Yuletime is here!

The original was posted on Facebook in December, 2016. I am the Author of this text. 

Yule, an old Norse tradition

Yule is an ancient nordic tradition and have been practiced for several thousand years. Wintersolstice is celebrated when the sun gives the least light only to return with brighter days up until midsummer where the days are the longest. Wintersolstice arrives on or around December 21. During this night it is said that Odin rides on his horse Sleipner across the skies in a wild hunt for Skogsrået (Forest Nymph). During Yule the gods and godesses are at their closest to Midgård. The dead returns to Midgård to attend the festivities with the living. Elves, trolls and other magic beings wanders freely at this time, and must either be averted or urged to come in friendship and peace. 

The expression “drink Yule” occur for first time in the poem Hrafnsmál from around year 900, where in the 6th verse it says about the warhungry king Harald Hårfager that he wanted to “drink Yule” on the sea.

When our ancestors celebrated Yule they toasted to Odin who gives strength and victory but also good judgement to the chieftains. Next they toasted to Njord and Frey and for a good harvest and peace the following year. They also toasted for departed relatives, this toast was called minni which means "memory". 

Next, the berserkers had duels that lasted 3 days. And then it was time for feast with plenty of meat, especially wild boar. Today, the yule-ham still stands at the center of most yule-tables in Sweden. When Scandinavia was christianized, christians were forbidden from eating ham on this day because it was otherwise assumed that they agreed with the celebration. 

The different items that we set forth during Yule are heathen in origin. Little ”Santas”, not to be confused with the big Santa we see today, rather a small man originally with green and grey clothing represents Jolnir (one of Odins many names) that wanders about in Midgård to gather the offerings that people have made for him. 

The Yule-ham represents Särimner, the hog that lives in Vallhall and is slaughtered each night, and resurrected again the next day. The Yule-goats are Thor's Tanngnjost and Tanngrisner, the Yule tree represents the yew that is symbolic of the world tree Yggrasil, the red bulbs are not only the fruits on the yew, but also represents animal sacrifices that was hung in trees, such as horses and cows. 

The Yule tree stand with three legs represent Mimers Well, the source of nutrition for Yggdrasil. Other items we hang in the tree, for example goats, little ”Santas” and such are all symbols of all inhabitants of the universe. 

Before the Yule-star found its way to the top of our Yule tree there used to sit an eagle there, Räsvelg, Hræsvelgr (old norse)"Corpse Swallower"). Räsvelg sits and watches for  dead bodies that it can dive down and take. It flutters its wings to create storms across the universe. 

Tomtenissar, or pixies, are from gnomes who are related to dwarves. The english word “elf” comes from the nordic word 'alv' which is a race of divine beings, either light-elfs or dark-elfs. People were really cautious of the latter because they are really evil and steal children and animals from farms. Naturally dark-elfs are afraid of light, so we lit fires in order to intimidate them. Yule klab, or julklapp (christmas gift), from the word 'klabb' was a big piece of firewood that was thrown on the fire to bring light and warmth and to keep the evil dark-elfs away.

Today we don't sing like we used to when skalds (poets) sang from the Edda or Havamál, but we sing plenty of drinking-songs, or 'snapsvisor' and jolly yulesongs during our big feast around the yule-table.