In pagen times, what was burnt during the winter solstice to symbolise the coming of warmer, sunnier days?

zbeckabee

With some, this practice is ongoing. Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. The lighting of candles and fires represents the return of warmth and the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imbolc#Neopaganism Dec 14 07, 5:39 PM

Baloo55th

The Yule Log. http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/noel/angl/buche.htm (Don't worry, it's in English!) There are other Pagan festivals than the Irish four, Yule being one of them. It's celebrated nearly on the winter solstice, usually (except in very strict households) held back to coincide with the Christian mid-winter festival that had been planted there to take over from the Pagan ones. There are various customs associated with the Yule Log, depending on the locality, but nowadays it's more usually not burnt but eaten in the form of a chocolate swiss roll with chocolate and white icing. Dec 14 07, 7:50 PM