Information about Yule

Yule
Yuletide, Yulefest, Yules, Jul, Juletid, Julfest, Jül, Jól, Joul, Joulu, Jõulud, Joelfeest, Géol, Feailley Geul, Christmas, Midwinter, The Winter Solstice
Northern Europeans and Various Anglosphereans
Cultural, Christian, Pagan
Marks the nativity of Jesus, the Ancient Midwinter, and the Astronomical beginning of Winter.
December 25 or the Solstice of Winter
Festivals, Burning Yule Logs, Feasting, Caroling, Being with Loved Ones.
Nativity of Jesus, The Solstice, Quarter days, Wheel of the Year, Winter Festivals

Yule is a winter festival celebrated in Northern Europe since ancient times. In pre-Christian times, Germanic pagans celebrated Yule in late December or early January on a date determined by a lunar calendar.^[1] During the process of Christianization and the adoption of the Julian calendar, Yule was placed on December 25, in order to correspond with the Christian celebrations later known in English as Christmas.^[2] Thus, the terms "Yule" and "Christmas" are often used interchangeably, especially in Christmas carols.

In Denmark, Norway and Sweden the term jul is the most common way to refer to the celebration, including among Christians. In Finland, it is called joulu, in Estonia jõulud, and in Iceland and the Faroe Islands jól.

Yule is an important festival for Germanic neopagans, Wiccans and various secular groups who observe the holiday at the winter solstice (December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere, June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere). Yulefest, for example, is held by many Australians on a weekend in late June.

Etymology

Of the contested origin of Jól, one popular connection is to Old Norse hjól, wheel, to identify the moment when the wheel of the year is at its low point, ready to rise again (compare karachun). This theory however seems based more on similarities between the words "jul" and "hjul" (with a mute h) in modern Scandinavian languages, rather than any connection based on older cognates or historical sources. Linguists suggest that Jól has been inherited by Germanic languages from a pre-Indo-European substrate language and either borrowed into Old English from Old Norse or directly inherited from Proto-Germanic. Considering the original Old English form Geohhol, another suggestion connects the word to Latin jocus, however this is uncertain.^[3]

In the Scandinavian Germanic languages, the term Jul covers both Yule and Christmas, and is also occasionally used to denote other holidays in December, e.g., "jødisk jul" or "judisk jul" (tr. "Jewish Yule") for Hanukkah. The word "jul" has also been borrowed into the neighboring Finnic languages, most notably to Finnish and Estonian (where it has been modified to "joulu" and "jõul", respectively, and denotes Christmas in modern usage), although the Finnic languages have a linguistic origin different from Germanic languages. In Old English, geóla[1] originally referred to the month of December; although the ancient Anglo-Saxon calendar had two "tides" of 60 day periods: "Litha Tide", roughly equivalent to modern June and July, and "Giuli Tide", being essentially December and January (the remaining months of the year were lunar, 29 day periods--the New Year began with the second half of that tide, also known as "Wulfmonath"). There was also a period of time, twelve days, intercalary between the two halves--or "monaths"--the which becoming the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas. The definition later narrowed to mean Christmas day only, with the returning of the Latin-based calendar--via the Normans--over time in Christian Norman and Anglo-Saxon England.

Ancient Yule

Yule celebrations at the winter solstice predate the conversion to Christianity. It was, in pre-conversion times, the name of a feast celebrated by sacrifice on mid-winter night of January 12th according to the Norwegian historian Olav Bø. [2] Though there are numerous references to Yule in the Icelandic sagas, there are few accounts of how Yule was actually celebrated, beyond the fact that it was a time for feasting. According to Adam of Bremen, the Swedish kings sacrificed male slaves every ninth year during the Yule sacrifices at the Temple at Uppsala. 'Yule-Joy', with dancing, continued through the Middle Ages in Iceland, but was frowned upon when the Reformation arrived. The custom of ritually slaughtering a boar on Yule survives in the modern tradition of the Christmas ham and the Boar's Head Carol.

