Hello everyone! This is Casimir with The Skald’s Circle again. Today we’ll be talking about Yule, what is recorded about it, and it’s influences on modern winter celebrations.
Yule, of all of the winter celebrations of religions and cultures past, is the one that has survived and thrived. I find this particularly fascinating because there is remarkably little written about it! The most comprehensive description of Yule is actually given in the Heimskringla. Here is a description of the Yule celebrations given by Lee M. Hollander, a translator of Norse texts that I cannot recommend enough:
“It was ancient custom that when sacrifice was to be made, all farmers were to come to the heathen temple and bring along with them the food they needed while the feast lasted. At this feast all were to take part of the drinking of ale. Also all kinds of livestock were killed in connection with it, horses also; and all the blood from them was called hlaut [sacrificial blood], and hlautbolli, the vessel holding the blood; and hlautteinar, the sacrificial twigs [aspergills]. These were fashioned like sprinklers, and with them were to be smeared all over with blood the pedestals of the idols and also the walls of the temple within and without; and likewise the men present were to be sprinkled with blood. But the meat of the animals was to be boiled and served as food at the banquet. Fires were to be lighted in the middle of the temple floor, and kettles hung over them. The sacrificial beaker was to be borne around the fire, and he who made the feast and was chieftain, was to bless the beaker as well as all the sacrificial meat.”
He then goes on to say that toasts are drunk to the various gods and the king. However, beyond this description that Dr. Hollander was kind enough to bring us from the Heimskringla, we don’t have a lot of information on Yule like we do on other better recorded winter celebrations, like Saturnalia. We have attestations that it exists, though. In 4th century writings from the Goths, a root word appears in one of their month names, “Fruma Jiuleis”, and in the 8th century the contemporary historian Bede, wrote that the Anglo-Saxon calendar included the month Geola or Giuli, these corresponding to our December, or December and January. Norse specific sources include the Skáldskaparmál of the Prose Edda; the gods are referred to as Yule-beings. Another note, being one of Odin’s many names is Jólnir, roughly translating as Yule Figure. A large amount of the information that we have on Yule actually comes from speculating and theorization from scholars on the time period. A scholar on the time period, Dr. Rudolf Simek, made an excellent connection to Yule with the celebration of Midwinter, otherwise known as the winter solstice. Yule and Midwinter happened around the same time of the year — the 21st of December in our calendar — he believes that both of them constituted some kind of religious, rather than a secular holiday, given that on both holidays it was recorded that feasting, drinking, and sacrifice were involved. Feasting is still a common part of religion holy days today, and alcohol played a very important part in religion in the Norse and Germanic religions. This can be further noted in A Lady with a Mead Cup by Michael J. Enright. Traditions like, the Yule log, the Yule goat, and the Yule boar (which can arguably be linked to today’s Christmas Ham!) all are believed to represent facets of the Yule celebrations the past, mainly sacrifices.
I was asked by one of our readers to look into the Odin connection to Santa. Oddly enough, that also comes down to a lot of speculating. Yule, and the time around Christmas in general until modernity, always had a sinister aire around it. One of the big things was the Wild-Hunt. Woden, and the Norse Odin, were frequently attested to the leader of the Wild-Hunt. Supernatural occurrences were believed to have increased at this time of year. Santa Claus was obviously mostly influenced by Saint Nicholas. However, many of his contemporary facets are believed by modern scholars to have been influenced by the stories of Odin. Things like a long white beard, hooded and cloaked, while riding on a grey horse bringing gifts. The stories of Odin and Saint Nicholas are believed to have combined, creating Father Christmas, the original Santa Claus.
I have to say I really did learn a lot writing this! I had no idea before this how little information was actually recorded about Yule, and I was surprised, disappointed, and then intrigued (in that order) to find out the likely story behind the Santa – Odin connection. I hope you all learn as much from this as I did! As always, if you’d like to discuss the article, please feel free to send us a message either on our site, or to our Facebook page!
I hope you have enjoyed our discussion of mythology folklore, and history on History with The Skald’s Circle. If you’d like to know more, or perhaps discuss it with me I’m always more than willing. Also, if you have something you would like us to research, please let us know! Also if you learned something new, give us a like, and let us know, we really appreciate being noticed… Until then, I’ll be back with another fascinating topic next month. This is Casimir, signing off, and remember, always check your sources!
Sources:
Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology,. D.S. Brewer. & Orchard (1997:1987).
Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Mythology and Legend Cassell
Baker, Margaret (2007 1962). Discovering Christmas Customs and Folklore: A Guide to Seasonal Rites Throughout the World,. Osprey Publishing.
Hollander, M. Lee (Trans.) (2007). Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway.
Baker, Margaret (2007 1962). Discovering Christmas Customs and Folklore: A Guide to Seasonal Rites Throughout the World, page 62. Osprey Publishing.