Yule

Forward:

The time of Jól, or Yule to Pagans, is hotly debated, and can be confusing to those who practice this ancient holiday. This article is intended to shed some light on the holiday and help members of the Independent Tribes of Ásatrú be consistent and congruent in their practices.

Yule today is celebrated by Pagans of various sects across the globe. Norse Pagans, Wiccans, Celtic Druids, and others all use the season of Yule as a time of reflection, feasting, and family. However, they celebrate the season in much different ways. The Christians also use this time of year to celebrate their cherished Christmas. There is much information on the web that aims to describe the practices of Yule, but I’ve found them to be sub-par in quality and lack the information that most people want to know. In this article I will briefly touch on the origins of Yule and similarities of the season between religions in different areas of the world, and then provide my interpretation and best practices with which Norse Pagans may choose to practice.

Origins of Yule:

Yule’s true origins are mostly uncertain, as is much in the faith of Ásatrú, however, one can ascertain that its roots are predominantly Germanic in nature. The Old Norse and Proto-Germanic languages are very similar, and the etymology of Yule is thought to be derived from the Proto-Germanic word jehwlą. The god Odin has countless names, one of which is attested to have been Jólnir or “the Yule One”. Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, specifically chapter 55 of Skáldskaparmál, provides the term jólnar “Yule-beings” to describe the gods collectively. To me this indicates a long history of a seasonal festival called Jól being celebrated by the Scandinavians and/or Germanics. An English historian called Bede wrote of an Anglo-Saxon calendar month called Geola, which represented the period of December or January. This further deepens the understanding that Yule has its roots in Germanic or Norse Paganism.

There are many articles I’ve read that indicate that Jól may have been celebrated at midwinter, which would have been sometime in late January to early February. In the Saga of Hákon the Good, it is said that King of Norway, Hákon I, changed the date of Yule to synchronize with the Christian Christmas festival. Hákon was a Christian that hid his faith from the Pagan chieftains of Norway so they would continue to be loyal to him. He thought that when he had enough power, he would convert all of Norway to Christianity. Changing the date of Yule would have helped with the conversion process. This is the only evidence I’ve seen that references Yule to being sometime in midwinter.

I disagree with the notion that Jól was celebrated in January or February as indicated in the Saga of Hákon the Good. There are too many cultures across the globe that have a festival or celebration coinciding with the Winter Solstice, and this saga is only one attestation of many that seem to point to a specific timeframe for Yule. The Germanics close contact with the Romans starting in the 2nd century BC would have provided the Germanics with a view of the Roman winter holiday called Saturnalia, which is very similar in practice to that of Yule. There is also Yalda to the ancient Persians, Dong Zhi to the Chinese, and many more. Christmas being another one of these seasonal festivals is thought to be the birth of Jesus Christ, but as Pagans, we can see the many correlations between Christmas and Pagan winter celebrations. Many argue that Christianity took concepts from Yule to create their own winter holiday, which in turn would have made the conversion of the Pagans easier.

I personally believe that the worship of Jesus Christ, is just another religion focused on worshipping a sun deity. One must only look at the stories of the Egyptian sun god Horus, Persian Mithra, and Greek Dionysus to see vast similarities between the worship of Jesus Christ and Pagan religions. The birth sequence of all these gods is too alike to be coincidence. Virgin birth on December 25th, star in the east, met by wisemen, etc. The common theme here is the Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice clearly had important significance to ancient cultures across the planet. I believe the Norse Pagans and Germanics would have felt the same, albeit with differences in who they were worshipping, what they were celebrating, and how they celebrated.

So now we have established the timeline that Yule should be celebrated on or around the Winter Solstice. From the history I have read, Yule was a 12-day festival, corresponding with many other culture’s multi-day Winter Solstice celebrations. This can further be corroborated by the 12 days of Christmas. The significance of a 12 day or multi-day festival likely had to do with the lunar or solar cycle that the culture thought to be true.

In stating this, and from my experience in Pagan culture, Yule typically starts either the day before the Winter Solstice or on the Winter Solstice and runs through New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Let’s now get into the Norse Pagan Yule celebration and discuss the how, when, and why.

Norse Pagan Yule:

As Ásatrúar, we are recreating what and how we think our ancestors worshipped the gods and how they lived their daily lives. Seasonal festivals like Yule also play a part in this recreation. Since we are recreating a culture, there is bound to be differences in the way that people choose to worship and practice. That is quite alright and welcomed. Every practitioner is free to choose how they wish to celebrate their seasonal festivals. This is merely an outline that may help kindreds and/or solitary practitioners find what works for them.

One of the biggest challenges in celebrating Yule is the competition with Christmas. As most of the western world is Christian, all of us in North America and Europe are going to be familiar with Christmas and the traditions that it has created for our culture. My thought process in this outline is to do what the Christians did to our ancestors and use the already established norms to more easily assimilate our beliefs and traditions within our communities.

