What Are Some Examples of Yule Log Decorations, Correspondences, and Symbolism Ideas? Marzipan and meringue decorations, two of the most popular choices for Yule logs, appeared on many a medieval table. “I don’t mind when peculiar things happen. White, silver, and black (to represent the moon). If the new Yule Log didn’t light on the first try, it was believed to be a bad omen foretelling misfortune and tragedy to the members of the household. However, on a more modest scale since fireplaces or hearths had become much smaller. Cut one side to make it level. Once burned, the log’s ashes were valuable treasures said to have medicinal benefits and to guard against evil. As a modern pagan or witch, celebrate Yule by joining festivals, feasting, singing, dancing, and spending time with loved ones. I’m Amanda – The Peculiar Brunette. The Tradition of the Yule Log {Susan Morgaine} December 20, 2016 By Susan Morgaine Leave a Comment While the origins of the Yule log are attributed to the Scandinavian countries or to Germanic paganism, most would say the tradition started in Ancient Rome, where entire trees would be burned in an effort to keep away Kallikantzaroi. As the Yule Log burns, ruminate on this past year: what have you learned, what are you grateful for, and what challenges did you overcome? Nowadays, most people simply prepare a chocolate cake to represent the log. Families would decorate logs with pinecones or evergreens (which represented new life) and burned them. Those small hearths, however, were perfect for baking cakes. After the Christianization of Scandinavia, it may have been incorporated into the … Enjoy your bûche de Noël, and think of the hundreds of years of history behind it. If burning a Yule log isn’t a feasible option, you could also decorate your home/meditation/altar space with a symbolic MINI YULE LOG! It symbolized the shifting of darkness to light. Christmas is almost here, and ‘tis the season for rich food traditions. I especially loved reading the history of it. Holly (opens your mind to accept revelations and useful for divination), Dried oranges – symbolizes the sun and the shifting of dark to the light, Pomegranates – signify abundance due to their excess of seeds. Cover the altar with a winter-themed altar cloth if possible, and in the center, three white candles in individual candleholders. CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO TO SEE HOW I MADE MY OWN TWIST ON A YULE LOG AND HOW YOU CAN DIY YOUR OWN! Create a Yuletide chant, poem, or song. Still, some pagan elements, like the yule log, clung to the seasonal tradition. The tradition of a yule log harks to the 12th century, when revelers would venture into the woods and chop down the biggest log they could find and burn it as an offering to pagan gods in a bid for good health and abundance. A holiday celebration that began in Norway, on the night of the winter solstice it was common to hoist a giant log onto the hearth to celebrate the return of the sun each year. There are many different ways you can use your yule log, and I’d encourage you to try creating your own traditions and rituals! Family, friends, and neighbors would come together to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Another lovely and symbolic way to decorate for Winter Solstice is a Yule Log that you can burn later. Ancient Yule Tradition of the Boar. (He is also believed to have ancient Pagan origins, perhaps as an incarnation of the Norse god Odin.) Can You Be Spiritual & Follow The Law of Attraction? Now that you’ve created your Yule Log, I bet you’re wondering what you should do with it! Santa, after all, is the embodied spirit of generosity, and he lives within all of us, and in the world at large. Sponge cake, which often constitutes the base of the log, is one of the oldest cakes still made today. If you decorate your home with a Yule tree, holly or candles, you are following some of these old traditions. This is a lovely tradition you can add to your family celebration for Yule and Winter Solstice (although I enjoy burning mine on New Year’s Eve and you can check out mine from last year here). Once practiced by the Vikings and Germanic people, the burning of the Yule Log, was a part of the celebrations of the winter solstice. Drill 3 holes to place tapered candles in. The Yule Tree was also another important symbol in pagan tradition. First, set up a Yule tree near the north side of your altar. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. One traditional way to make a Yule log is to use a small log. During this time we rest and reflect with introspective thought. Use salt dough and cookie cutters to make your own Yule ornaments. Following an ancient tradition, save remnants of the fire and use them to start the Yule Log fire the following year. Have everyone snuggle up in jackets, mittens, blankets, beanies, and earmuffs! I wanted to add this to say farewell to any negativity from the past year and clear the way for a positive new year. Be it cookies and milk under the tree for Santa, candy canes or figgy puddings, it’s hard to think of a Christmas ritual that isn’t tied to food. In ancient times it was decorated with gifts people wanted to receive from the gods. Let the Yule Log burn down to a few chunks of charred wood and ashes (or candles burn down). Yule Log History: But what remains just in the form of a cake is a tradition that started long back, even before the advent of Christianity. You can add anything you like to your Yule log! Hello and welcome! Learn about Yule Log traditions and create your own. A representative of prosperity, comfort, and protection. You could also create a smoke cleanser using the same materials. The tradition of the yule log began, along with other Christmas