The Yule Log is a tradition that dates back in time, to the
Hearth fires of early European pagans. The winter solstice (sabbat) signaled the
beginning of the new year’s cycle. The new hearth fires would be kindled with
the remnants of the previous year’s log.
The new log would be chosen and brought to the home or
village to be burned through the entire length of the year’s longest night.
There would be celebrations and storytelling, of the feats of heroes and
warriors of the past as well as lessons for the children.
Yule logs were burned with the intentions of thanking the
local deities for all that the previous year had to offer and each person began
their new year with wishes and intentions for the upcoming year.
There are different stories about why the Yule log is an
important tradition in the pagan faiths. Some tell a story of the battle
between the Oak and Holly kings for dominance over the other.
Others tell stories
of a celebration of the return of the Sun. The winter solstice is the direct
opposite of the summer solstice. This is the shortest day of the year and marks
the beginning of winter. It also marks the end of the progression of days
growing shorter and nights growing longer.
The tradition of the Yule log has been carried on in the
form of Yule cakes and decorative logs used as center pieces. Often the stories
behind them are no longer remembered or have been retold in ways that support a
newer set of winter traditions. A modern way to celebrate the solstice with a
Yule log is to create one with candles that can be replace each year. It is
also nice to use greenery that can be refreshed each year too.
Locally gathered and recycled items.
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The log my daughter and I created this year is a decorative
version. The materials we used are found in nature in the area we live. We live
in the Arizona desert, so some of the traditional materials are not easily
gathered within walking distance of our home. It is not necessary that you
gather the materials within walking distance, but I chose this as part of the
criteria for what we gathered. I felt this would be a simple way of honoring
the fact that the ancestors didn’t have automobiles or craft shops and mass
retailers available to them for gathering their supplies.
In the desert behind our home there is a large very old
Black walnut tree. To honor this grandmother’s presence in our lives we went
and gathered up three of the branches she had lost this year. My husband cut
the lengths of these three branches to about 18 inches.
My daughter and I
bundled them together with white, gold and red ribbons. These ribbons were
originally her hair ties and she decided since we were gathering supplies
locally she could recycle her hair ribbons. Going along with Jolene’s theme of
recycling I found some Christmas candles, from years ago, and brought them out
to be included in our Yule log.
Adding pine boughs. |
The colors of the ribbons and candles are traditionalholiday colors. There are many ideas about what these colors represent, but to
us the gold represents the returning of the sun’s energy, white is the blanket
of snow that covers much of the northern world this time of year as well as the
goddess. Green is the color of the evergreens that seem to live through even
the harshest of conditions. Red is the color of the berries left from the last
harvest that will sustain the wildlife until spring arrives.
The final touches are cinnamon sticks, cedar boughs and
pinecones we gathered from the trees growing along the fence line where she
catches the school bus, another short walk from our home. The cinnamon sticks
are always in my cupboard and always smell so good this time of year as we bake
our goodies to share with our neighbors.
This year we will celebrate the return of the Sun by writing
our wishes and intentions for the new year on one side of a slip of paper, and
a list of all we are grateful for this year on the other side. As we each
contemplate these things we then light the slips of paper on fire with the
candles in the log and let them burn out in a fire safe dish. Once they have
extinguished themselves we will scatter the ashes to the wind, and let go of
the previous year while welcoming the new one.
Finished Yule Log on Winter altar. |
Have a Wicked Good Day!
Molly
P.S. Be sure to follow all the links in the article... there are recipies,Yule history and shopping links.
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