Start of Yule, Day 1 of 12: Winter Solstice (on or about December 21st). Modranicht or “Mother’s Night”

Blót to Frigga and the Dísir. Some say that Mother’s Night should be practiced on December 24th to coincide with Christmas Eve, but I believe there is a better alternative in our recreation. Mother’s Night should have a more somber feeling to it. Here we are paying homage to our female ancestral spirits and the “mother” of the gods, Frigga. The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year. It is a dark time and should be treated as such. We are trying to get through this long night in preparation for the return of the warmth, sun, and growth that spring offers us. Our “mothers” have always been a source of comfort and warmth to us and our ancestors and will take care of us through this long night, which is why we pay our respects to our dísir and Frigga. This is a night for reflecting on the events that have occurred throughout the year. One could have the children light a candle that burns through the night, as a way to symbolize the light that is to come the next day. You could also take time to do some personal or rune meditation and reflection, writing down those thoughts or negative influences that have been a part of your journey during the last year. I like to then burn the slips of paper that you’ve written those thoughts on, casting out the negativity. A large feast of meat and bread should be prepared so that families have the nourishment their bodies need to endure the long cold night. One might set out a full plate and glass of mead or ale to honor their dísir. If you are a guest in someone’s home, exchanging gifts with them is a reasonable gesture extending your friendship and frith. As this is the first day of Yule, you could burn a special Yule log, or simply start a fire and keep it lit during the duration of the 12 days of Yule. Those without a fireplace could bake a Yule log cake (Bûche De Nöel) to symbolize this tradition. A children’s activity could be making sun wheels out of flora in your yard, to be burned later on in the year. As this is a very long night, playing board games or watching movies could be a family or kindred tradition to start. Yule is all about taking a break from the hustle and bustle of daily lives to enjoy the company of your family and/or kindred and reflecting on the past year. Mother’s Night is a great celebration to kick off this wonderful time of year.

Yule Days 2/3 of 12: (December 22nd/23rd)

There are no historically significant events on the second and third days of Yule, but one could imagine that our ancestors probably kept the party going from Mother’s Night. The feel of these days should be more upbeat and exciting knowing that we’ve made it through the darkest day of the year. If your kindred or family is still together on these days, you could do spend more time together by going on a hike, going skiing or sledding, making mead, eating leftovers, nursing a hangover, etc.

Yule Day 4 of 12: (December 24th) Odin’s Great Yule Hunt

We all know what makes December 24th so special in western society. Christmas Eve will probably always overshadow our Yule traditions, but by making our festivities and traditions similar to those of the Christians, we have hope that our children and grandchildren might learn and adopt our beliefs about this day.

The lore tells us about a great hunt that Odin and his einherjar partake in during midwinter. Odin riding his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir, followed by a horde of warriors with hounds vociferously rumbling through the winter forests. Those found outside the walls of their domicile might be carried miles away or left to freeze in the harsh winter cold. Those seasoned in the practice of seiðr, or magic might be able to join Odin and his horde, with their soul leaving their body as it lies in their bed. It is said that Odin and his hunters would enter towns and homes causing a raucous, stealing food and drink, and leaving a mess. While maybe a bit darker, this story sounds a little familiar to another holiday story. A man with a sled pulled by eight reindeer, entering towns and homes, eating milk and cookies, leaving presents. The story of Santa Claus is almost certainly a modern interpretation of Odin’s Yule Hunt. I think it wise to start teaching our young children about Odin’s Great Yule Hunt on this day of Yule. Instead of Santa coming down the chimney, Odin is entering our homes to bring gifts and treats for those who were good throughout the year, and if we make sure to leave out some food and drink for him and his men to have on his long journey. Those children who were naughty during the year might be taken by Odin and his horde and dropped far away in the forest.

For some of us, our extended families more than likely celebrate Christmas, and gathering on Christmas Eve is probably a long-held tradition. Just because we don’t celebrate Christmas doesn’t mean we can’t gather with our extended family during the season. Use this day as a day to enjoy that extended family, knowing that when you get home with your children, you’ll share with them the story of Odin’s Great Yule Hunt.

If you don’t have or are not spending time with your extended family, have a fun night with your kindred eating Yule cookies, watching Die Hard, and reading stories from the lore. I think it reasonable to hang stockings up on your mantle, but maybe have some plain ones that you can decorate or paint to represent our belief in Yule. When the children go to sleep fill the stockings with something handmade, candy, or the usual socks. If you’re a good Heathen, you’ll tell your children to leave out a horn of ale or mead along with the cookies, so you get a horn guilt free when they go to sleep. A carrot for Sleipnir may also help them win Odin’s favor.

Yule Day 5 of 12 (December 25th)

Another day that will be extremely difficult to overcome due to western influence. On this day of Christmas, we need to understand what makes this day so special to us that we can better explain it to our families and children. As explained earlier, many cultures share December 25th as a significant day due to the solar cycle. On the Winter Solstice the sun is at its lowest point in the sky and stays there for 3 days. On December 25th, the sun finally moves up a degree in the sky. Hence the birth of the “son” or sun. The god that fits the motif of this day best is Baldr. Baldr is the son of Odin who is known as the shining one, the beautiful one, the bold one, and many more. He is the most handsome god, loved by all, said to radiate light. He dreams of his death, which when occurs is the catalyst which causes the downfall of the gods, Ragnarök. This to me sounds as close as possible to the Norse representation of the sun. In this case both the “son” and sun make sense. Keeping this day as close to many of our already long held traditions, hold a Blót to Baldr, thanking him for his light and warmth that he will provide until midsummer.

