The cycle of the Holly and Oak Kings plays an important part in the ancient and modern rituals of the Wiccan/Pagan.
As one another's alternate selves, reflecting and complimenting each other they represent the balancing, opposing forces always found in nature. Not really good and evil, but certainly light and dark, Yin and Yang, waxing and waning, the necessary balancing and equalizing forces that ensure life unfolds as it should. No right without a left, no up without a down.
The Oak King (waxing) rules from Midwinter until Midsummer, the period of regeneration, growth and renewal. The Holly King (waning) rules from Midsummer to Midwinter during the period when the earth slowly begins to withdraw to it's yearly rest.
As we celebrate the Winter Solstice of this year's Yuletide season these loyal servants of the Goddess come together for the first of their two battles for supremacy over the cycle of the seasons. When the ruling king's term of office expires his corresponding twin confronts him and he is slain. Once again a life is sacrificed as one ascends and the other abdicates the throne for yet another half turn of the year. They perform this ritual sacrifice and acceptance twice yearly in order to maintain balance and continuity. The loser retires to the 'castle of the ever-turning silver wheel' presided over by the Goddess Arianrhod, here he awaits the time of his rebirth and his inevitable return to rulership. And so the cycle continues as the wheel turns.
An example of the celtic symbolism of this is the ceremonial ritual of 'The Hunting of The Wren'. This is where the Wren, (totem bird of the Holly King), is hunted and killed by the Robin, (emblem of the Oak King), who finds him hiding in a Holly or Ivy shrub. This ceremony has been re-enacted at this time of year for centuries and although rituals in times past saw a Wren actually done to death, thankfully it is now merely a symbolic act.
Midsummer traditions depicting the demise of the robin/Oak King have not survived with anywhere near as much enthusiasm. However Ireland does come to the fore with it's folk belief that a child born at Pentecost (near the end of The Oak Kings reign) will be doomed to either kill or be killed unless they perform a special 'cure'. This unfortunately entails the cursed one catching a Robin, and then reciting three hail Mary's whilst squeezing the poor unfortunate creature to death!
Another thankfully ancient and long dead tradition called for an actual human sacrifice, (as a substitute for the Oak King), to be burned on a ritual bonfire on Midsummer's eve to ensure that the Gods would look with favour upon any future requests for good fortune.
Ahh the good old days.

I wish you all a Happy Yule, and hope you stay warm by your yule-log fire. But please while you're toasting your toes this season, spare a thought for the Wrens, who have no fires to warm themselves by.
Personally I am freezing right now. The Holly King can't come back soon enough for me!
Brrrrrr!!!!

Moon.

I always used to like Robins. But the symbolism here makes them less likable doesn't it? As the murderers of innocent Wrens they are not quite the 'nice guys' of the bird world that I always thought them to be!
Well apart from the fact that it has ruined completely my relationship with the jolly Robin Red Breast!!! That was an excellent post Moon.
I've never understood the symbolism and meaning of the Oak and Holly Kings. This has helped me know more than I did and since that is partly what the forum is for I thankyou for that.

Lady C.

Wow I didn't know any of that.
It's all more complicated than you think isn't it? Which of them is Herne? Or is he someone different altogether?
Yes it certainly does make you look twice at Robins. I definitely won't just assume they're harmless from now on!
Thanks very much for posting all that Moon, it must have taken ages to type!

I always liked Robins too.
I don't much like the sound of ritual human sacrifice either mind you. That can't have been pleasant.
People are strange aren't they? I mean that they would think that they had to kill something in order to get good luck for the following year. It really is awful to think about at any time of year, but especially at Christmas. I mean I KNOW it wasn't Christmas THEN, but you know what I mean.
Was it an adult that they sacrificed? I only ask because most often it was children that were used because they were considered innocents and therefore more 'worthy'.

Herne? He's the guy with the deer's head mask isn't he? Is he the Green man too?
You're right Faith I am finding that this is very complicated. There are so many different names for everyone, it's getting very confusing.
Even when I think I've learned something, I could have missed something really important or be completely wrong altogether.

He is the Red deer headed chap yes and it depends who you talk to as to wether or not he is the green man or not.
He is also sometimes known as Cernunnos.
But basically he is the Guardian of the forest and all it's creatures.
A bit of a strange title for a hunter but then the Man the name Herne came from was a Gamekeeper for the King who was killed in the Forest in a most unfortunate fashion.
So I guess just as they do today Game keepers are and always have beeen both hunter and guardian of the Forest (at least the good ones are anyway).

Now you have added another complication Zygopterix!
Cernunnos??
Fabulous, as if I didn't have enough to research, now I have someone else to look out for!

Thanks!

Don't worry Faith it's much more complicated than that.

Pan, Cernunnos, Mithraes, Herne, the Green Man, The Horned God, and Derg Corra are all one and the same.

The Devil or Satan, the goat headed monstrosity, Is, I am pretty sure, nothing to do with Herne.
In the beginning it was something else entirely but became associated with herne as people forgot why they chose a goat for Satan's appearance.
So at least you don't have to go down that track.

Zygo