The Yule tree decorations also represented the souls of the departed who we remember at the end of the year. The Lay of Alvís, 13,14 (Alvíssmál). According to the researcher Andreas Nordberg (2006, Jul, disting och förkyrklig tideräkning), to make up for the 11 days that were lost with the lunar calendar, the Nordic people may have used a leap year every third year, by inserting a 13th month around the time of the summer solstice. One article after another state the fact, in a never-ending loop, that Yule is on winter solstice and that this day is about celebrating the return on the sun. It doesn't need to involve a lot of expense as the spirit of the festive season should be … Yule is an ancient pagan festival celebrating the rebirth of the Sun God and takes place on the winter solstice. Nothing says holiday celebration quite like getting together with the people you love. The poem also tells us that drinking was a big part of Yule, a tradition that is not really practiced anymore at Yule. Yule celebrates the return of the sun. “They celebrate a festival, at which all come to worship the god and to eat and drink. Adam of Bremen wrote: If plague and famine threatens, a libation is poured to the idol Thor; if war, to Odin; if marriages are to be celebrated, to Frey. When the days grew colder and the nights grew longer, people of ancient times would light candles and gather round fires to lure back the sun. Don't make otherwise happy get togethers a struggle over religious beliefs. The Babylonians would swear oaths to their Gods, and try and keep them, to stay on their good side. Before we can understand what Yule is about, we need to look at the meaning of the word. And I wanted to give you a list of 10 ways to tap into the more traditional aspects of the Winter Solstice, that are all super doable! The yule period begins with the Arra Geola moon, which grows full in late November or the first few weeks of December, and the season then continues for two lunar months. We celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. Christians celebrate the birth of Christ at this time of year, and Yule is connected to the joy at the birth of the Sun God, child of the Goddess. Present-day this heathen/pagan faith is known as Ásatrú. It is a celebration of rebirth. The third theory describes Yule as a fertility feast, where people would sacrifice animals to the Gods, in the hopes of getting a good harvest in the coming year. This would have been done to prevent the second Yule month in the following year to start before the winter solstice. Harald Fairhair had prior to the celebration of Yule ”jól” defeated an enemy in battle, and now the bodies from all the slain lay on the battlefield as a feast for the raven Huginn’s family (all the ravens). Etymology. The Nordic people were probably seeing the sun and the moon as cosmic features, rather than a deity or an object that was to be worshipped. The farmers teased the King, and kept serving him mead, but without making the cross sign over them. Yule is a Germanic Winter festival which was celebrated on the Winter solstice and ran for approximately 2 months. This took place annually around the time of the December solstice and lasted for 12 days. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and … Yule is one of our biggest celebrations as Heathens, but if you’re a solitary Heathen, like I am, you may be wondering how in the Hel you can celebrate it. Every year it is the same thing, new articles pop up on the web, recycled from last year, after going through a five minute trip into the word blender. Here are a few rituals you may want to think about trying—and remember, any of them can be adapted for either a solitary practitioner or a small group, with just a little planning ahead. Cups were raised in the honor of the gods, first Odin, Skól (cheers), and then to the Victorious King. The Norse peoples, who called it Jul, viewed it as a time for much feasting and merrymaking. Of course, we will never know every single little detail since most of it was never written down, but we can look at the sources that we have available and try and get as close to understanding the original meaning of the Yule celebration, and when Yule was celebrated. Thorbjørn Hornklofi Hrafnsmál 6, 1-4. Since the night hours will only get shorter after that point, Yuletide represents the rebirth of the Sun God. However, Lejre is a village that has been mentioned many times in the past, for instance, in the famous saga of Beowulf. History.com says Yule is the celebration of the winter solstice (midwinter), a.k.a. The amount of sun crosses or sun wheels found at archaeological excavations in Scandinavia also adds to the fact that the sun was significant. While many of us might think that the New Years Resolution is a modern tradition, where we make promises to ourselves under the influence of alcohol, it is actually not. The return of the sun was