Your children will wake from their slumber excited to see their stockings filled and gifts that Odin left for them under the Yule tree. Maybe they’ll notice the sticky residue of mead on the rim of the horn and crumbs of cookies that they left out for Odin. If you’re gathering with your family or kindred, have a nice Yule feast of ham, eggs, and bread, and bless the feast to Baldr on this day. Spend the rest of the day enjoying each other’s company, watching movies, and reading stories from the lore.

Yule Days 6-10 (December 26th - December 30th)

There are no historically significant events on Yule days 6-10. If you are lucky enough to have the rest of the week off, consider taking a short trip before the children have to return to school. If you aren’t that fortunate, try to spend as much time with your family during these days as you can. I’m sure there will be plenty of leftovers from all the feasting.

Yule Day 11 (December 31st)

The eve before the end of Yule also shares significance with another substantial western holiday. As it is the last full night of Yule and New Year’s Eve, have a party! Get together with your kindred, family, and friends and have a celebration. Let the mead and ale flow freely, have a big feast, and enjoy the camaraderie of those closest to you. Additionally, as Yule still has spiritual significance to us, a Blót to Jólnir should be a priority. Tonight, we should honor the Yule god Odin for his wisdom, inspiration, and foresight. Take up the runes and meditate on one or the ones you have chosen. This is also a great time for setting your intentions. Similar to Mother’s Night, I encourage you to do some introspection and write down what your goals or intentions are for the coming year. Share aloud your goals with your kindred or family so that they might be able to assist you in reaching those goals. If it’s your thing, watch the ball drop in Times Square at midnight and kiss your lover.

Yule Day 12 (January 1st)

The last day of Yule will more than likely be the final day of relaxation for you and your loved ones before returning to work and school. Many will probably be nursing a hangover. Use this day to recuperate and prepare for the coming months and accomplish the goals that you set last night. As it may be your last day together before the rat race of life starts back up, try to spend as much time together with your family as possible. Enjoy a nice quiet meal together, finish off the last of the cookies, and relax on the couch.

Decorations, Traditions, and Food:

During the Yule season decorating one’s home for the season is a good way to get in the spirit of the holiday. The centerpiece of any home will always be the Yule tree. I encourage you to go into the forest and cut down your own tree for the season. Just be sure to review the legalities in your state before doing so. Some states require a permit to cut down a tree, but they are usually fairly inexpensive. Decorate your Yule tree with ornaments, tinsel, and lights. Decorate your home with evergreen boughs, wreaths, candles, sun wheels, and snowflakes.

Burning of a Yule log is a great tradition to start if you haven’t done it before. Wassailing or toasting to the gods or your companions is another tradition that has importance during the Yule season.

Traditional Yule foods are ham or beef, spice cakes, bread or biscuits, root vegetables, nuts and berries, mulled wine or cider, and of course mead.

Outline:

I realize that the above is a lot of information to digest, so below is the short synopsis of when to celebrate Yule and what to do.

Yule Day 1: December 21st

Mother’s Night, Blót to the Dísir and Frigga, light the Yule Log, feast, write down and burn all the negative influences from the past year.

Yule Days 2 and 3: December 22nd/23rd

Enjoy activities with your family or kindred.

Yule Day 4: December 24th

Odin’s Great Yule Hunt, leave out cookies and mead for Odin, fill stockings and leave presents under the tree.

Yule Day 5: December 25th

Blót to Baldr, open gifts from Odin, enjoy a nice feast.

Yule Days 6-10: December 26th - 30th

Take a short trip with your family or stay home and do some activities together with your family.

Yule Day 11: December 31st

Blót to Odin, rune meditation, have a New Year’s Eve party, write down and share your intentions for the coming year.

Yule Day 12: January 1st

Recuperate, relax, and enjoy the company of your loved ones, think about how to accomplish your goals for the coming year.

Closing:

The season of Yule is a magical one. For those new to the religion of Ásatrú, I hope this article helps you and your family lay the foundation of traditions that will get you excited again about this wonderful time of year. As you can see, the priority is on spending time with your closest loved ones and not the commercial act of giving and receiving lavish gifts. While gift giving is an important aspect of frith, the best gifts are often handmade and special to a family or kindred. This isn’t always feasible so just don’t go overboard. You do your community no good by going broke from buying expensive gifts for everyone. A bouquet of hand-gathered winter flowers, or fresh picked produce is seldom frowned upon. Opening up your home for the festivities is always appreciated. As a guest, bring some beer, mead, or something for the feast. And lastly, enjoy this time of year together as a community. There’s no time of year quite like Yule. Embrace the traditions, hail the folk, and hail the gods and goddesses!