#hollyking
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skslex.bsky.social
#hollyking #oakking #Yule #witchsky #pagansky The light returns.
December 25, 2024 at 1:47 PM
thistlemoon.bsky.social
Holly King #wip as a mirror to my Green Man/Oak King
#greenman #hollyking
December 23, 2024 at 10:55 PM
louisianalattes.bsky.social
Merry Winter Solstice 🎄🎅☃️❄️

#witchsky #pagansky #spiritualsky #yule #wintersolstice #hollyking
December 21, 2024 at 4:13 PM
lyradora.bsky.social
Book mail! #booksky #fantasy #mystery #witchsky #hollyking #oakking
December 9, 2025 at 12:46 AM
louisianalattes.bsky.social
The Oak King and Holly King, symbols of seasonal cycles, battle for dominance. Oak rules summer; Holly reigns in winter, marking nature's eternal rhythm.
#witchonthebayou #witchsky #pagansky #spiritualsky #oakking #hollyking #winter #summer
December 15, 2024 at 5:05 AM
crossroadart.bsky.social
It’s been very fucking cold here.

Here’s more of The Holly King, receiving company.

#art #hollyking #pagan #celtic #folklore #fantasy
Columns of trees, stripped of their leave and dark from the damp, stand between the gently falling snow in the silence of the forest. A stream flows slowly as a growing sheet of ice solidifies its banks and the carpet of snow is only broken by a few blades of grass and sticks that themselves are getting buried in the fresh falling flakes. In the eerie serenity a pair of black boots stride through the snow. They belong to the god of the short days, whose reign as the Holly King is now, in the heart of winter. His attire, unsurprisingly, is entirely black. Black trousers, black surcoat, black cloak. The scabbard of the sword his pale hand rest on is black, as is the belt which holds it. Detail is lost in the layers of the shade, making so much of the deity a wondering shadow. The belt it’s self, however, is fastened around the silver corset of the kings waist, whose overlayed holly leaf engravings matches those of the sword, the gods gorget (the silver armour around his collarbone and neck), and the metal clasps securing the snow dusted cloak and furs to the gods shoulders. As the king walks, his long fastened hair, trails in the wind behind him, catching flakes of ice that appear to add more salt to his already stark pepper, and frost both his silver coronet of holly leaves and his his antlers, completing their resemblance to the sentry like trees around him. A warm glow of light breaks through the sparse canopy and rays, fragmented by branches, fall onto the King. It illuminates his pale angular features and he turns his stoic face and white eyed gaze to look up at it. In the radiance a small wren glides down to him with intention to perch in the deity’s antlers. The god doesn’t break his stride or wait for the company to land, but you could almost imagine the very edge of a smile in the corner on his mouth, before it vanishes like a snowflake on his cheek.
January 9, 2025 at 6:56 PM
crossroadart.bsky.social
If you see this, post a Sword ⚔️

#art #hollyking #folklore #celtic #mythology
A sketch of The Holly King, God of the short cold days, with sharp antlers like winter trees and a silver crown of holly leaves. He’s dressed in medieval garb which includes a cloak wrapped around his shoulders, on top of which sits a thick black fur cloak, fastened to his shoulders with a silver holly brooches & chains draping across his chest. Under this he wears a surcoat over a long sleeved tunic which is close fitting on his thin arms and wrist. These 2 garments are collected by a wide belt that cinches his narrow waist, on top of which hangs 2 more leather belts, loose around his hips. The most notable feature of the kings attire is his neck armour, whose metal circles his shoulders from the collar bone to the neck which it corsets around in a firm fit. It’s engraved with sharp spikes of holly leaves & makes his posture tall & austere. The king has a calculating expression as he studies the sharpness of his sword that he holds before him. He is going to kill the Oak King with it.
June 4, 2025 at 10:28 AM
poetkatiratejeda.bsky.social
Welcome, your grace, the esteemed Holly King ❄️❄️❄️🍒

