Winter Wheel

Original play

by Connie Dunn
First Universalist Society of Franklin
Franklin, MA

Registered: WriteSafe.com Copyright: 2002, PMB 238, 1807 N. Elm St., Denton, TX 76201, (940) 243-5125 scripts@sagecreekproductions.com, or connie_dunn@hotmail.com.

Setting:
Winter Solstice – Ancient Times

Open with an empty stage. The Narrator enters sweeping the stage (reminiscent of a mummer play). Then motions to the Wheel characters that come in and assemble themselves into an appropriate circle in the appropriate order. We begin with Winter Solstice facing the audience.

Winter Solstice
Samhain
Mabon
Lammas
Summer Solstice
Beltane
Spring Equinox
Candlemas

Narrator stands in front of the circle.

Narrator
Winter Wheel is a play to celebrate Winter Solstice. Our stage is set with a wheel of characters representing the different quarters or Sabbats.

These are primarily pagan holidays. Pagan comes from the Latin word, paganus, which is interpreted as country dweller. These elder path celebrations honored both god and goddess in a birth-life-death-rebirth manner. As the sun and moon entwined in their celestial dance, the elders followed a lunar calendar with eight major festivals.

We shall begin with Winter Solstice.

Narrator rings bell and steps to the side revealing the wheel of characters.

Winter Solstice
I am Winter Solstice. But before I tell you more, let me introduce Candlemas.

Narrator rings bell.

The wheel turns so that Candlemas is now facing the audience.

Candlemas
I am Candlemas. Sometimes I’m referred to as Imbolc or the festival of Brigid. I am celebrated on February 2nd. The seeds within begin to grow.

The narrator moves to the center with the wheel of characters behind.

Narrator
This holiday is now celebrated as a non-religious holiday; we now know it as Groundhog Day.

The narrator rings bell and moves to the side of the wheel.

The wheel of characters turns again. Spring Equinox now faces the audience.

Spring Equinox
I am Spring Eqinox; I celebrate the return of life. This holiday is about March 20th. Planting seeds, decorating eggs, and other nature and new life activities abound.

The narrator rings bell and moves to the center with the wheel of characters behind.

Narrator
Spring Equinox is also known as Ostara. It falls near the Christian holiday of Easter, which is celebrated with new clothes and baskets of eggs from the Easter Bunny.

The narrator rings bell and moves to the side of the wheel.

The wheel of characters turns again. Beltane now faces the audience.

Beltane
I am Beltane, the eve of May or April 30. I celebrate the joining of god and goddess. Handfastings (weddings) abound during my celebration.

The narrator moves to the center with the wheel of characters behind.

Narrator
Beltane is also known as May Day. The Maypole and its twining of ribbons represents the joining of god and goddess. Christians have celebrated May Day as Roodmas referring to the Cross.

The narrator rings bell and moves to the side of the wheel.

The wheel of characters moves so that Summer Solstice is facing the audience.

Summer Solstice
I am Summer Solstice. I celebrate the longest day. I celebrate the end of the planting season and looking forward to the harvest.

The narrator moves to the center with the wheel of characters behind.

Narrator
Summer Solstice falls around June 22. It is sometimes called Midsummer, which according to our conventional calendar is a misnomer, because summer officially starts on June 21.

The narrator rings bell and moves to the side of the wheel.

The wheel of characters moves so that Lammas is facing the audience.

Lammas
I am Lammas. I celebrate the first harvest.

The narrator moves to the center with the wheel of characters behind.

Narrator
Lammas or Lughnasad (lou-na-sah) is celebrated August 1 or 2nd. This is a holiday celebrating grain. Bread is often baked to celebrate this day.

The narrator rings bell and moves to the side of the wheel.

The wheel of characters moves so that Mabon is facing the audience.

Mabon
I am Mabon. I represent the pagan Thanksgiving. It is a time when we celebrate the harvest and are thankful for the bounty we have reaped.

The narrator moves to the center with the wheel of characters behind.

Narrator
Mabon or Fall Equinox is celebrated in honor of the day and night being equal.

The narrator rings bell and moves to the side of the wheel.

The wheel of characters moves so that Samhain (Sow-in) is facing the audience.

Samhain
I am Samhain. The veil between this world and that of our ancestors is thin. On this day, leave candles to light our ancestors’ path and candy to feed them on their way to the underworld.

The narrator moves to the center with the wheel of characters behind.

Narrator
Samhain is celebrated on Halloween or October 31. It is the time of celebrating life and death. It is a celebration to honor our ancestors.

The narrator rings bell and moves to the side of the wheel.

The wheel of characters moves so that Winter Solstice is facing the audience.

The narrator again moves to the center in front of the characters.

Narrator
The Wheel of the Year turns and we again are back at Yule or Winter Solstice. This is a holiday that celebrates the longest night of the year.

Winter Solstice
I am Winter Solstice. Many who celebrate me,decorate trees, referred to as the Yule Tree, which is often decorated with berries, rosebuds, and cinnamon sticks.

Narrator rings bell.

Yule Tree, which is a person decorated as a tree or carrying a small decorated tree, walks across the stage.

