending energy out
3. Focus on intention while carving
4. Keep carvings simple and clear

Rolling Candles in Herbs

After anointing, roll candles in dried herbs.

Yule herb blends:

• Prosperity: Cinnamon, basil, orange peel
• Solar energy: Cinnamon, frankincense, bay
• Protection: Pine, cedar, rosemary
• Success: Cinnamon, ginger, clove

Technique:

1. Dress candle with oil first
2. Spread herbs on plate
3. Roll oiled candle in herbs
4. Herbs stick to oil
5. Gently press herbs into wax

Yule Candle Magic Techniques

The Three-Candle Yule Ritual

Purpose: Honor the season's complete energy

Candles needed:

• Red candle (vitality/Oak King)
• Green candle (evergreen life/prosperity)
• Gold candle (returning sun)

Process:

1. Arrange in triangle: gold at top, red and green at base
2. Light gold candle first:
   "The sun is reborn, the light returns"
3. Light red candle from gold:
   "Life force flows, vitality burns"
4. Light green candle from gold:
   "Evergreen life, prosperity earned"
5. Meditate on all three flames
6. See them as complete Yule energy
7. Let burn for at least one hour

Candle Divination

Reading candle flames provides messages.

Flame reading:

• Tall, strong flame: Powerful energy, success, strong manifestation
• Weak, low flame: Obstacles, need more energy, resistance
• Flickering: Change, uncertainty, spirits present
• Crackling/popping: Communication, energy release, attention needed
• Flame leans toward you: Energy coming to you, positive sign
• Flame leans away: Energy leaving, releasing, or resistance
• Two flames from one wick: Duality, partnership, choice
• Flame goes out: Blocked energy, try again, or negative answer

Wax reading:

• Let candle burn completely in fireproof dish
• Examine remaining wax patterns
• Look for shapes, symbols, images
• Trust first impressions

Candle Spell for Prosperity

What you'll need:

• Green candle
• Gold candle
• Coins
• Cinnamon and basil
• Citrine

Process:

1. Place candles side by side
2. Arrange coins between them
3. Sprinkle herbs over coins
4. Place citrine in center
5. Light green candle: "Prosperity grows"
6. Light gold candle: "Success flows"
7. Say:
   "Green for growth and gold for gain,
   Prosperity flows like winter rain.
   As the sun returns and grows in might,
   My fortune increases in the light."
8. Let burn completely
9. Carry one coin and citrine as prosperity talismans

Seven-Day Yule Candle Ritual

Purpose: Deep transformation through Yule season

What you'll need:

• Seven candles (mix of red, green, gold)
• Or one seven-day candle

Process:

1. Begin December 21st (solstice)
2. Light candle each evening at sunset
3. Spend 15-30 minutes in meditation or ritual
4. Focus on different intention each day
5. Let candle burn for set time (30 minutes to 1 hour)
6. Extinguish mindfully
7. On seventh day, let candle burn completely

Candle Safety

Essential Safety Rules

• Never leave burning candles unattended
• Keep away from flammable materials
• Use stable, heat-resistant holders
• Trim wicks to 1/4 inch before lighting
• Keep out of reach of children and pets
• Burn in well-ventilated areas
• Place on level, stable surfaces
• Keep away from drafts
• Don't burn candles all the way down—leave 1/2 inch
• Have water or fire extinguisher nearby

Safe Alternatives

If you can't burn candles safely:

• Battery-operated LED candles (surprisingly effective)
• Candle warmers (melt wax without flame)
• Visualize candle flames during meditation
• Use colored lights instead

Disposing of Candle Remains

After Ritual Work

Wax remnants:

• Bury in earth (returns energy to source)
• Throw in running water (releases energy)
• Keep if patterns are meaningful
• Dispose in trash if ritual is complete

Candle holders:

• Cleanse thoroughly before reuse
• Freeze to remove stuck wax
• Wash with hot soapy water
• Smoke cleanse or leave in moonlight

Choosing Quality Candles

What to Look For

• Natural wax: Beeswax, soy, or sustainable palm burn cleaner
• Cotton wicks: Avoid metal-core wicks
• Solid color throughout: Not just surface-dyed
• Unscented for ritual: Unless scent is intentional
• Appropriate size: Tapers for quick work, pillars for longer rituals

Candle Types

• Taper candles: Classic, elegant, burn 1-2 hours
• Pillar candles: Sturdy, long-burning, can be carved
• Tea lights: Small, portable, good for grids
• Votives: Medium size, versatile
• Seven-day candles: Glass-encased, burn continuously
• Chime candles: Small, quick-burning (20 minutes)

Final Thoughts: Tending the Sacred Flame

Every candle you light at Yule connects you to an ancient practice. When you light red candles, you honor the life force that persists through winter. When you light green candles, you celebrate evergreen resilience and growth. When you light gold candles, you participate in the sun's rebirth itself. These aren't just pretty lights—they're acts of magic, hope, and faith in the eternal return of light.

Tend your flames with intention. Watch them flicker and dance. Let them illuminate what needs to be seen and burn away what needs to be released. The fire knows what to do—your job is simply to light it, honor it, and stay present to its wisdom.

The sun is reborn. The candles are lit. The light returns. Let the sacred flames guide you through the threshold and into the growing light. 🕯️✨☀️