By Ellie Sullivan
Amongst those who follow the old Germanic ways
(German, Celt, Roman, Greek, Scandinavian, Teutonic, etc.),
Yule is the most important holiday of the year. With each
form of Yuletide, comes many different beliefs and traditions,
though all have some reference to the spirits of Yuletide.
It is widely believed that the winter solstice is a time in
which deities, spirits, etc. are closest to Midgard (the middle
world where the humans live). Many Yule traditions have their
origins in practices meant to ward off evil wandering spirits
(demons, trolls and goblins such things that most of us would
associate with Celtic Samhain or Halloween) from the home.
In Norse lands, Trolls of many types are roaming; draugr (rare
and evil human ghosts of enormous strength) accost mortals,
and the Alfar (Elves) -- both malicious and benevolent --
may drop by the homes of men. According to Scandinavian folklore,
ghosts and other evil spirits are said to hate sunlight. In
a culture with those assumptions, it makes sense that spirits
would take advantage of long dark nights.
Conversely, another popular practice of Yuletide is to welcome
good spirits (the respected dead of the family, woodland spirits,
or House wights, which are creatures/spirits who protect the
home) into the home and show them thanks for the blessings
they bestow. Food would be left out on the table for them
after all had gone to bed. At Yuletide, hosts of dead could
be seen (by those so gifted) feasting with great celebrations,
and paying each other friendly visits in each other's houses.
If they are welcomed, they will be ritually driven from the
house at the end of Yuletide to enforce the return of normalcy
in the world. Both sides have their own yuletide traditions
to accommodate their spirits, whoever they might be. Here
are examples of just a few.
Evergreen boughs were to symbolize that when the sun god was
again strong summer would return. Evergreens are used as symbols
of both good and evil spirits.
Houses and public places were decorated with evergreens.
They were never sought merely for their decorative capabilities.
The evergreens were used, as defense against demons and witches
they thought were especially prevalent during this time of
year. They thought the winter demons were afraid of the greens
because they stayed green all year. Green belongs in the realm
of summer and life; winter kills most of summer's vegetation,
but the evergreens remain steadfast. They were symbols of
everlasting life to the heathen. Germanic tribes in northern
Europe used evergreens in their rituals. These tribes celebrated
a winter period called the Twelve Nights. In those ancient
days, people believed in evil spirits. During the Twelve Nights,
Germanic people tried to scare off these spirits with grotesque
masks and noisemakers. They also used evergreen branches to
protect their homes Also the Teutonic people placed holly
and other evergreens inside their houses to protect from evil
spirits and bad winter weather.
Because evergreen trees thrived in winter when other trees
appeared to die, these tribal people thought evergreen branches
had the magical power to war off life threatening spirits.
According to custom, lights also had the power to guard against
the demons, since light drives away darkness, so develops
the tradition of Christmas lights. The solstice tree has many
pagan meanings. The evergreen symbolized the survival of green
life in the darkest part of the year. It offered hope that
life would return in the spring - Life after death. Fruit
trees were also used. The ancients would shake their fruit
trees at solstice and hang a token of thanks on them. This
would insure a good harvest. Fruit trees also symbolized the
fertility of the earth. The spirits of trees were very important
and had to be taken care of. Winter solstice was the time
to feed the spirits of the trees strengthening, renewing them
and the tree. Trees were brought into the house to give the
spirits a warm place to dwell during the coldest part of the
year. Those who believe in the good spirits often decorate
their Yule tree with food and goodies to keep the spirits
happy and fed, similar to the Nisse in Denmark. Or they will
leave food out at night so as the spirits will not get hungry.
The wreath comes from the pagan Mother’s Day, Mothers’
Night tradition. The women would braid their wishes for the
New Year into the wreaths. Mother would braid pretty ribbons
into the wreath as gifts to the spirits for granting her wishes.
It would then be blessed and given to a special family as
a gift. A similar tradition uses the Yule wreath as an oath
ring. Oaths would be laid upon it as well as wishes, and then
on the Twelfth Nightblot or New Year’s it would be burned.
Cedar branches or other natural substances should be used
when making these wreathes.
Holly was hung in honor of the Holly King in pagan traditions
and still is today in many pagan homes. It symbolizes the
old Solar Year; Waning Sun; Protection, and Good Luck. In
the Roman celebration of Saturnalia, the red berries signified
the blood of the female and so therefore Holly was also seen
as a symbol of feminine aspect. The fertility aspect of Mistletoe
is how the tradition of kissing under it formed. You needed
to find a mate before you could produce offspring. Ivy was
seen to represent the masculine, and the ancient custom of
decorating the doorway with the two plants intertwined was
a symbolic union of the two halves of divinity. Also the Teutonic
people placed holly and other evergreens inside their houses
to protect from evil spirits and bad winter weather. The heathen
Druids, who believed that its evergreen leaves attested to
the fact that the sun never deserted it, admired Holly and
since the sun was held in worship, holly was sacred. Holly
was supposed to be hateful to witches, and was therefore placed
on doors and windows to keep out evil spirits. The red berries
on the holly once had a pagan meaning, being the blood drops
of the beautiful Balder, the ill-fated darling of Valhalla.
It was particularly prized to decorate doors, windows and
fireplaces because of its prickliness -- to either ward off
or snag and capture evil spirits before they could enter and
harm a household. Romans were quite fond of holly during their
Solstice celebration, known as the Saturnalia. Gifts of holly
were exchanged during this time, as holly was believed to
ward off lightning and evil spirits. Also the Teutonic people
placed holly and other evergreens inside their houses to protect
from evil spirits and bad winter weather. Mistletoe is sacred
to the Celts and Druids. It has very magical properties. Some
of its magical properties are keeping away fire, keeping the
dark safe, bestowing life, fertility, barring evil from entering
the house. Clearly Yule has a dual nature: it is the time
of Death and darkness, when trolls, ghosts and alfs fare about,
but it is also the time of return of the waxing Sun and celebration
of Her promise of Life and light renewed.
This is a pagan custom from the Yule festival of the Teutonic
and Celtic tribes, which Yule festival was in honor of the
god, Thor. The Saxons and Goths burned the Yule log at their
festival of the winter solstice. Each year a brand was saved
to rekindle the new fire. The remnants were believed to have
magic powers, and the log symbolized protection against evil
spirits. The Yule log was made of scared Oak and valued above
all other trees. The Yule Log was also a fertility ritual.
The ash from the Yule Log was fed to cattle to cure them of
illness, make the fertile, and help ease birth. The ashes
were also used for the same purpose on farmer’s fields
to nurture and protect the crops. Ashes were as used on doorways
and windows to prevent evil spirits from entering the house.
The Yule Log was also symbol of light conquering the dark.
References:
http://haligwaerstow.ealdriht.org/yule.htm
The Xmas Story Part 6 from “Heathen Holidays”
by Denise Snodgrass
http://www.prime.org/holiday/xmas6.html
http://www.thetroth.org/resources/ourtroth/yule.html
http://www.cynsmoon.com/Yule.html
http//www.masterstouchdesigns.com/cwof/Christmas.htm
Christmas Around the World Christmas in Today’s Germany
Christmas Around the World Christmas in Today’s Britain
Christmas Around the World Christmas in Today’s Scandinavia
Christmas Around the World Christmas in Today’s Denmark
http://www.crystalforest3.homestead.com/Yulelore.html
http://www.angelfire.com/on/Wodensharrow/yule.html
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