Narrator
Candles often decorate both trees and windows to represent the sun, which is promised soon to return.

Narrator rings bell.

Candle, which is a person carrying a battery-operated electric candle (NOTE: real candles are hard to carry, because the breeze from walking blows the flames and they can potentially be dangerous), walks across the stage.

Winter Solstice
A Yule Log is often burned throughout the Solstice night. It provides light for the longest night and offers hope that light will return to the sky.

Narrator rings bell.

Yule Log, which is a person decorated as a burning log or carrying a representation of a burning log, walks across the stage.

Narrator
Ashes from the Yule Log are scattered on the fields to encourage fertility and pieces are often kept to protect the house from fire and lightning or to ensure bountiful crops or easy births of calves.

Winter Solstice
Decorating in Red, Green, and White in celebration of the Winter Solstice is as old as the Druids, who hung a sprig of mistletoe over their threshold as a charm to bring good luck during the next year. It is replaced each year.

Narrator rings bell.

Mistletoe, which is a person decorated with mistletoe or two people carrying a sprig of mistletoe over their heads and kissing, walks across the stage.

Narrator
The Druids cut the mistletoe from the oak tree with a golden sickle. The branches had to be caught before they hit the ground. The Celtics believed that the mistletoe held the soul of its host tree.

In Scandinavia, mistletoe is a plant of peace. If by chance, enemies met under mistletoe, they laid down their arms until the next day.

Winter Solstice
Hanging an Evergreen Wreath decorated with holiday herbs upon your front door symbolizes the continuity of life or the wheel of the year.

Narrator rings bell.

Evergreen Wreath, which is a person carrying a decorated evergreen wreath, walks across the stage.

Narrator
To the Ancients or country dwellers, it appeared that the sun and moon stopped in their flight across the sky.

Winter Solstice
Some Pagan traditions have us retell an ancient story of the rebirth of the Sun God or the birth of the Unconquered Sun God.

Narrator rings bell.

Sun God, which is a male dressed in a Sun God costume, walks across the stage.

Winter Solstice
In Scandinavia, Frey, god of fertility, is worshipped. The roasted pig with an apple in its mouth represents this festival tradition.

Narrator rings bell.

Frey, god of fertility and weather who rode in a chariot pulled by two boars (male dressed in costume), walks across the stage.

Winter Solstice
The Egyptians celebrated the god of death and rebirth as Osiris.

Narrator rings bell.

Osiris, god of the dead, god of resurrection into eternal life and judge of the deceased (male dressed in costume), walks across the stage.

Winter Solstice
The God may appear as Old Man Winter, which is also known as the Ice King or Santa Claus, which is also known as the Oak King.

Narrator rings bell.

Old Man Winter or Ice King, man dressed in white costume, walks across the stage.

Narrator rings bell.

Santa Claus, man dressed in traditional Santa Claus suit, walks across the stage.

Narrator rings bell.

Oak King, man dressed in more of a kingly fashion with Oak leaves around his head, walks across the stage.

Narrator
The Sun God was known as Mithra in Persia, Saturn (thus Saturnalia) in Rome, Sol, Consus, Janus and Gwyl Canol Gaeaf or Yule in Wales.

Winter Solstice
In some traditions, it is the Crone or Great Mother who is reborn to be the Maiden.

Narrator rings bell.

Crone or Great Mother, woman dressed in a crone costume, walks across the stage.

Narrator
The Great Mother or Mother Earth goddesses include Hertha of Germanic mythology and Yalda (also seen as a god) of Iran, as well as Ops and Bona Dea of Roman mythology, and Holda, a Teutonic earth goddess of good fortune.

Winter Solstice
Tonantzin, the Native Mexican corn mother and Isis with Horus (Sun Child) are much like the Mother Mary figure.

Narrator rings bell.

Mother Goddess with child in arms crosses stage.

Winter Solstice
A Celtic tradition called Wassaling held that a bowl of cider was carried into the apple grove. One tree was chosen for the ritual. Its branches and leaves were dipped into the cider and more poured on the roots.

Narrator rings bell.

Celtic Dressed Boy/Girl Or Man/Woman carries a bowl of cider (not necessary to actually contain cider) across the stage.

Winter Solstice
Ancient Athenians held Lenaea or the Feast Of Wild Women. Nine Wild Women reenacted the death and rebirth of Dionysos, a Greek god of wine.

Narrator rings bell.

Nine Wild Women walk across the stage.

Winter Solstice
The Hopi and Pueblo Native Americans traditionally hold solstice rituals for several days. Their celebrations include, Kachina dances, corn and meal rites, and war society ceremonies.

Narrator rings bell.

Kachina dressed participants dance across the stage.

Winter Solstice
The Zuni Native Americans relight their Sacred Fire for the solstice much as the Feast of Lights or Hanukkah celebration

Narrator rings bell.

Participant with Sacred Fire representation crosses stage.

Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice celebrations are a time for family, a time for sacred meditation, and a time for sacred giving.

Narrator rings bell.

Family, which is a representation of a family unit, walks across the stage.

Winter Solstice
Our play is ending. Our time has passed. I leave you with Blessings.

Narrator rings bell.

The End