Images of the White Lady of Winter
Holda means “gracious one”. She resides in the sky, riding her chariot through the night. Her chariot is pulled by many animals of the wood and she is accompanied by the infants that died before they were named. She is seen as a beautiful woman with long white hair bathing in a clear pool to the good hearted and hard working. But to the lazy and unkind she appears as a wizened old woman. She is sometimes seen as a woman with two faces; one young and beautiful, one old and stern. In either manifestation, she is not a lithe spirit. She is of sturdy stock, at par with her sisters to the North. My favorite portrait of Holda (see links below) was done by Neil Geddes-Ward. 

              courtesy of Odin’s Gifts

Protector of the Home
Holda is protector of the household and patron of the housewife and mother. She holds hard work above all else. Spinning, being the main industry of the housewife, is her favorite pastime. She promotes the independence of housewives. Before the industrial revolution, spinning and selling their goods was the only way housewives could get money of their own. “It is hard for us to understand the central importance that spinning played in the lives of women before the Industrial Revolution” writes Paxson (4). Women would pray to Holda to help in this endeavor. There are many ancient tales (pre-Brothers Grimm) where Holda brought reward to the hardworking and virtuous, fertility to the fields and animals and protection to women and children. 

Bringer of Weather
Thorn (1) writes, “Holda is believed to cause many natural phenomena. Snow was caused by her shaking her feather bed, (B, C) fog was the smoke from her fire. When it rained it was Holda’s washing day and lightning was heard when she worked at her flax. It was also said that she made the fields fertile and awoke the apple trees in the spring.” Holda has a magic well. Women could come to ask for help in conceiving children. Hard working children who visited the well would be rewarded with prizes from the well. Lazy children must beware! 

From Gracious Lady to Halloween Hag
So how did this lovely Goddess become the “Goddess of the Witch’s”, an ugly hag, riding her broom through the night sky? Many ancient customs, Gods and Goddesses have been misunderstood by historians – or adopted and morphed by the cultures that came later. But post-Christian documents seem to make a special effort to demonize “the Gracious One”. It is perhaps Holda’s association with the housewife that caused this special attention. It is my personal conclusion that Holda was demonized to discourage independence in housewives. No where is this demonization more clear than in “Sleeping Beauty” where the spinning wheel and spindle are turned into symbols of evil. Many of her other attributes were turned around (5) as well. Her protection of the dead soul of infants was turned around to her creeping in and stealing children from their cradles. Her image as wise old woman, instilling moral values turned to the foolish old Mother Goose who spreads wives tales. 

I could go on…but please just remember…Holda is not the “Leader of the Cult of Witch’s” as portrayed by the church of the 15th century (2). She is a noble and gracious Goddess worthy of your praise as worshipped by the ancient Teutons. 

Images

Please take a minute and browse these other images of Holda. 
A. Frau Yule
     http://www.christmas-treasures.com/duncan_royale/duncan/SantaII/frau.jpg
B. Holda Making Snow (from a children’s Story)
     http://www.kidsnet.at/Sachunterricht/holund1.jpg
C. Holda Making Snow
     http://www.thorshof.org/holdapic.htm
D. Holda Drawing Down the Snow 
    http://www.neilgeddesward.com/shop.php?category_id=&product_id=4&start=0

Other Names: Frau Holda, Frau Holle, Winter Goddess (C), White Lady, Mother Yule (A), Hulde
Attributes: Virtue, Motherhood, Wisdom
Season: Winter, Yule
Symbols: Spindle, Spinning Wheel, Flax, Geese, Apples, Milk, Elder Tree, Elderberry Tea
Colors: White, Ice Blue
Symbols: Snow, Snowflakes, Well

False Names or connections: Holda is not Hel, Perchta, Berchta, Frigga, Witch’s Goddess, nor The Hag that rides through the night on her broom (3). 

An excellent ritual to Holda would be a whole day affair.  Take a day between Yule and New Years to clean the house and prepare for your New Year celebration.  Burn red candles throughout the house with spicy scents.  If there is anything left of your Yule log, use it to keep the house warm this day.  Pause in the middle of the day to spend sometime with your pets or the outdoor animals.  End the day by eating spicy ginger cakes (gingerbread or  covered in lots powdered sugar. Drink milk or Elderberry Tea.  Remember Holda as the powdered sugar "snows" all over the place!  Honor Holda by keeping New Years Day as a day of rest and celebration.

Original Art

   

Sources

Footnotes
(1) Thorskegga Thorn, “Holda” http://www.thorshof.org/holda.htm
(2) Edward Hilton, “Winter Goddess” http://des.users.netlink.co.uk//winter.htm

(3) The space is too short here to explain why Mother Holda is not the same as the Goddesses named. I have not issue with Witches. Holda's ugly image did not come from Pagans. If you are interested in how I came to these conclusions…please write me at pixelluna@oddpost.com) 

(4) Diana L. Paxson, Idunna 30, 1997 http://www.hrafnar.org/goddesses/holda.html 
(5) “Northern Tradition and the Natural Lore” http://home.no.net/hagalaz/tradition.htm

Other Reference
Patricia Telesco, 365 Goddess
“Holda and the Cult of Witches” http://www.ealdriht.org/witchholda.html
“Elder Tree” http://geoling.earldriht.org/herbel.html
“Riding with Holda” http://www.beliefnet.com/story/118/story_11889_1.html 
Gene C. Toews, “The Christmas Myth: Archaic Roots of Present Day Rituals"
                           http://headlinemuse.com/askhermes/holidays.htm