a turning point after a long and dark winter, and it could have been an important date for the people. This is the turning point of the year, when the days gradually become longer and the darkness of winter is overcome. The ritual was observed in the 6th century by the Byzantine chronicler Procopius, who visited the island of Thule. However, he did decide to travel to Trøndelagen in Norway and participate in the event. This is the turning point of the year, when the days gradually become longer and the darkness of winter is overcome. Yule is a Pagan holiday and is one of the oldest winter celebrations observed around the world. How To Celebrate Yule and Winter Solstice and Activities. In ancient Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated at the Feast of Saturnalia, to honor Saturn, the god of agricultural bounty. Greet the Sun on the Solstice If you’re a morning person, you might want to get up before the dawn and greet the sun. This was not something that the King was particular fond about, because of his Christian faith. The whole Yule month is therefor celebrated from winter solstice until the first full moon. At the blót, sacrifices are made by either pouring out a drink as an offering, or sacrificing an animal, and eating its meat.”. It is a time to share Love and Celebrate with our … (Icelandic: jólagjafir). There are many rumors flooding around, that claims that the pagans made offerings during their Yule celebration. Old Norse: Þórr kvað: “Segðu mér þat, Avlíss,- öll of rök firavörumk, dvergr, at vitir -:hversu máni heitir, sá er menn séa, heimi hverjum í?”, Old Norse: Alvíss kvað: “Máni heitir með mönnum, en mylinn með goðum, kalla hverfanda hvél helju í, skyndi jötnar, en skin dvergar, kalla alfar ártala.”. English: Alvís said: It is called ’Moon’ among men, ’Mild Light’ among gods, In Hel ’The spinning wheel’ ’Quick’ among jotnar, ’Skin’ among dwarfs, ’Teller of time’ among elves. 13 Ways to Celebrate Yuletide by Selena Fox Create a Pagan Winter Solstice framework for the entire holidays season - understand that Christmas Eve and Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day have their origins in Winter Solstice celebrations of a variety of Pagan cultures through the ages. Yule is the time to celebrate the rebirth of the light after the very darkest part of the year. It began as part of the winter solstice festivities. The Yule sacrifice (Jólablót) should be held at the full moon, and as many days as it takes until the mead runs dry. The famous Icelandic author Snorri Sturluson mentions in his saga about the Norwegian King Hákon the good, that the King had decided that the Yule celebration should be moved and placed on December 25th when the Christians celebrate Christmas. The first of them was Sheep-Cote Clod. Let’s unwrap another Yule myth, and see what the sources tell us. The word Yule (Old Norse: Jól) is actually plural, and it literally means parties. English: Thor said: tell me, Alvísby the fate of all families. The consumption of Alcohol and singing is still a big part of the Yule feast (Danish: Juleaften). A hole that would lead me through a network of rabbit tunnels and this article is the result of it. The name of the moon in Old Norse Ártali does also seem to confirm this, a name that literally means ”He who counts the year” according to the elves in Norse Mythology. As some people suffer in the months of darkness and are affected by the lack of sunshine, what better way to lift spirits than to have a lovely celebration to look forward to. Yule definition: Yule is an old-fashioned word for → Christmas . The Pagan celebration of Winter Solstice (also known as Yule) is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world. Historically, the burning of the yule log was a Nordic tradition, where a whole tree (not just a log!) At this Yule sacrifice, 99 humans, including and just as many roosters, dogs, and horses were sacrificed to the pagan Gods”. The Magical Colors of Yule. The annual tradition of making New Years Resolutions dates back more than 4,000 years to the Babylon civilization. One of the oldest source that also mentions the word ”jól” is in the poem Hrafnsmál (Old Norse: Haraldskvæði) by the poet Thorbjørn Hornklofi (Old Norse: Þorbjörn Hornklofi). Who is known under many names, including ”the raven god”. Hjol has been inherited by Germanic and Scandinavian languages from a pre-Indo-European language level, and is a direct reference to the return of the Sun represented as a fiery wheel … Another line in the song says, “See the blazing yule before us.” We sing those lyrics, but often don’t know what they mean, since we never hear… Nevertheless, Snorri Sturluson is still a great source, and we have come to understand a great deal from his books about this period in time. Of course, the Winter Solstice doesn’t fall on the same dates in the Southern Hemisphere as it does in the Northern part of the globe. And is Yule held on the winter solstice? The people would then celebrate a party about 20 days after the winter solstice, and this would be the biggest party held by the natives at Thule.”