Two plants that are often associated with Yule are the holly and the ivy (are you singing now?).  They both pack a huge magical punch...

Holly

(Ilex aquifolium, Ilex opaca)

An evergreen shrub that can grow into a tree if left to its own devices holly has dark glossy green leaves and red berries during winter.  It wouldn’t be Yule without holly would it? Although holly is also burnt at Imbolc ceremonies.

Keep a sprig of holly above your bed to ensure good dreams and insightful visions.

Plant holly around your property for protection against lightening, poison and evil spirits.

Put holly sprigs on your altar at the winter solstice to invite happiness, balance, success and luck into your life for the coming year.

The holly berry is symbolic of the life giving blood of the Goddess, to work with fertility and feminine sexuality take three holly berries and throw them in water (the ocean, a river or a pond) and make your request to deity as you do so.

Holly Magical Properties:

Protection, luck, dreams, balance, success

Ruling planet – Mars, Saturn

Element – Fire

Gender – Masculine

Ivy

(Hedera helix)

An evergreen climbing or ground creeping plant with dark green leaves.

Ivy creeps, clings and binds as it grows so it is ideal for binding spells.

Make an ivy wreath to place in your home to bring love and abundance in and to keep negative energy out.

Use ivy in workings for protection, fidelity and healing.

Ladies should carry ivy with them for good luck (sorry guys, this seems to be a feminine thing).

Ivy is a symbol of the goddess and feminine energy it also represent the spiral of life.

Ivy Magical Properties:

Protection, healing, binding, love, abundance, fidelity

Ruling planet – Saturn, Moon

Sign - Scorpio

Element – Water

Gender – Feminine