#hollyking #winter #wintersolstice #invierno #snow #hibernalsolstice #odetowinter #poems #poetry #poet #poetsofbluesky #skypoets #blueskypoetry #writersofbluesky #bskypoets #poemabout #writingcommunity #poetrycommunity #writing
December 21, 2024 at 3:51 PM
crossroadart.bsky.social
If you see this post a sword ⚔️

#art #hollyking #oakking #fantasy #folklore #mythology
Two gods, The Holly King and The Oak King, twisted around each other, back to back, as they stab both themselves and their opposite through their own chests and on into the back of the other with long swords decorated in a fashion to suit their own symbolism. The Oak King is in a warm palette, with a torc around his neck and bands of decorative leather and gold around his wrists and huge biceps. His hair is long and red, flowing around him under a pair of huge antlers and a coronet of gold oak leaves. The Holly King is in a dark, desaturated, cold palette , with a dark pelt over his shoulders and a silver chain and broaches holding his midnight blue cloak in place. His hair is long & black, his antlers r narrow & sharp. His coronet is made of silver holly leaves. The Oak King is laughing and the Holly King’s lips are parted but he look composed despite the both of them holding the bloody sword tips that are spearing out of their chests.
May 16, 2025 at 2:24 PM
crossroadart.bsky.social
I enjoy drawing him.

For many reasons. High amongst them is the joy of hiding a wren on his person.

#hollyking #art #folklore #fantasy #pagan
A cool grey sketch of the Holly King, the celtic pagan deity of the short days who reigns from the 1st of November (following Samhain, Halloween) to the 30th of April (The day before Beltane) and is therefor considered a winter deity. As an aspect of the horned god he has antlers twisting towards the sky; they are as gaunt, sharp and angular as the rest of him. His hair is so long that it would touch his knees if it’s tied length wasn’t carried in the wind behind him. The heavy wool of his cloak is also carried very slightly in the wind, while the rest of his attired such as his surcoat, the slim fitting long sleeved tunic under it, his holly engraved gorget (an armour that sits around the collar bone and circles the neck) and his silver corseted waist, are resolute, though the silver does catch the warmth of the morning light behind him. With his hand is rested on his sword as he looks to his right with blank white eyes. His expression is impassive, possibly mildly curious or watchful, though it would be justified, and even wise, to deem him unapproachable, however, that said, if you look closely, there is a small wren sleeping in his alters.
March 11, 2025 at 11:44 PM
crossroadart.bsky.social
At least the Holly King is reborn today, because please, someone, do something about this sunny fucker.

#summersolstice #litha #oakking #hollyking #art #mythology #pagan #folklore
The Oak & Holly King r the gods of the long & short days, who annually kill each other for their half of the reign. Currently, they’re not killing each other, it’s too early. They’re instead strolling & watching the harvest come in; with Holly, the god of the dark days, looking with stoic interest to his right. He’s depicted here as slender, with sharp angular features, narrow antler that resembles a tree in the winter without its leaves & long hair tied back & whipping in the breeze. His garments are of a dark academia fashion. The Oak king has a much border frame, with wide antler, a barrel chest, long braided hair, a short beard, the ears of a stag & an ample belly, however not as ample as it once was. Holly’s growing power does dwindle him, but his attitude will not betray the fact; he will not give Holly the satisfaction. So he is mischievous in his countenance, wearing an open shirt & whispering some off hand gossip to Holly as he too watches the goings on to their right.
June 21, 2025 at 8:51 PM
wanderingmagick.bsky.social
A wizard is never late.
#pagan #paganism #wizard #oakking #hollyking #nature #imbolc #trees
January 19, 2025 at 11:51 PM
skslex.bsky.social
From the holly tree in our front yard, covered with a little snow today. How beautiful the Holly Lord is, as he prepares to relinquish his crown. #witchsky #pagan #solstice #yule #hollyking
December 20, 2024 at 9:45 PM
spiritualastrology.bsky.social
Second Night of #Yule: #Solstice & the Wild Hunt - The Fall of the Holly King and Rise of the Oak King.

Twice a year, at the solstices, the #OakKing and the #HollyKing symbolically “battle".

open.substack.com/pub/inspirit...

#legends #folktales #history
December 22, 2025 at 12:13 AM
crossroadart.bsky.social
If you see this, post a bird.

#hollyking #art #pagan #folklore #fantasy
With a flutter many wrens perched on the antlers of the wintery god of the short days. Some nest down between the silver holly leaves of the deity’s coronet and the settling snow. Some fluff themselves free of icy flakes and one sings loudly into the pale winter air. All of them used to be people; for the most part they still are, when they feel like it. In this weather there is little appeal for a human form though. They’d rather settle down and perch on the god that made them this way. 
January 19, 2025 at 5:31 PM
jcblaineartist.bsky.social
Art of the Day - my personificationof the Chinook Wind dancing with the Celtic Winter King.
"Dancing With the Holly King" - traditional watercolour and graphite.

#traditionalart #traditionalpainting #watercolor #myth #hollyking #chinookwind #illustrator #makingarttheoldschoolway
January 10, 2025 at 1:18 PM
crossroadart.bsky.social
You better be rotting, vegging and or hibernating through these nebulous few days left of December,
Particularly if you want to please The Holly King 😌

#fuckhussleculture #gotobed
#art #yule #hollyking #pagan
Wrens flew through the fir trees & the milky visibility of the swirling snow & found their mark. With a flutter many of them perched on the antlers of the wintery god, a pale, angular being with a sheer figure & hollow cheeks. His long neck stretched out & his face tilted up into the icy wind with his eyes closed as flecks of snow settled on his cheeks & lashes. His silver coronet of Holly leaves caught more snow which collected between the wrens & on the crest of his waist length, whitening hair. The Holly King's midnight hair had a history of going cinder white as he wisened & aged like an old druid, should his power grow strong enough. He was not so powerful as that this year, though there was some wisdom in the corners of his eyes. 1 wren among many found a spot in the folds of the gods black cloak, loosely fastened around the shoulders with a diamond shaped clasp. It fluffed snow from itself & its surrounding to get comfortable. Another wren sat high on the king’s left shoulders & thrilled loudly. It wasn’t alone in this behaviour as another wren found call to do the same on the highest point of the gods antlers. Others nested themselves down, & few more arrived & landed. 1 wren, poised on the rim of the gods gorget (a piece of armour worn around the shoulders & neck) readied to fly from the ornate, snow crusted metal work, following the lead of another wren that had already taken off. They used to b people, the wrens; for the most part they still were, when they felt like it. In this weather there was little appeal though. They’d instead perch on the god that made them this way. He was unbothered in the height of his power as the deity of the short days. His hand settled by the metal corset encircling his waist & on the hilt of his sword. 2 months earlier he’d killed the Oak King with it. He’d enjoy a few more days of quiet, chilled air before his duality was reborn. His cloak flapped in the wind, his hair curled around his elbow, he breathed. Yule was coming.
December 28, 2024 at 7:21 PM
crossroadart.bsky.social
Quick, my friends! Quote this post with a piece of tranquil #art.

#hollyking #pagan #folklore #fantasy
Columns of trees, stripped of their leave and dark from the damp, stand between the gently falling snow in the silence of the forest. A stream flows slowly as a growing sheet of ice solidifies its banks and the carpet of snow is only broken by a few blades of grass and sticks that themselves are getting buried in the fresh falling flakes. In the eerie serenity a pair of black boots stride through the snow. They belong to the god of the short days, whose reign as the Holly King is now, in the heart of winter. His attire, unsurprisingly, is entirely black. Black trousers, black surcoat, black cloak. The scabbard of the sword his pale hand rests on is black, as is the belt which holds it. Detail is lost in the layers of the shade, making so much of the deity a wondering shadow. The belt it’s self, however, is fastened around the silver corset of the kings waist, whose overlayed holly leaf engravings matches those of the sword, the gods gorget (the silver armour around his collarbone and neck), and the metal clasps securing the snow dusted cloak and furs to the gods shoulders. As the king walks, his long fastened hair, trails in the wind behind him, catching flakes of ice that appear to add more salt to his already stark pepper, and frost both his silver coronet of holly leaves and his his antlers, completing their resemblance to the sentry like trees around him. A warm glow of light breaks through the sparse canopy and rays, fragmented by branches, fall onto the King. It illuminates his pale angular features and he turns his stoic face and white eyed gaze to look up at it. In the radiance a small wren glides down to him with intention to perch in the deity’s antlers. The god doesn’t break his stride or wait for the company to land, but you could almost imagine the very edge of a smile in the corner on his mouth, before it vanishes like a snowflake on his cheek.
January 21, 2025 at 7:05 PM
gothiron.bsky.social
The bankside Hollyking for 12th Night.
A man bedecked in foliage A figure in green is piped across the bridge for Wassail A man in green leaves
January 7, 2024 at 5:33 PM
niftybuckles.bsky.social
❄️ #FairyTaleTuesday 🌞
On the Winter Solstice, The Holly King reigns supreme, enveloping the world in cold and stillness. At the Spring Equinox, his brother, The Oak King, takes the crown, signaling the arrival of summer's warmth and vibrancy. 🌿 #FairyTaleFlash #WinterSolstice #Hollyking #Oakking
Art on Pinterest
December 17, 2024 at 8:19 PM
crossroadart.bsky.social
And a close up.

If the Holly or Oak King ever divulge a secret with the phase,
‘A little bird told me,’
You can be confident in the fact that they’re being quite literal.
The wrens and robins are outrageous gossips.

#art #hollyking #pagan #celtic #folklore #fantasy
The carpet of snow is only broken by a few blades of grass and sticks that themselves are getting buried in the fresh falling flakes. In the eerie serenity of the forest a pair of black boots stride through the snow. They belong to the god of the short days, whose reign as the Holly King is now, in the heart of winter. His attire, unsurprisingly, is entirely black. Black trousers, black surcoat, black cloak. The scabbard of the sword his pale hand rest on is black, as is the belt which holds it. Detail is lost in the layers of the shade, making so much of the deity a wondering shadow. The belt it’s self, however, is fastened around the silver corset of the kings waist, whose overlayed holly leaf engravings matches those of the sword, the gods gorget (the silver armour around his collarbone and neck), and the metal clasps securing the snow dusted cloak and furs to the gods shoulders. As the king walks, his long fastened hair, trails in the wind behind him, catching flakes of ice that appear to add more salt to his already stark pepper, and frost both his silver coronet of holly leaves and his his antlers, completing their resemblance to the sentry like trees around him. A warm glow of light breaks through the sparse canopy and rays, fragmented by branches, fall onto the King. It illuminates his pale angular features and he turns his stoic face and white eyed gaze to look up at it. In the radiance a small wren glides down to him with intention to perch in the deity’s antlers. The god doesn’t break his stride or wait for the company to land, but you could almost imagine the very edge of a smile in the corner on his mouth, before it vanishes like a snowflake on his cheek.
January 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
ghostcatcherisles.com
I told my new short story inspired by the Neopagan myth of the battle between the Holly King and Oak King, "The Blood That Feeds the Roots: A Winter Solstice Story". It's a tale of death and rebirth, and of grief and joy returned.

Thank you to all who tuned in!

#storytelling #hollyking 2/2
December 18, 2025 at 10:31 PM
bethowl.bsky.social
Blessed be to one and all ~ #Yule below the equator, and #Litha above.

For this holy day's magic, lore, spellcraft, and more, stop by my blog today.

The 🔗 is in my bio or go to:
www.owlsdaughter.com/turn-your-fa...

#pagan #witchcraft#wheeloftheyear #sabbats #OakKing #HollyKing #SummerSolstice2026
Turn Your Face to the Holy Sun – Joyful Litha Has Now Come!
Blessed Litha! Now we align with the ways of our ancestors, and join together to protect our descendants. On this day, we honor the height of the Light; we celebrate the ever-turning of the Wheel of T...
www.owlsdaughter.com
June 21, 2026 at 5:39 PM