. In Denmark about 50% eat duck and pork, pagans did not eat duck, but they definitely did eat pork at Yule. Surviving the Holidays with Your Non-Pagan Family, Ten Things to Hang on a Pagan Holiday Tree. Webster’s dictionary has Yule defined as an “archaic term for Christmas.” Yule, also known as Yuletide, does have many commonalities to Christmas. Which is the literal translation of Christmas into Danish. We can’t just push the sun theory completely away, the sun was still very important to the people of the North. The sun cross can often be seen carved onto many of the runestones throughout Scandinavia. On that day, an amazing thing happens in the sky above us. Yuletide is the pre-Christian Germanic Midwinter celebration. There are three main theories about Yule (Danish/Norwegian/Swedish: Jul / Old Norse: Jól). That can probably be attributed to the fact that Yule is the archetype for the popular holiday. It signifies joy about literal longer and brighter days ahead. Yule, otherwise known as the Winter Solstice, is a pagan holiday that marks the longest night of the year. Yule: The ancient Norsemen of Scandinavia celebrated Yule from the winter solstice through January. There are many sources available today, that describes the Scandinavian society during and prior to the Viking age, however, most of these observations were all made by either foreign people or people who lived in Scandinavia after the Christification. This site is part of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed as a method for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Most Pagans will have a potluck at the drop of a pointy hat, so Yule is as good a time as any to plan a big feast. Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. This family was among others known for their enormous amount of wealth. Since most people were farmers, it was important to know the path of the sun, especially when you live in a harsh environment. The North was at the borders of the known world, at least to him. Finally, the cups were raised in the honor of their ancestors who rested in the mounds. Compromise! Yule, A pagan festival also called the Winter Solstice, celebrates the rebirth of the Sun, the Sun God and honors the Horned God. We are often of the belief that the knowledge is lost, however, this is not necessarily the case. An oath to the Gods was not something that was taken lightly, and you could end up paying the ultimate price if you broke it. Holiday season has arrived in the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and the Vikings are celebrating! At this point of the year, the sun is at its lowest point in the horizon at noon, and the period of daylight is at its shortest. The German bishop Thietmar of Merseburg (c. 975 – 1080), wrote in the 11th century that the biggest Yule feast was held in January in the village of Lejre in Denmark, and not on the winter solstice, however, no exact date was mentioned. The answer is complicated, and I will try and unwrap this difficult question in this article as well. These numbers do seem a bit exaggerated to be honest, and there are no other sources about this event, that can either confirm or deny it. While many aspects of the story of Jesus’ birth are celebrated at the Yule season, remnants of the original feasts and celebrations also show up in many Christmas carols and traditions. The poem was written around the 10th century, to the King of Norway Harald Fairhair (c. 872-930) (Old Norse: Haraldr inn hárfagri). By using this site you accept that cookies will be stored on your computer. As some Mayan shaman cutting out hearts and offering them to their sun god. In that way, winter solstice would always be in the first Yule month, and the Yule sacrifice (jólablót) would always be celebrated on the first full moon following the new moon past winter solstice. The first theory describes Yule or Jól (pronounciation: “yoh-l”) as a celebration for the return of the sun. Swearing an oath for the coming year was also practiced by the Babylonians. By using Learn Religions, you accept our, Yule Craft Projects for the Winter Solstice, Pagan Practice for Families with Children, Pagan and Wiccan Prayers for All Occasions, 7 Sacred Plants for Yule, the Winter Solstice, Ten Christmas Traditions With Pagan Roots, Celebrating the Solstice in Spain: Las Hogueras, Service Project: Make a Bag to Help the Homeless, Talking to Pagan Kids About Jesus and Christianity. Or, if you don’t have a fireplace or a workspace to make one, light candles instead. Before the Yule feast began, all kind of animals were sacrificed especially horses. Yule is celebrated for … The farmers told the King to make sacrifices (Old Norse: blóta) to the Gods, and if he refused, it