Yule (in different languages Yule, Joel or Yuil) is a medieval holiday of the winter solstice among the Scandinavian and Germanic peoples, celebrated on December 21 to January 1. Originally pagan, the holiday became traditional, and was held in Christian times, combined with Christmas. Nowadays, the tradition is almost lost.
Of all the festivities, Yule is undoubtedly the most important, the most sacred and the most powerful. On these nights, all worlds converge in Midgard: gods and goddesses descend to earth, trolls and elves converse with people, the dead leave the Lower Worlds; those of the people who often communicate with the Other World temporarily leave their bodies and join the riders of the Wild Hunt (oskorei - "riders of Asgard"), or become werewolves and other spirits.
Also "Yule" - the days of the great feast and holiday, in which all members of the clan gathered together in order to once again meet the Sun, which has risen from the darkness, and to see the reborn world. It is no coincidence that the elements of the holiday have been preserved in Christian Christmas, for example, an evergreen tree, symbolizing life that will continue after the winter cold.
The origin of the word "Yule" is lost in the mists of time. Most likely, it goes back to the Indo-European root with the meaning of "spinning", "spinning", "wheel". Perhaps it means "turning time", "turning of the year", "time of sacrifice" or "dark time".
According to the tradition, "Yule" lasts 13 nights, which are called "Nights of the Spirits", which is also preserved in their German name, Weihnachten. These thirteen nights, from the first sunset to the last dawn, are a gap between two years, a sacred period during which there is neither the usual time nor the usual boundaries, when the lot of the gods is decided and the spindle of the goddess of Destiny, Urd, rotates.
In ancient times, among the Anglo-Saxon tribes, "Yule" began the night before the winter solstice (December 19 or 20, depending on the year). According to Bede the Historian's testimony, this night was called “mother’s”, and if earlier, apparently, it was devoted to rituals associated with the Diss and Frigga, now it is expressed as an evening “with the family”.
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However, the most important night of the Yule festival is, of course, the solstice, the longest night of the year, during which the spirits become the real rulers of this world. That night they lit the Yule fire and guarded the house from evil spirits; on the same night the most sincere vows and promises were made. They also believed that one should not be alone on this night - after all, then a person is left alone with the dead and the spirits of the Other World …
Yule ends on the "twelfth night" (actually, the thirteenth, as evidenced even by its Old Icelandic name, Threttandi) - that is, January 6 according to Christian chronology (if we count from the night of Christian Christmas on December 25), or 1-2 January according to the ancient German chronology (if you count from December 19 or 20).
The next day was considered “the day of fate” - everything that was said and done before sunset determined all the events of the coming year (from where our “as you celebrate the New Year, you will spend it”). There were no more sure signs, it was believed, than those shown during the "Twelfth Night"; and the most powerful words are those spoken that night.
Note, however, that, according to some historians, in ancient times the Germanic "Yule" was celebrated several days later than Christian Christmas. For example, in Norway, "Twelfth Night" ("Knuts' Day") fell on January 13; some believe that "Twelfth Night" was celebrated on January 14 according to the modern calendar. However, most contemporary Asatru communities nevertheless prefer to combine Yule with the Christian holiday of Christmas and the winter solstice.
Traditions
Yule - Solstice Night, the longest night of the year. A big holiday was held in her honor, as the medieval Germans awaited the revival of the King of the Oak, the Sun King, Giver of Life, who warmed the frozen earth, awakened life in the seeds that were stored in her bosom throughout the long winter. Bonfires were lit in the fields, and crops and trees were blessed by drinking spicy cider.
Children went from house to house with gifts in the form of carnations, apples, and oranges, which lay in baskets of evergreen branches and stalks of wheat, dusted with flour. Apples and oranges represented the sun, branches symbolized immortality, wheat stalks represented harvest, and flour meant success, light and life. Holly, mistletoe and ivy were adornments not only outside but also inside houses to invite nature spirits to take part in the celebration. The holly branch was kept near the door all year round as a constant invitation to the lucky fortune to visit the inhabitants of the house.
Traditionally, the singing of the Christmas carol, the blessing of the trees, the burning of the Yule log, the decoration of the Yule tree, the exchange of gifts, and kissing under the mistletoe were held. The tradition of serving Christmas ham dates back to the pagan custom of swearing on the head of a wild boar. It was believed that such an oath comes to Freyr himself, the god of fertility, whose sacred animal was the wild boar.