"On Yule Eve, the best boar in the herd was brought into the hall where the assembled company laid their hands upon the animal and made their unbreakable oaths. Heard by the boar, these oaths were thought to go straight to the ears of Freyr himself.Once the oaths had been sworn, the boar was sacrificed in the name of Freyr and the feast of boar flesh began. The most commonly recognised remnants of the sacred boar traditions once common at Yule has to be the serving of the boar's head at later Christmas feasts".[3]

The confraternities of artisans of the 9th century, which developed into the medieval guilds, were denounced by Catholic clergy for their "conjurations" when they swore to support one another in coming adversity and in business ventures. The occasions were annual banquets on December 26,

"feast day of the pagan god Jul, when it was possible to couple with the spirits of the dead and with demons that returned to the surface of the earth... Many clerics denounced these conjurations as being not only a threat to public order but also, more serious in their eyes, satanic and immoral. Hincmar, in 858, sought in vain to Christianize them" (Rouche 1987, p. 432).

Contemporary Yule Traditions

Many of the symbols and motifs associated with the modern holiday of Christmas are derived from traditional pagan northern European Yule celebrations. The burning of the Yule log, the decorating of Christmas trees, the eating of ham, the hanging of boughs, holly, mistletoe, etc. are all historically practices associated with Yule. When the Christianization of the Germanic peoples began, missionaries found it convenient to provide a Christian reinterpretation of popular pagan holidays such as Yule and allow the celebrations themselves to go on largely unchanged, versus trying to confront and suppress them. The Scandinavian tradition of slaughtering a pig at Christmas (see Christmas ham) is probably salient evidence of this. The tradition is thought to be derived from the sacrifice of boars to the god Freyr at the Yule celebrations. Halloween and aspects of Easter celebrations are likewise assimilated from northern European pagan festivals.

English historian Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum ("Ecclesiastic History of the English People") contains a letter from Pope Gregory I to Saint Mellitus, who was then on his way to England to conduct missionary work among the pagan Anglo-Saxons. Pope Gregory suggested that converting heathens would go easier if they were allowed to retain the outward forms of their traditional pagan practices and traditions, while recasting those traditions spiritually towards the Christian God instead of to their pagan "devils": "to the end that, whilst some gratifications are outwardly permitted them, they may the more easily consent to the inward consolations of the grace of God". [4]

Finland

Main article: Joulupukki

Main article: Joulupöytä

On the eve of the Finnish Joulu, children are visited by Joulupukki, a Santa Claus-like character. The name Joulupukki literally means Yule Goat. This name is likely to come from an old Finnish tradition, where people dressed in goat hides called nuuttipukkis used to circulate in homes after Joulu, eating leftover food. Joulupukki's workshop is situated, not in the North Pole or Greenland, but in Korvatunturi, Lapland, Finland. He does not sneak in through the chimney during the night, but knocks on the front door during Jouluaatto. When he comes in, his first words usually are: "Onkos täällä kilttejä lapsia?" (tr. "Are there (any) good (well behaving) children here?"). Presents are given and opened immediately. He usually wears red, warm clothes and often carries a wooden walking stick. He visits people's homes and rides a sleigh pulled by a number of reindeer. He is married to Joulumuori (tr. Mother Yule). Typical Finnish yule dishes include ham, various root vegetable casseroles, beetroot salad, gingerbread and star-shaped plum-filled pastries. Other traditions with a non-Christian yule background include joulukuusi (tr. "yule spruce") and joulusauna (tr. "yule sauna").

Norway

Main article: Jul (Norway)

The main Jul event for Norwegians is on Julaften on December 24th, the evening when the main feast, is served and gifts are exchanged. Almost all Norwegian breweries produce traditional beer, juleøl, and a special soda, julebrus. Jul dishes are also served on Julebord, where people from work gather around early December to feast and drink alcoholic beverages. Also, 7 types of deserts, julekaker traditionally baked by the mother of the house are prepared. There is also the Julebukk or Nyttårsbukk tradition of which it is common for children to pay visits to neighbours where they are given candy, nuts and clementines. The children may dress up and go out every day between Juleaften and New Year's Eve. Adults as well, dress up later in the evening and Drammebukk by paying visits to neighbours in much the same way as the children, but the main difference is that adults are given drinks instead of candy.