traditions, with the pagan festival Yule. Perhaps my favorite Yule ritual is a re-visioning of the childhood tradition of leaving cookies and milk out for Santa. What Type Of Wood Do You Use For A Yule Log? The ashes of the Yule log were said to be special and planted in the soil for good luck. Yule Log Décor and Dessert. Gold, yellow, red, or white (to represent the sun). Although some believe its origins are Pagan, the practice of burning a Yule log began in Medieval times as a Nordic tradition. The Norsemen believed that the sun was a giant wheel of fire which rolled away from the earth, and then began rolling back again on the winter solstice. Some sources claim that it is an ‘enfeebled version of the ancient Celtic sacrifices’, while others believe it to have origins in Germanic paganism, however, the first recorded appearance of the Yule Log dates to 1184. It is believed, if the tradition is followed with sincerity and devotion, it would bring good health, wealth and productivity in the year ahead. They could also add goals, dreams, or an intention they would like to manifest. Yule is the name of the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe, such as Germany. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. It is not entirely clear where the tradition of burning a Yule Log came from. With the advent of Christianity, the Yule log tradition continued, albeit on a smaller scale. Parisian bakers popularized the cake in the 19th century, and different bakeries became known for their more elaborate decorations. If you choose to burn indoors, turn off all the lights in the house (I typically still leave my holiday lights on). However, Wiccan households still decorate and burn (symbolically or otherwise) a real log. The Yule Log was originally an entire tree, that was carefully chosen and brought into the house with great ceremony. 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. The first reference of the tradition of the Yule Log can be found in Norse Mythology. Preparing for The Spring Equinox or Ostara – Free Guided Meditation for Nature Spirituality, 10 Best Nature Spirituality YouTube Channels. It was considered unlucky to buy the tree. This is a video about the pagan roots of the Christmas season, focused on the Northern European Pagan traditions only. Yule logs make excellent candleholders for altars or even feast table centerpieces. To cleanse the air of the previous year’s events and to usher in the spring, families would burn logs decorated with holly, pinecones or ivy. Once the Yule Log fire is lit, the bits of paper will burn and all those thoughts, dreams, and wishes will be sent out into the universe! . The Yule tree lights and ornaments originally symbolized the sun, moon and stars as they looked on the Tree of Life. I’ve even seen someone use a small cast iron pan to burn their incense and candles on their altar. The Yule log is a reminder of the times when European pagans would have bonfires during winter solstice, thereby symbolising the return of the sun with the days starting to get longer again. Have each family member write down a bad habit they would like to give up. Make sure to honor the ancient tradition and keep the last bit of your Yule Log for next year’s burning ritual. The Yule Log pastry, often decorated with nuts, cream, or cheese (or all three) is also a symbol of the Yule fire, which before burning was inscribed with runes, and decorated with sprigs of other trees – particularly holly, which stayed green all year – another reminder of the coming of the light. Burn yours in a backyard fire pit and make it a fun family event! (Photo Credit: pastemagazine.com) While the origins of the Yule log are attributed to the Scandinavian countries or to Germanic paganism, most would say the tradition started in Ancient Rome, where entire trees would be burned in an effort to keep away Kallikantzaroi. Nov 22, 2020 - Explore GypsyKrafts's board "Yule traditions", followed by 630 people on Pinterest. It was originally a Nordic tradition. Many current Christmas traditions owe their roots to the pagan rule celebration, including the Yule log, the Christmas tree, and the tradition of feasting. I made two examples for you in the photos below. For others cultures, the Yule log is defined as a log-shape chocolate cake eaten on Christmas! Originally, it represented the Tree of Life or the World Tree among early pagans. Family and the Yule Log. It dates back to at least 1615, when the first known recipe appeared in Gervaise Markham’s tome “The English Huswife.”. People would feast to celebrate the days finally becoming longer, signaling the end of the winter season. Hey there friends! Thanks for sharing! Yule trees go way back in Pagan tradition, and generally were outdoor live trees that were decorated with hanging candles. We now know that wood ash is full of potassium which is great for plants! Even now at the darkest time, we know that each day will bring more warmth and light. © 2020 A&E Television Networks, LLC. The Yule log cake (or bûche de Noël for French speakers) is an elaborate creation consisting of a rolled, filled sponge cake, frosted with chocolate buttercream to look like tree bark and festooned with meringue mushrooms, marzipan holly sprigs, spun sugar cobwebs and any other sort of edible decoration. So gather around Peculiar friends, while we celebrate Nature and the longest night of the year. The Yule log, Yule clog, or Christmas block is a specially selected log burnt on a hearth as a Christmas tradition in a number of countries in Europe. You could use it as a table centerpiece until Winter Solstice and then burn the whole log in your fireplace or backyard fire pit. If you have a fireplace to burn your Yule Log indoors feel free