would cost him dearly. You can The Norse used a lunar calendar to count time, but there is a very big problem with using the moon to calculate time, because it only takes 354 days to complete 12 lunar cycles. Write out your prayers or let them … Which are 11 days short of the 365 days that it takes the earth to orbit the sun. This was an important trade town in Northern Europe at the time, and he probably had some goods to trade. King Haakon the Good who was a Christian probably wanted to use his influence to replace the pagan Yule celebration with Christmas, and moving the date could have been the first step. However, instead of raising our cups in honor of Odin or Freyr, it is mostly raised to wish each other a the table a merry Christmas (Danish: God Jul). However, he was not a pagan, but a Christian and his books have therefore been written down from a Christian perspective, and this is just something to keep in mind when reading them. Yuletide definition is - the Christmas season : christmastide —often used before another noun. It is a celebration of rebirth. Get Out In Nature. For instance, technology and norms change constantly in our modern society, just ask your child if they know what tape salad is? Yule changes dates within a specific three-day period every year, whereas Christmas is on the same day every year. They are servants of the gods and most likely tools that were used to count the time. Ten ways to Celebrate Yule. Yule is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Some parties could have been held with the family and their friends, and others by the entire village. Also known as the Winter Solstice, Yule is a holiday that celebrates the shortest day of the year and the sun’s waxing. Yule, also known as Yuletide, does have many commonalities to Christmas. Þórbjörn Hornklofi Haraldskvæði 6, 1-4, English: (NOTICE: Translated in context of the source) He wants to drink Yule out at sea, if he alone should rule, the brave King, and practice the sport of Freyr. In 965 CE the Arab merchant Al-Tartushi visited Hedeby (Old Norse: Heiðabýr) in southern Denmark. It's mostly just a fun way to honor the gods and wights during one of the holiest times on the Heathen calendar. Yule Celebration Idea #3: Do a Yule Meditation. The old Norse meaning of the word seems to have been lost with time. Focus on this time of new beginnings with your magical workings! However, drinking is still a big part of the Scandinavian culture, especially in Denmark that has a high consumption of alcohol, and where the sound of ”drink drink drink” often can be heard as echoes throughout the night. The people needed to know when to sow and reap, it is not like a continent such as Africa, where you can pick berries from the trees all year round, and hang out on the beach. We do not know how exactly the pagans cooked the pork, but in most of the Danish homes today, the pork is roasted, we call it flæskesteg in Danish. Well, it is, and it isn’t. ”Around the time of the winter solstice, the sun is never to been seen on this island for forty days, but the eternal night encloses it. She is the author of Daily Spellbook for the Good Witch, Wicca Practical Magic and The Daily Spell Journal. However, while the sun was important to the people of the North, they were not obsessed with the sun. Yule or Yuletide ("Yule time" or "Yule season") is a festival historically observed by the Germanic peoples.Scholars have connected the original celebrations of Yule to the Wild Hunt, the god Odin, and the pagan Anglo-Saxon Mōdraniht.. Later departing from its pagan roots, Yule underwent Christianised reformulation, resulting in the term Christmastide.Some present-day Christmas customs and traditions … … The pagan Gods and Goddesses that are often associated with the Vikings and Scandinavia today, has a broader origin. In modern times, this holiday has been reformulated by Christians and renamed Christmastide. ... Wendi: My husband is a nurse, so he is usually working on the actual holidays that most Americans celebrate; and since our “Holy Days” can fall on different … Jul … The Slavic peoples to the east also have their own version of a winter festival called Koliada. There is actually one source that describes this pagan winter solstice ritual before Christianity got its grips on the Scandinavians. The biggest day is on Jesus’s birthday, which is held on either the 24th after sundown or 25th of December. The Norwegian King Olav Tryggvason was also not that pleased with the pagan blóts, and he actually forbid the practice of blót and their drinking feasts. The one who slaughters a sacrificial animal erects stakes at the entrance to his farmyard and puts the sacrificial animal on them. The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus) but the Vikings Yule was a festival to honor Norse Gods, especially Odin who was also known as Júlfadr, the Yule father. Book 4, c.27. Yule is also