The December Full Moon stands close to Yule, a time when the very fabric of the world grows thinner and light and darkness meet at the threshold between the old year and the new.

During this period, the ancient mythical battle between the Holly King and the Oak King unfolds again, an eternal dance of changing seasons where one cycle completes its journey and makes way for the next. The Oak King, young, strong, and radiant, ascends the throne, bringing warmth, growth, and renewal. This is why the December moon is called the Oak Moon: it marks the moment when the new Sun is born, and with it hope itself rises again.

🌀 The Union of Oak and Mistletoe

The oak has long been considered a tree of strength, wisdom, and enduring stability. Its branches reach toward the stars as if striving for higher truths, and its roots sink so deeply that ancient peoples believed they touched the Underworld itself. The oak unites the celestial, the earthly, and the subterranean. It is a living bridge between layers of reality. This image inspires us to grow in ways where our inner development keeps pace with our outer accomplishments, where spiritual insight walks side by side with practical progress.

At this time of year, mistletoe grows upon the oak’s branches, green, vibrant, and confident in its power even in the dead of winter. Its white berries resemble small pearls of light, symbolizing the seed of the Lord of the Forest, the eternal continuation of life, its fertility and its ability to be reborn again and again, no matter what happens around it. This union of oak and mistletoe reminds us that true strength lies in resilience and in the power to bring forth new life even when everything appears frozen.

🌀 Rituals and Symbols of the Oak Moon

The energy of the Oak Moon is ideal for practices that strengthen your inner core, awaken confidence, open doors between worlds, and bring harmony with the forces of nature. It is a fitting time to honor the approaching rebirth of the Sun.

Any actions aimed at prosperity, cleansing, releasing the old, and consecrating what you intend to begin in the coming year are especially powerful now. The key is to look forward: the Oak Moon favors those who step into the new cycle not with doubt, but with inner light.

For the altar, choose white, yellow, and gold tones. They welcome the Sun’s return and create an atmosphere of awakening. White candles purify the space and tune you to the frequency of clarity, while the scent of incense strengthens the connection between worlds. Add oak leaves, holly, mistletoe, or solar symbols to the altar — anything that embodies growth, fertility, and the return of light. Such an altar becomes not just a place of power, but a true portal into the renewing energy of the world.

🌀 The Oak Moon Spell

This spell helps you connect with the ancient energy of growth, receive the blessing of the newborn Sun, release old bindings, and find the inner direction needed to enter the new cycle with courage.

O Oak Moon!
Light born of the winter night,
enter my heart and illuminate what must be seen,
strengthen what must be grown,
and release what has fulfilled its purpose.

May my growth be harmonious — in heart, in thought, in deed.
I accept the light returning to the world,
I accept the power awakening within me,
I accept the destiny opening its doors.

Bless my steps, guide my gaze forward,
and may every beginning of mine be in harmony with the earth, the sky,
and the paths that lead me onward.

So may it be!

© Elena Shuwany