Did You Know Thursday: Yule

Check out my new blog for a 2020 updated version of this post: Celebrating Yule

Did you know that many traditions associated with Christmas actually  originated within the Viking celebration of Yule?

Well they did! Although Christmas is a Christian celebration, many of the traditions associated with the holiday are thought to have originated within the pagan-Viking culture. Scandinavians marked Yule (“Jul”) or the winter solstice long before Christians were present within any of the Nordic territories. Centuries before the arrival of Jesus, most Europeans celebrated light in the darkest days of winter. Celebrations of Yule included brewing beer, preparing food, visiting family and gift giving. 

Sound familiar?

Vikings were pagans and therefore sacrificed and offered both goods and animals to the gods in order to conquer the darkness of winter. Afterward drinking a toast for the upcoming year before offering beer to the gods. The Sagas suggest that at the Norse gods feast of Valhalla, a pig, Sæhrimnir, served the gods and the bravest of Vikings. And so eating pig was central to Vikings and their celebrations, including Yule. Ham or more likely for the Vikings, wild boar, was the meal of choice. As most Viking celebrations did, Yule revolved around drinking, feasting and song. 

Many of the traditions we continue to celebrate started within these celebrations; things like the Christmas tree, mistletoe and wreaths all have roots within Germanic and Norse traditions. Trees were decorated to try to tempt the tree spirits of the forest to return and to bring spring with them. The wreath was similarly believed to entice the end of winter, however, instead of hanging wreaths on doors like we do, the Vikings would light them on fire in order to tempt the sun to return. I feel like we need to bring this one back!

Mistletoe was a little more important to Viking culture because, according to Sagas, an arrow of mistletoe killed Baldr, the god of light. Did I mention Baldr was also the son of Odin and Frigg and the brother of Thor? Don’t worry, he was resurrected when his mother’s tear turned the berries red. Therefore mistletoe represented hope for the end of winter. Mistletoe has also been connected to Druids (pagan versions of priests.) Perhaps the most obvious of Viking traditions that has lasted through the years is the Yule Log, which was carved with runes to protect the household. In fact, fathers and sons would bring home these logs and people would feast until the log burned out, which could take up to 12 days. 

How cool was Viking culture? Sorry, I get excited because the Viking Age is one of my all time favorite time periods in history! 

While the Vikings did not have Santa Claus they did have a tradition of someone dressing up as old man winter; the old man was most likely a representation of Odin. Or was it Odin himself? Interestingly, this person would dress up in a hooded fur coat and have a white beard. The Viking chosen to be old man winter would travel around the community and join in Yule celebrations. Old Man Winter = Father Christmas = Santa Claus. 

It may be a bit of a reach but Santa’s reindeer may have originated from the Yule Goat. Viking sagas suggest that Thor rode his chariot through the sky pulled by 2 goats. To celebrate this legend people would dress themselves in goatskins and travel from house to house performing songs and giving gifts. Not to mention that later in history, in Scandinavia, a jolly elf named Jultomten was believed to bring gifts in his sleigh drawn by goats.

Sounds like our Santa and his reindeer doesn’t it? Kinda sorta? Though I don’t think Santa carried around a mystical hammer…HAHA!

The Christian church was remarkably slow to embrace Christmas. Despite the spread of Christianity most midwinter festivals, such as Yule, did not become Christmas for hundreds of years. You see, Midwinter festivals with their pagan roots were already widely celebrated and, since the Bible gives no actual reference as to when Jesus was born, it took until about the 4^thcentury for church leaders to embrace the Christmas holiday. From a historical standpoint Christianity was ever evolving during this time period and many people at the time believed that Jesus never existed as a man. Instead they believed he was more of a spiritual entity. This was, of course, heretical thought in the eyes of the church and, ya know, if you want to show that Jesus was a real person, he needs a birthday and it needs to be celebrated. 

So you see, many of our Christmas traditions evolved from the Viking pagan festival of Yule. So thank a Viking! 

A Viking-Asatru Christmas Carol

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Hall
Not a creature was stirring, not warrior nor thrall.
And I in my armor, my greaves and my helm
Was drunker than anyone else in the Realm.

I staggered upstairs and fell into bed
While four quarts of mead were ablaze in my head.
Then up from below came the sounds of a brawl
So I grabbed up my axe and ran down to the Hall.

I missed the last step and crashed down in a heap
Thinking, “Why can’t those low-lifes downstairs go to sleep!”
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But two brawny strangers, wielding mallet and spear.

I said to myself, “We’ll soon have them beat!”
Then I noticed ten warriors laid out at their feet.
I gave out a yell and leapt into the fray…
I’ll always regret my poor choice of that day.

For the one laid his hammer to the side of my nose
And up, up, up to the rafters I rose.
Then came a lone frightened voice from the floor,
“Those are no mortal warriors — that’s Odin and Thor!”

Then they looked at each other and they said, “Battle’s done.
Now they know who we are, it no longer is fun.”
Then Thor raised his hammer, and his elbow he bent,
And with a loud crash, through the ceiling they went.

I crawled through the Hall and flung open the door,
Not really sure that I’d seen them before.
The snow bathed in starlight, the moon like a glede,
I saw them ride off on an eight-legged steed.

And I heard them exclaim, ‘ere they flew out of sight,

“TO HELA WITH CHRISTMAS, WE JUST LOVE A GOOD FIGHT!”

– Author unknown

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