known as Alban Arthan and was one of the “Lesser Sabbats” of the Wiccan year in a time when ancient believers celebrated the rebirth of the Sun God and days with more light. Some of the evidence for this is mentioned in the saga of Haakon the Good (c. 920-961), (Old Norse: Hákon góði), by the Icelandic author Snorri Sturluson. The Pagan holiday called Yule takes place on the day of the winter solstice, around December 21 in the northern hemisphere (below the equator, the winter solstice falls around June 21). The sun (Old Norse: Sól) is female, and the moon (Old Norse: Máni) is male. Learn Religions uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Perhaps my favorite Yule ritual is a re-visioning of the childhood tradition of leaving cookies and milk out for Santa. Yule, The Midwinter Solstice. The winter traditions spread across the continent of Europe when the people traveled either for trading, raiding or exploring. Settle in, breathe deeply, relax, and feel the unique magic of the Winter Solstice, when the light, bright, expansive half of the year is reborn. Icelandic: Úti vill jól drekka, ef skal einn ráða, fylkir hinn framlyndi, ok Freys leik heyja. However, he did allow Christian drinking feasts at Christian holidays. What is yule?. History.com says Yule is the celebration of the winter solstice (midwinter), a.k.a. Keep it safe in the modern era with a mini log for your hearth. European Origins of Yule In the Northern hemisphere, the winter solstice has been celebrated for millennia. This one of a kind Sun Chariot was found in 1902 at Trundholm Mose, Odsherre, in Denmark, and it has been dated to 1350 BCE (more than 2000 years, before the Viking age began). Whatever your beliefs or preferences to celebrate this time of year, it is a wonderful way to have a Mid Winter Celebration! This is the month were the Yule celebration should according to this theory take place. However, it should be said, that it is not possible to point at a place on the map and say that was the island. The word Yule originates from the old Norse word Jól, however, the celebration is much older than the word jól. On the morning of Yule, bundle up and take some cinnamon tea in a travel mug to a prime sunrise viewing location. This means that the 2nd Yule month, began with the new moon that occurs between the 22nd of December, and the 19th of January. But I also understand that some parts of the country (and world) don't have 60* Decembers. Yule is older than Christmas. The main celebration and the exchange of gifts in many families takes place on Christmas Eve, December 24.The Lucia Day is celebrated during Advent, on December 13.. Christmas contains a mix of domestic and foreign customs that have been adapted. the longest night of the year. While this makes the story more entertaining for the reader, it also makes it more difficult to interpret. Yule Lads Poem “Jólasveinavísur” You can read all about the Yule Lads names and personalities in the order of the night they visit in the poem “Jólasveinavísur” by Jóhannes frá Kötlum. Jolablot is also part of the Google AdSense program that is designed to advertise and referring traffic to other sites. Learn about gifts, decorating, money-saving, and why it's perfectly okay for Pagans to have a big green tree full of lights! With the season 1 update 1, you will notice that the Ravensthorpe area is all set to celebrate the Yule Festival in AC Valhalla. Thanks! 10 Ways to Celebrate Yule 1. Yule Sacrifice (Jólablót) is celebrated on the first full moon following the first new moon past the winter solstice. Spread the table out with your favorite holiday dishes, lots and lots of candles, and some of these delicious seasonal recipes. Yule often consists of several parties, from winter solstice at the end of December until the first full moon in January, and until all of the food and drinks have been consumed, which can last up to several days after Jólablót. It is not totally ridiculous to think that Yule is held at winter solstice to celebrate the return of the sun. There is energy flying around everywhere as you rush about to visit family and friends. In addition, if the Icelandic sagas are to be believed, this was a time of sacrifice as well. One source that has described the society within Scandinavia in the Viking age, was the Icelandic author named Snorri Sturluson. Take a walk through the local park and feel Nature’s dormant energy around you. If you’re feeling especially crafty, consider making your own Yule log by carving a log using a fallen branch, some evergreens, and candles. Yule occurs at the same time as the celebration of the birth of Jesus in the form of a twelve-day feast, sometimes called epiphany or … But what does Yule actually observe? Yule . A feast for the ravens could be considered an offering to the pagan god Odin. The scholars today, do seem to agree on the fact, that this place probably was somewhere in