Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon my Darlings. Today’s post is going to be all about the connection between the Winter season and the Earth element. While many think of the Earth element being most alive in Spring when everything is in bloom, or in Summer when plants are at their peak, in truth the Earth element is connected to all seasons. In fact, the Earth element is often associated with Winter, likely due to the hibernation of animals and the grounded cozy nature of the season itself!
ELVES
~The most obvious Faery to be associated with Winter is Elves. After all, what is more emblematic of Winter than Santa and his Elves? The little helpers of Father Christmas are also a species of Faery folk very connected to the Earth element! They toil away creating toys for children when they work for Santa. However, they are also very sensual and grounded in other tales, even having a prime place in Norse myth, which is also where we see many Wintery associations and a big emphasis on celebrations at Yule!
GNOMES
~The Gnome is the elemental associated with the element of Earth. They are a Faery folk species that are very often associated with Winter, and often are featured in holiday decorations and are prominent fixtures in front yards in general! These grounded little faery men are powerful representations of the stability of the Earth element.
HOBGOBLINS
~These Earth element Faery folk are associated with the wildness of nature, no matter the season, which is why I chose to also include them here for Winter. They are equal parts hardworking and mischievous, and I always associate them with both Solstices! For those who are not aware, Puck from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is often stated to be this species of Faery, hence my association with these Fae and both Solstices.
SUGAR PLUM FAERY
~No list of Wintery folklore is complete without a mention of the Sugar Plum Faery from The Nutcracker. The Sugar Plum Faery is a Faery folk figure that is associated with the Earth element, after all, she is even named for the fruit!
HORNED GODS
~The Horned Gods of ancient cultures are many and diverse, but they are the wild elemental energy of nature made manifest, ruling over the woodlands and Faery folk of many cultures. Overall, with the nature of the Woodland, especially when we think of the Green Man, we can state that the Horned Gods are deeply tied to the Earth element!
ELEN OF THE WAYS
~The antlered Deer Goddess of Celtic lore, who is often debated over, as to whether she ever really existed, is an Earthy Woodland Faery Goddess. She is associated with her sacred animal, the Reindeer, and is ever present in the Winter season! She is a great Goddess to help guide you through the dark nights of Winter and your soul searching this season if you are lucky enough to feel her call.
KRAMPUS
~The classic anti-Santa figure is also a Christmas Demon of sorts, whose day of celebration just passed on December 5th! He is tied to the Earth element by the birch rods he famously used to beat naughty children.
HOLLY
~The classic red berries that we deck the halls with each year, using them to make wreaths, are some of the plant life that keeps its potency during the Winter! Their red and green color even give us the traditional holiday colors.
MISTLETOE
~While we hang this invasive parasitic herb, which is most prized when it has grown on Oak trees, above our heads to encourage kissing, it was one of the prized plants of the Druids! The Druids held it as sacred all year around, but in modern times we associate this plant with the Winter season and Yuletide in particular.
EVERGREENS
~I have to end this post with the most obvious plant, or in this case tree, example associated with the Yuletide season. Evergreens are called such because they are trees that never lose their leaves, or more appropriately needles, and stay green all year round! They are symbols of the returning fertility of the land, just as oranges given as gifts or made into pomanders are symbols of the sun’s return after the Winter Solstice.
~I hope you have enjoyed this post overviewing the connection between this season of Winter and the Earth element. What is your favorite Earthy connection to Winter? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a mixed-media interpretation of Elen of the Ways. I found the image on https://soundcloud.com/neptuneskeep/03-elen-of-the-ways.
Tarot Note: I have a page offering tarot and oracle readings for those interested in these services! I am very happy to be offering these readings to my treasured readers at White Rose of Avalon! Link to page: https://whiteroseofavalon.life/tarot-and-oracle-readings/
Further Reading
- The Fairy Bible by Teresa Moorey
- The Nutcracker by Alexander Dumas
- Mythology by Edith Hamilton
- Bulfinch’s Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch