This year, the Yuletide brings a wonderful gift - a word in English with absolutely no Latin or Greek antecedent and, even better, it’s seasonally appropriate. It’s Yule and we get it from ancient Germanic peoples, specifically the Norse in Scandinavia, who at the time, were dubbed “The Fun Bunch” by neighboring communities. English historian the Venerable Bede wrote that the Anglo-Saxon calendar included the months geola or giuli corresponding to modern December and January. Some scholars claim jolly itself descends from the French jol, but the OED says to put a chaussette in that. The central figure of the Norse celebration was a god called Odin, a guy with a long white beard, called Jólnir, the Yule One. Some people confuse him with Yule Brenner, but that’s a rookie mistake and, let’s be honest, you’re no rookie. Keeping with our Norse theme, here’s the perfect thing to do on Christmas Eve.
Even today, everybody remembers the Scandinavian custom of heitstrenging.
On Yule Eve, the whole family puts their hands on a holy pig, the sonargöltr, before swearing solemn oaths to the god Freyr. Then you sacrifice the pig and dance around the Yule log while pounding down pints of warm mead. [See “The Fun Bunch”, above.]
Another big tradition is the Yule Log, a giant chunk of wood that’s dragged into the fireplace and burned on Christmas Eve to ward off evil spirits and the like.
In France, gifts were hidden under the thing and in Italy, children were made to hit to log for some reason. Neither of these make a lot of sense, but, hey, Europeans, am I right?
Since the USA is Number One, we, of course, do it better than anybody.
In 1966, WPIX, TV channel 11 in New York City, broadcast video of a log burning in a fireplace at Gracie Mansion, the Mayor’s mansion. The station still does because charming traditions matter in this country.
Complete rubbish! Everyone knows that Yule comes from the song "You'll be home for Christmas." Americans have always been terrible spellers.
I remember the WPIX 11 yule log. It didn't keep you warm on a cold night but it was nice to look at.