Yule cat.
One of the features of Yule in Iceland is the Yule cat, the pet of the giantess Grül, who lives in a cave far in the mountains. He is huge, fluffy and always loves to eat. According to legend, he is bigger than a bull. The Yule cat has black fur and fiery glowing eyes. They frighten children to this day. Yule cat With the onset of the holiday, the Yule cat looks to naughty children, lazy people and those who are not prepared for the celebration. Usually he eats the whole holiday dinner, and if it does not turn out to be tasty, the cat will feast on the children living in the house. According to signs, if you do not put on new clothes on Yule, the cat will eat the sloth. Therefore, Yule is supposed to wear something new. Despite the fact that the Yule cat is capable of instilling terror, he is kind to good people and will definitely reward. The Christmas cat is not afraid of dogs and even fire. According to the legends,it is he who comes for sacrifices and treats for ancestors and elves to convey to them the respect expressed by people.
How to Celebrate Yule: Rites and Traditions
There are quite a few traditions for celebrating Yule. And they are different from place to place. However, there are general elements and rules for celebrating Yule.
- Celebrating Mother's Day, which is more like preparing for the holiday itself. At this time, they cleaned the house, made festive wreaths, prepared treats and decorated the dwelling. All household chores had to be completed before dark.
- In the evening, all family members gathered for a hearty dinner. According to legend, it was necessary to eat, as they say, "from the heart" so that next year the food in the house would not be translated.
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Even the poorest families put themselves and their homes in order. Clean (or better, new) clothes, clean body, clean house.
It was not customary to get up early on Yule, because it was supposed to celebrate all night long.
- In the morning it was necessary to light a candle in every room of the house, this served as a greeting to the new sun god.
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The table was set rich (if possible, of course). Traditional treats were:
nuts, fruits (pears, apples, etc.);
- often for this holiday, a calf or a sheep was slaughtered, a hearty meat soup, smoked lamb was prepared, and the poor instead of lamb and veal cooked a partridge;
- at first, cereal dishes were considered a real luxury, even ordinary bread was a delicacy (this is due to the fact that grain crops in the north give a poor harvest, and their imports from neighboring countries cost a pretty penny), but Christmas porridge was always present on the festive table;
- all kinds of pastries (donuts, cookies, etc.);
- ham and pork are also considered a traditional dish;
- and from drinks - grog or mulled wine.
- At the festive table they talked, shared plans for the future and made wishes.
- At midnight, it was necessary to extinguish all the lights in the house (even the fire in the hearth), then they were re-lit. This symbolized the death of the god on Samhain and his birth on Yule.
- There were also many rituals performed that night. They are completely different, but more often than not they are aimed at attracting wealth and getting rid of negativity. In one such ritual, after dinner, all family members held hands and thought about what they would like to get rid of next year. They made wishes and asked the spirits for help.
- There is a sign very familiar to a Russian person: how the next day after Yule will pass (the 22nd or 23rd) - this will be the whole coming year.
- Another wonderful and sweet tradition is a kiss under the mistletoe, which promises happiness to lovers.
Now it is very difficult to judge the true essence of this ancient pagan holiday, but one thing is clear for sure - it is simply necessary in the dark time of December. People before and now need to gain optimism in the dark and have fun. And at the same time drive away evil spirits.
Symbolism
Yule's symbolism is a Yule log or a small Yule log with three candles, evergreen twigs and twigs, holly, ivy hanging on the door, golden candles, fruit baskets decorated with carnations, a boiling pot with ale, spurge, Christmas cactus.
The ceremonial Yule log was the main place in the holiday. According to tradition, the log should be taken from the land of the owner of the house or accepted as a gift … but by no means bought. Brought into the house and installed in the fireplace, it was decorated with seasonal herbs, poured with cider or ale, and sprinkled with flour. The log burned all night (it was set on fire from a piece of wood from last year's log, which was specially preserved), then smoldered for the next 12 days, and then was ceremonially taken out. Ash is a traditional tree for Yule logs. It is a sacred Teutonic tree associated with the mythical Yggdrasil tree.
In general, Yule is a bright and kind holiday, which is closely intertwined with modern Christmas and is almost indistinguishable from it.
Based on materials from norge.ru