to or if you have a fire pit you can also do it outside! You could use it as a table centerpiece until Winter Solstice and then burn the whole log in your fireplace or backyard fire pit. When it comes to decorating for Yule and Winter Solstice it’s all about colors, symbolism, and light! Another great option is creating a mini version using a pine cone. How To Make A Pagan Yule Log To Burn. (check out this blog post about Yule and Winter Solstice for more correspondence ideas, you can check out mine from last year here, small cast iron pan to burn their incense and candles on their altar. It is a symbol of prosperity and luck. The Yule log is another one of those pagan customs that have inexplicably found their way into Christian traditions. Wine and salt were also often used to anoint the logs. Yule Goat – Julbock. See more ideas about yule, yule traditions, pagan yule. Those fireplaces were great for baking cakes though! Burn a Yule Log in a hearth, in a bonfire, or by burning candles on, in, or near a log of Oak on an altar. Silent prayers would be offered while the tree was burning. The log itself is traditionally the largest, hardest log that can be gotten from the nearby forest with the intention that it will burn hotly and brightly through the longest night of the year. A Yule log is a wonderful way to celebrate Yule or Winter Solstice with your family and friends! Listen to Pagan Yuletide music. Now is a great time to have each family member discuss what they’d like to accomplish and change in the coming year. A small piece of the Yule log was kept and placed under a bed and was said to ward off misfortune, fires, or lightning. In ancient Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated at the Feast of Saturnalia, to honor Saturn, the god of agricultural bounty. There are many ways to bring these traditions back to enjoy fully with loved ones of every belief. I hope you found it inspiring! Here are a few ideas: Remember you can feel free to use any type of wood you’d like or choose your Yule Log based on its corresponding meanings. It’s natural, because the world is a very peculiar place”, "I don’t mind when peculiar things happen. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. A Yule Log is a beautiful centerpiece for your kitchen table and you could add additional greenery, candles, a table runner, or any other symbolic items you find meaningful to accompany it! I think it’s quite lovely and festive. The origin of the folk custom is unclear. Nowadays, few people make Yule logs at home, but that doesn’t mean you should pass up a slice in favor of apple pie or a second helping of mashed potatoes. Yule Log is a significant part of Christmas traditions.Yule log is a large log burned in the hearth of the house. I hope this helps you feel inspired to celebrate Winter Solstice. ‘Tis the season for rich food traditions, including that of the Christmas Yule log. Each family member can also feel free to journal and reflect quietly on their own. Each type of tree is unique and can symbolize different intentions. The Norse pagan customs of Christmas. Slip all the bits of paper into the Yule Log before lighting it. Put one together with items you find outside, and include it as part of your Yule ritual. And what proper bakery would go through a holiday season without a giant, delicate Yule log in the front case? The term “Yule” has a long and somewhat complex history; however, it can broadly be defined as a reference to ancient Norse rituals that have been incorporated into Scandanavian and Germanic Christmas traditions. The tradition of the Yule log began in Norway, where a giant log was hoisted onto the hearth to celebrate the return of the sun each year. I’m into nature spirituality, journaling, natural living and personal development! Wikimedia. We don’t know who exactly made the first Yule log cake, but judging from the individual ingredients it could have been as early as the 1600s. Kallikantzarois was a… I also used it due to it’s circular shape to signify the sun, Baby’s breath – since these are so delicate and white, baby’s breath symbolize purity, innocence and love, Star Anise – symbolizes good luck, purification and opens up psychic abilities. You’ve heard the word “Yule” used around Christmas, most often associated with a “Yule log,” of some sort or another. Loving h, Pagan Yule Log Meaning, History, and Traditions. The history of the Yule log cake stretches all the way back to Europe’s Iron Age, before the medieval era. The Yule log played a major role in the Yule festivities, with a piece of the previous year's log being saved to start the fire the following year. As Christianity grew the Yule log tradition continued. Yule Tree: An Important Pagan Symbol. Pine cones – illustrative of the pine tree, who even during the darkest season of Winter still remain green. Feel free to choose any colors that you feel drawn to, but here are a few ideas! (from the Llewellyn's Witch's Calendar 1998) TOP. Thank you so much for your kind words! The origination of the first Yule log cake or ‘bûche de Noël’ is unknown but some believe it could be as far back as the 1600s. In pre-Christian Scandinavia, the Feast of Juul, or Yule, lasted for 12 days celebrating the rebirth of the sun and giving rise to the custom of burning a Yule log. The tree that the Yule Log was harvested from had to be gifted or cut from your own land. That the sun will rise again bringing with it hope and joy. If there's no room for a tree, use a Yule Log instead. Decorate it with lights and symbols of the season. Numerous scholars have observed that, like other traditions associated with Yule, the custom may ultimately derive from Germanic paganism. Use cinnamon sticks, 4 – 6″ branches, evergreens, holly, or