Lunar Eclipse during Yuletide?

Hello folks!

I was asked recently if the lunar eclipse that falls during the solstice this year had any special significance to our Yuletide celebrations.
I don’t remember reading anything in the lore about it, and being such a rare occurrence I didn’t think this was something that would have been written down, or saved.
So, my questions are … First, is there any historical Heathen lore that delves into the eclipse that I'm totally missing? And second, regardless of the lore, how do you interpret such a rare occurrence during our Yuletide? Does it hold any special significance to you, or is it just an awesome thing to watch on a really cold night?

A total lunar eclipse will take place on December 20/21, 2010.[2] It will be visible after midnight Eastern Standard Time on December 21 in North and South America.

I just think it a cool thing. Not significant beyond that.

There is a signifigance. This Yule falls on a full moon, and this full moon is eclipsed by the earths shadow on Yule itself.

In our mythology, Yule is the heart of the dark, the beginning of both winter and the new year, the time of the death of the old year, dying of the light, of privation, cold, and the fear that comes from scarce resources stretched to, or perhaps beyond, the limits of survival. Yule is the promise of the sun's return, of an end to winter, a return of the bounty of spring, of the love and protection of our gods in the heart of the dark and the cold.

Sunna, the sun is at her weakest at Yule. Skoll, her ancient enemy, first of all wolves is at his height. Skoll will one day course and kill Sunna, putting out the sun, and bringing on the Fimbulwinter, the endless winter that foretells Ragnarok. Our protection is the moon, her son. Placed between Skoll and the Sun by Odin, the devouring and rebirth of the moon is the cycle of renewal that promises the protection of the gods endures, and the tribes of man, and plant, and animals stiill prosper. This Yule in the heart of the dark the moon stands full; a light in the heart of darkness. This Yule the light will be devoured not in weeks by the dread wolf, but minutes.

Yule is not a time to rage agains the dying of the light, for that is not our way. Yule is a time to gather together in the dark, and as brand from brand is kindled, to share the light of laughter and song, that each gathered heart cheer and strengthen the other. At a time of privation and loss, we feast and gift with great pride and love, that "with arms and rainment we brighten" our friends, that "with half a loaf and half filled cup full friends find". At a time when travel is hardest, we move from hall to hall, from friend to freind, family hearth to family hearth, and open our own to our guests that the bonds between us be forged and renewed.

In the heart of the dark, the night shield itself, the bright moon is devoured before us. We raise a cheer, we sing its praise and raise a horn with our nearest and dearest because we know we will watch it born again, not in weeks but in minutes. We stand in the heart of darkness and wassail hard, let the heart of darkness shatter before our song and mirth, let the darkness rail before our boasts and laughter, let the return of the sun be heralded by our cheer.

The gods have given us a sign in the darkest of times that this too shall pass. Their promise to us is that the longest night will have a dawn, the deepest winter will yield to spring. In the heart of the darkness we praise them with good cheer, for with their love inside us the darkness shall have no hold. Let darkness fall, the Yuletide is come, and we shall gather with open hands and open hearts to greet it.

Well said.

Post, if you stayed up to watch this rare occurance.

I did. I was amazed at how . . . 3 dimensional [I know it IS, but looked moreso] . . . it looked up there. Hardly any movement and it [the eclipsed moon] seemed to stay that way for a long time. It outlasted me. . . .partly the cold . . . . partly the "I don't know how long it will last". . . . partly the very late hour. I got to bed after 2 am, but am SO glad that I decided to stay up. I layed out on the grass for quite a while, later getting my binoculars for a closer look. An amazing experience!

I was going to, but I got sick. I got home from work last night, took an ungodly amount of Niquil, and begged my husband to shoot me. Naturally, he kept me awake by constantly getting up to shoot the eclipse instead.

LOL, . . . great post, sg. But sorry you missed it.

Thank you all for your responses, and thank you JohnT, for your knowledge and eloquence.

The gods have given us a sign in the darkest of times that this too shall pass. ~ JohnT. ~

I’ve profoundly felt the unease that comes from resources stretched thin this year. Over the last month, our family has dealt with the blow that many in our economy have felt, unexpected lay-off, and yet we push forward.
So, when I stood out watching the moon as it darkened I felt an overwhelming understanding of “this too shall pass”, (to borrow your phrase, John) and was heartened by this promise. And while, for whatever reason I wasn’t connecting the dots within our lore, it seems our Gods saw to it that I understood on an emotionally deep level that they were there, that together our family would prevail. That in our strength together, we are more than equipped with the capability to overcome “dark days”. It really may sound like an elementary understanding in hindsight, but within the moment, it was more than profound.

I didn’t get to see the entire eclipse, just shortly after the moon went to dark, clouds rolled in with the threat of snow and obscured the view for the remainder of the night. But I did get some shots with my camera while the skies were clear yet. And I know that I understood what it was I was meant to understand in the time that I watched.
Welcome Yule!

I, too, have had a profoundly horrible year and look for a new birth within my life. Glad you got to see some of the eclipse, Ottr.