Denmark

Main article: Jul (Denmark)

In Denmark, Jul is celebrated on December 24, which is referred to as Juleaftendag. An elaborate dinner is eaten with the family consisting of either roast pork, roast duck or roast goose with potatoes, red cabbage and plenty of gravy. For dessert rice pudding is served, traditionally with an almond hidden inside. The lucky finder of this almond is entitled to a small gift. After the meal is complete, the family gather around the Juletræ and sing Christmas carols. When the singing is complete, the children often hand out the presents. They are opened and this is followed by more snacks, candy, chips and sometimes the traditionally Gløgg (mulled and spiced wine with almonds and raisins), which is served hot in small cups.

Sweden

As in many other countries in northern Europe, Jultomten brings the presents on julafton (Yule Eve), December 24, the day generally thought of as the main Jul day. Almost all Swedish families celebrate with a julbord. The common part of almost all julbord is the julskinka (baked ham). The julbord is served with beer or julmust and snaps, the dishes of the julbord may vary throughout Sweden. Businesses traditionally invite their employees to a julbord dinner or lunch the weeks beforehand, and people go out privately to restaurants offering julbord during December, as well. Swedes also enjoy glögg like in many other countries of Scandinavia. After the julbord, the presents are distributed, either by Jultomten or a family member, and usually from a sack or from under the Christmas tree where they have been laying all day or for several days. In older days a julbock (yule goat) was an alternative to Jultomten, nowadays it is used as an ornament, ranging from sizes of 10 cm to huge constructions like the Gävle goat. The next morning, some people attend the julotta, an early morning church service on jul day.

Shetland Islands

In the Shetland Islands of Scotland the Yules are considered to last a month beginning on December 18th and ending January 18th. The main Yules celebration occurs imbetween on December 31st. The rest of Scotland eventually adopted "Hogmanay" (the name of the New Years presents) as the festivals name.^[4]

Neopaganism

As forms of Neopaganism can be quite different and have very different origins, these representations can vary considerably despite the shared name. Some celebrate in a manner as close as possible to how they believe that the Ancient Germanic pagans observed the tradition, while others observe the holiday with rituals culled from numerous other unrelated sources, Germanic culture being only one of the sources used.

Germanic neopaganism

In Germanic Neopagan sects, Yule is celebrated with gatherings that often involve a meal and gift giving. Further attempts at reconstruction of surviving accounts of historical celebrations are often made, a hallmark being variations of the traditional. However it has been pointed out that this is not really reconstruction as these traditions never died out - they have merely removed the superficial Christian elements from the celebrations blót.

Groups such as the Asatru Folk Assembly in the US recognize the celebration as lasting for 12 days, beginning on the date of the winter solstice.^[5]

Wicca

In general, many Wiccan based sects favor a plethora of sources on winter solstice holidays to recreate a type of Yule holiday. While the name "Yule" is used, it is not a reconstruction of the historical holiday. Wreaths, Yule logs, decoration of trees, decorating with mistletoe, holly, and ivy, exchanges of presents, and even wassailing are incorporated and regarded as sacred. The return of the Sun as Frey is commemorated in some groups. In most Wiccan sects, this holiday is also celebrated as the rebirth of the Great God, who is viewed as the newborn solstice sun. However, due to the eclectic nature of modern Wicca, many solstice narratives from outside mythologies are incorporated or even substituted.

References

• Rouche, Michel, "Private life conquers state and society," in A History of Private Life vol I, Paul Veyne, editor, Harvard University Press 1987 ISBN 0-674-39974-9

See also

External links

• Stone, John Robert, Observing Bede's Anglo-Saxon Calendar
• "The Eight Great Festivals of Asatru" - Asatru Folk Assembly