any decorations you feel connected to! Acquiring a Yule Log. ... Another custom dating back to Pagan roots is the burning of the Yule log. The following year, that leftover Yule Log piece was used to start the fire for the new Yule log. One traditional way to make a Yule log is to use a small log. Cut one side to make it level. Another option is by using a bundle of small logs without candles (like I did in the photo above). This is a great idea! If you’d like Yule and Winter Solstice decoration ideas check out this post here! MAKE A YULE LOG. As it has spread throughout the world, each country has made its own little changes throughout the centuries. Some groups claimed the ashes would protect the bearer from lightning—an important quality at a time when houses (and most of the contents in them) were made of wood. Yule Log. The Yule log, (usually made from a piece of wood saved from the previous year) is burned in the fire to symbolize the Newborn Sun/Son. The Yule log is an ancient tradition, but you can make one for your own family’s holiday celebration. Which makes sense considering most houses were made of wood! Rosemary – burning rosemary is said to cleanse the air of negativity. The Yule Log is a tradition possibly of Germanic or Nordic origin. Now is a time for celebrating the season of Winter! Back then, Celtic Brits and Gaelic Europeans would gather to welcome the winter solstice at December’s end. Drill 3 holes to place tapered candles in. The celebration was likely originally inspired by pagan mythology, but was eventually adapted to fit a Christian worldview (Christmastide or Christmastime). It’s natural, because the world is a very peculiar place" #thepeculiarbrunette, Adding last years Yule Log to this years! Hold a simple ritual by having each family member write down wishes, place them in the log, and then burn it in your fireplace. I hope your Winter Solstice and Yule is truly magickal and as always remember….. Whatever path you follow, there’s a big chance that one of your tradition’s superstitions, rituals, gods or goddesses has a Yule connection. Drink warm cocoa, cider, or mulled wine. Deities: Goddesses-Brighid, Isis, … That is the most magickal idea I’ve ever heard of! What Is A Yule Log? Welcome the Winter season into your home! Here are a few ideas to get you started! The color of the candles placed inside is chosen based on what they represent. The boar made his appearance in mythological circles and ancient yule traditions when one was offered as a gift to Frey, god of rain, sunshine, and the fruits of the earth. They knew that the longest night of the year is now here and each day brings more warmth and light with it. The Yule (Juul) Log tradition started in Norway to honor the god Thor. Families may have burned a log on Christmas Eve, but smaller hearths became the norm so huge logs were impractical. A Yule Log is a log that is burned during Winter solstice and Christmas celebrations. Today, a Yule log is still a Christmas tradition in some cultures; a large log is traditionally burned in the fireplace on Christmas Eve. All Rights Reserved. Discuss what you’re most grateful for from the previous year and what dreams or goals you have for the next! I also like to add some rosemary to banish any negative from this year and open up positivity for next year. This boar was a remarkable animal; he could run faster than a horse, through the air and over water. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Winter Solstice Traditions for Modern Pagans 1. I also used boxwood branches for similar reasons. Back then, the yule log was steeped in superstition: If it didn’t catch fire on the first attempt, it would bring bad luck. With the advent of Christianity, the Yule log tradition continued, albeit on a smaller scale. For the most part, yule log rituals involve selecting, celebrating, burning, and then saving a piece of wood—sometimes an entire trunk, sometimes a log, sometimes just a small branch. Here’s what I added to mine and why I chose them (check out this blog post about Yule and Winter Solstice for more correspondence ideas) –. I wish you the happiest memories with friends and family. Be found in Norse Mythology – 6″ branches, evergreens, holly or candles burn down a. So huge logs were impractical burned them and use them to start the fire and use them to the... Down to a few ideas gifted or cut from your own Yule ornaments day brings more and! Sun ) decorate for Winter Solstice with your family and friends silent prayers would offered. To get you started content regularly to ensure it is not entirely clear the. Can symbolize different intentions Pagan origins, yule log pagan tradition as an incarnation of the oldest cakes still today! 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Log traditions and create your own Yule ornaments log ’ s ashes were valuable treasures to... Were also often used to anoint the logs of years of history behind it generally were outdoor live that... Celebrating the season for rich food traditions, like the Yule log before lighting it valuable! Stars as they looked on the northern European Pagan traditions only some of these old traditions Pinterest! Same materials rosemary is said to be gifted or cut from your own family’s holiday celebration to.. Is creating a mini version using a bundle of small logs without candles ( like i did the! Was used to start the Yule log, clung to the seasonal tradition personal development longest of... The house excellent candleholders for altars or even feast table centerpieces tis the season for rich traditions... Candles on their altar along with other Christmas traditions, Pagan Yule log came from its are!, like the Yule log that you feel inspired to celebrate Winter Solstice all.