12 Deities of Winter: Divine Forces of Ice and Snow

Winter is coming, and to prepare for the colder days ahead, let’s learn about some deities associated with the frost of winter from around the world! Each of these deities is significant in their country and culture of origin, tying people to their Gods and their customs.

Deities In This Post

An Cailleach – Celtic Mythology

Also known as the Winter Hag or Winter Queen, An Cailleach is a figure found across many Celtic regions including Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. She is associated with the creation of the landscape and the weather, especially as it relates to storms and winter. She is also associated with Brighid. In some stories, it is said that An Cailleach and Brighid are the same Goddess, ruling rule over different seasons as different figures.

One prominent story of An Cailleach is that of the gathering of winter firewood. It is said that if the weather is good on Imbolg (also known as St. Brighid’s Day or Là Fhèill Brìghde), An Cailleach intends to make winter last a few weeks longer. Otherwise, she would not go through the trouble of making sure she had plenty of nice weather to gather firewood uninterrupted.

Other Names: Cailleach Bhéara, Cailleach Bheurra, and Caillagh

Skadi – Norse Mythology

A jötunn and Goddess in Norse mythology, Skadi (Skaði) is associated with bowhunting, skiing, and winter. She loves her mountain homes so much that she left her first husband due to differences in where they wanted to live. Her first husband, Njörðr (Njord) was a God among the Vanir. He wanted to live by the sea but Skadi wanted to live in the mountains. The two created an arrangement and decided to spend nine nights in the mountains and three nights by the sea.

Both of them hated this arrangement, so they split up. Skadi then went on to marry Odin and they had many children together. It is Skadi’s connection with the mountains and skiing that gives her the association with winter.

Other Names: Öndurguð and Öndurdís

Chione – Greek Mythology

Not much is written about this lesser-known Goddess. In Greek mythology, Chione (Khione) is a nymph of Mount Haimos in Northern Greece. She is also the daughter of Boreas, another deity mentioned down below. Though she is mentioned as being a nymph associated with winter, it is also very possible that she is a Goddess of Snow.

Other Names: None

Frau Holle – Germanic Mythology

Frau Holle is a figure in Germanic Folklore who is responsible for teaching women how to spin flax into cloth. She is also the Goddess who cares for infants who have died too young, carrying them through the darkness and caring for them.

This connection with death and weaving also gives Frau Holle an association with Winter as it is a time when humans retreat and the land around us seems to die. Though she is not directly associated with Winter, Frau Holle gets a place on this list due to the timing of her festival being in the middle of Winter!

Other Names: Holla, Holda, and Berta

Yuki-onna – Japanese Mythology

Yuki-onna (雪女, ‘snow woman’) comes to us from Japanese mythology. She is what is known as a Yokai, a type of Japanese spirit that usually takes the form of an animal but can be humanoid or inanimate in shape. The stories date back to before the 1300s and are unclear about whether this is one spirit or a type of spirit. Many stories are similar, though, and paint a clear picture of the appearance of Yuki-onna. It is said that she appears on snowy nights as a tall, pale woman with long black hair and blue lips.

Her skin is pale and almost translucent, allowing her to blend into her snowy surroundings. She may appear nude or clothed, but often only her face is visible. While she is beautiful, the stories say that her eyes are so intense they can strike fear into those who look at her. She floats over the landscape leaving no traces of footprints in the snow, and she can transform into a cloud of mist if she feels threatened.

Other Names: Yuki-musume, Yukihime, Yuki-onba, and Yukifuri-baba

Boreas – Greek Mythology

Adding some masculine energy to our list is Boreas, the Greek God of the cold north wind, winter, and storms. He is also said to be the father of Chione whom we mentioned above. One of his main jobs as God of Winter was to sweep down and bring his icy breath to the world from his home in Thrake (Thrace). Just like the North Wind blows mightily and cold, so too does Boreas. It is said he is strong and ill-tempered, sometimes violent. He was also stubborn and liked a challenge!