Scandinavia, possible in Northern Norway. Karls and Jarls may also have been giving a Yule present to their King or Queen. However, it was not everyone that was easily persuaded to let go of their pagan ways, and King Haakon had to be careful since he still needed the support of the people to keep him in power. Then many of the participants at the blót emptied their cup and made personal promises of great accomplishments. After all, that is when the shortest day is on that side of the planet. Make a Yule Log or Light Candles. Many of the old ways are simply hidden, in a network of puzzles, poems, and misconceptions. They needed to prepare for the long winters. Might not be something that we have the same understanding of today, and we could misunderstand parts of the text. While Al-Tartushi was in Hedeby he witnessed one of these blóts if it was during Yule is uncertain, but this is what he wrote. You don’t have to be a Wiccan or Witch to celebrate Yule; it’s a holiday that reflects the changing seasons, so anyone can celebrate Yule. Yule is not as many people might think just a Scandinavian celebration, but it is, in fact, in its origin Germanic. Yule is an ancient Nordic winter celebration where sacrifices are made to the pagan gods. This was clearly an unpopular action, but it was the King’s attempt to Christianize Norway. to pray upon the farmer’s sheep This means that the new moon this year will occur 11 days earlier than it did last year, and every year it will move the new moon another 11 days backward, than it was the previous year, and it will keep doing that unless there is some sort of a system that prevents this, a lunar calendar simply won’t stay still. As you probably can see, this line is written in a poetic style, but its context matters if we want to understand its meaning. Yule comes from a name for a 12-day festival, celebrated by Germanic peoples, around the winter solstice in December and January. It was made from an oak tree and it was found at Pilkmosen in Give, Denmark. Known as Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, the sun's "rebirth" was celebrated with much joy. Yule Log Traditions Nisser, Tomten and Yule Elves Winter Solstice Ritual Offering to the Holly King Winter Solstice Feast Winter Solstice usually falls on the 21st of December, but it can be on the 22nd or 23d as well. In practice, this means that the first new moon after the winter solstice marked the beginning of the second Yule month (Old Norse: Jólmanuðr). However, the sun cross is not just found on the runestones. Tribes in Northern Germany and Northern Poland did also consist of people who followed the Nordic Gods. Christmas (Swedish: jul, IPA: ()) is celebrated throughout December and traditionally until St. Knut's Day on January 13. The oldest sun wheel/sun cross that has been found in Europe dates back to 5000 BCE. Yule . See more. I believe if the sun had a more central role like it did with the Mayans, it would have been much more reflected in their sagas. Some believe that animals were sacrificed, others are convinced that it was humans. Getting ready to celebrate Yule is an exciting time for family and friends. The word Thule is not really a place, it is more of a term. Another element that adds to its difficulty to interpret the old texts, is that Snorri often wrote them in a poetic style. was brought into the home to burn for the entire 12 days of Christmas. Yule is the modern version of the Old English words ġēol or ġēohol and ġēola or ġēoli, with the former indicating the 12-day festival of "Yule" (later: "Christmastide") and the latter indicating the month of "Yule", whereby ǣrra ġēola referred to the period before the Yule festival (December) and æftera ġēola referred to the period after Yule (January). Aromatherapy Spray. Celebrating on the eve before Christmas is also used for most other holidays in Denmark. In essence, it is the symbolic end of the cold and dark winter and the return of light. He came stiff as wood. In an old poem from the Viking age, it is written: ”I think that the King Harald Fairhair was preparing Yule for Huggins hird” (hird means family and it comes from the Proto-Germanic word: hīwarēdaz). Ancient people were hunters and spent most of their time outdoors. Many Pagans of different faiths choose to celebrate Yule proper on this day regardless of the actual solar event. Christmas Eve, Juleaften, the main event of Jul, is celebrated on the evening of December 24, the evening before the two Christmas holidays, December 25 and 26th. Where does it come from and why a Yule Log – literally a wooden log to burn or in cake form! What could be better than the winter solstice which is the shortest day of the year, and always falls on either the 21st or 22nd of December. Offer a Blot to the Gods. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year (this year it falls on 21st Dec). 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