In a famous Aesop Fable, Boreas and Helios get into an argument about which of them is the strongest. They decided to settle it with a bet — whoever could make a traveler take their cloak off would be the winner. So, Boreas blew his wind as hard as he could but to no avail. The traveler simply pulled his cloak around him tighter. When it was Helios’s turn, he rose high in the sky and shone brightly, warming the world around the traveler and causing him to remove his cloak. Through his stubbornness, Boreas was unsuccessful.

Other Names: Aquilo (Roman Equivalent)

Nanook – Inuit Mythology

This mythological figure comes to us from Inuit Mythology. In Inuit religious beliefs, Nanook (the Polar Bear) is the master of bears. He is the one who decides if a hunter is worthy of their kill and whether or not they will be successful. The Inuit People believe that paying respect to the spirit of the bear when it was killed for food and sustenance is the proper way to hunt.

It is said that Native Peoples believe that polar bears allow themselves to be hunted and, when hunted properly and given respect, the polar bears and Nanook will tell the good news to other polar bears so that they may be hunted as well.

Other Names: None

Perchta – Germanic Mythology

In the Alps of Upper Germany, Austria, and Slovenia, you will find stories of Perchta, a goddess connected to Winter and snow. Sources say she has two different appearances: a beautiful woman as white as snow or as elderly and haggard. Though Perchta has a connection to Winter and Christmas, she’s not a Goddess you want to disobey!

She is said to roam the countryside during the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany to enter the houses of those she encountered. If the young people of the house had behaved, they may find a small silver coin the next morning. If they hadn’t, she is known to remove a person’s insides and stuff them with straw and pebbles!

Other Names: Berchta, Percht, Posterli, and Fronfastenweiber

Cheimon – Greek Mythology

Another figure from Greek Mythology is Cheimon, the personification of Winter. Cheimon is part of a group of Goddesses known as The Horai (Horae), Goddesses who preside over the seasons and natural portions of time. Cheimon, along with the other Horai, were also responsible for guarding the gates of Olympus. She is often depicted as a heavily-robed Goddess with white wings.

Other Names: None

Itztlacoliuhqui – Aztec Mythology

Among the Aztec Gods is Itztlacoliuhqui, the Aztec God of frost and death. The name “Itztlacoliuhqui” may translate to either “curbed obsidian blade” or “plant-killer-frost”, but sources have not agreed on this. Itztlacoliuhqui is a variant of the Lord of Dawn, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli. One is light while the other is dark.

The story is told that the Sun God Tonatiuh demanded obedience from the other gods. Not liking this, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli shot an arrow at the Sun God who deflected it, shooting it back at the Lord of Dawn and transforming him into Itztlacoliuhqui.

Other Names: None

Tengliu (滕六) – Chinese Mythology

Not much is known of Tengliu, a Goddess of Snow in Chinese mythology. It is said she first appeared in the Tang Dynasty. Her stories survived through both the Ming and Song dynasties. Tengliu appeared widely in songs throughout the country resulting in a major influence on the belief system of Chinese culture.

Other Names: None

Marzanna – Slavic Mythology

Known by many different names across Slavic countries, Marzanna is a Goddess associated with frost, winter, death, and agriculture. She is heavily tied to the natural cycle of the world, specifically the agricultural cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

In ancient Slavic rituals, the death of Marzanna at the end of winter then becomes the birth of the Spring Goddess Kostroma. One ritual that still survives today is that of the burning or drowning of an effigy of Marzanna to celebrate the end of winter as a symbolic action.

Other Names: Morana, Morena, Mora, Marena, and Mara

While it would be impossible to name every deity across the world who is associated with Winter, we hope you have learned something new today. The deities listed here may be large or small parts of their country’s current customs, but they can still be honored by modern pagans! Honor the coming and going of Winter by reaching out to a deity associated with the season, giving an offering, and expressing gratitude for the cycle of nature that provides for us all.