The celebrations included feasting and cleansing rituals, the most important of which was the ritual burning of specially anointed and decorated logs. While the Yule log tradition has become somewhat less commonplace in recent years, it has experienced a resurgence with the popularity of videos featuring crackling Yule logs, on websites like YouTube and Netflix. Add cinnamon to the cake mixture to make your Yule Log taste more seasonal. As the end of the year approaches, the holidays offer an opportunity for people to come together and celebrate traditions with family, friends and loved ones. The Yule log-burning tradition involved bringing a Yule log into a home and placing the large end inside the fireplace to feed a fire that would last throughout the 12 days of Christmas. One of the most important customs of the holiday is burning the Yule log. For instance, in France, a small piece of the log is burnt each night, up through Twelfth Night. The custom of Yule log varies from region to region. The tradition of burning a Yule log was practiced in similar ways throughout many European countries. It is believed, if the tradition is followed with sincerity and devotion, it would bring good health, wealth and productivity in the year ahead. The tradition originated in Scandinavia, says the Why Christmas website, then spread to the Celtic Brits and Gaelic Europeans, who believed that burning a yule log would bring good luck for the upcoming year. The Yule Log pastry, often decorated with nuts, cream, or cheese (or all three) is also a symbol of the Yule fire, which before burning was inscribed with runes, and decorated with sprigs of other trees – particularly holly, which stayed green all year – another reminder of the coming of the light. Like other traditions associated with Yule (such as the Yule boar), the custom may ultimately derive from Germanic paganism. The Christmas practice calls for burning a portion of the log each evening until Twelfth Night (January 6). Traditionally the Yule bannock and other dishes should be cooked over the heat from the Yule log burning in the hearth throughout the festive time. This comes from the legend that the shepherds burned the bunches of twigs to keep Joseph, Mary and their son Jesus warm. The birk in this case refers to the birch tree. Later, the Yule log was replaced by the Yule tree but, instead of burning it, burning candles were placed on it. The Yule log, Yule clog, or Christmas block is a specially selected log burnt on a hearth as a Christmas tradition in regions of Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, and subsequently the Americas. At some places, oak is replaced with large bunch of ash twigs. France - In France, whole family gets engaged in the process of cutting the log. The custom of burning the Yule Log goes back to, and before, medieval times. Whatever is left over is saved for the following Christmas; this is believed to protect the family home from being struck by lightning. Another way to use your Yule log is to burn it as our ancestors did so many centuries ago. Add the sifted flour/cocoa an gently fold to create a batter. The term came from the practice of burning a real log in a huge fireplace, and in the traditions and superstitions of a pagan religion. For others cultures, the Yule log is defined as a log-shape chocolate cake enjoyed as a Christmas dessert. Yule Log cakes have become an essential part of the Christmas feast. Yule Log Burning Ritual. Once the log was lit, it had to keep burning for 12 hours, but could not be stoked for as long as anyone remained eating at the Christmas Eve dinner table. Yule log is a large log burned in the hearth of the house. Back to the Winter Solstice party. Burning a yule log is a staple Christmas tradition perfect for giving you holiday ~feels~. The Yuletide flame was started from a scrap of the previous year's Yule log, which would have been preserved and stored for safekeeping, most likely under the homeowner's bed, says Quartz. Holland - Holland follows the same process of burning the log as does France but here the log is stored under a bed. According to Snopes, if the storyteller cast a "headless" shadow, they would surely die within the year. Small pieces of the log are burnt each night of the twelve day Christmas celebrations. It is believed, if the tradition is followed with sincerity and devotion, it would bring good health, wealth and productivity in the year ahead. For the most part, yule log rituals involve selecting, celebrating, burning, and then saving a piece of wood—sometimes an entire trunk, sometimes a log, sometimes just a small branch. Even different kinds of wood are used today to keep alive the spirit of the tradition. The Yule Log, a looped video of a wood-burning fireplace set to classic Christmas songs, has been a holiday staple for more than 50 years. Use dark muscovado sugar to give your Yule Log a moist and syrupy texture and flavouring. Despite its long affiliation with the Christian holiday of Christmas, however, the Yule log actually has its roots in pagan Norse mythology. After supper, people would gather around the hearth to tell ghost stories and examine the shadows cast on the wall by the flickering flame. The custom of Yule Log emerged from the Europe's winter festival. Yule Log Burning Ritual. The most popular story of the Yule Log dates back to the 12th century. The tradition is practiced in many countries and hence several legends are associated with its origin. Burning the Yule Log is a crucial Christmas tradition today. The entire log was decorated with holly, mistletoe, and evergreens to represent the intertwining of the god and goddess who are reunited on The log was burned in the hearth or fireplace. People get chocolate log cakes at the time of Christmas. The burning of the Yule Log brings in good fortune for the family and friends and scare off the evil spirits. It is also customary to say prayers and sing Christmas songs while performing the traditional activity. The logs were rubbed with wine or salt and trimmed with pine cones, ivy, and sprigs of holly, and their flames were thought to cleanse the remnants of the old year and usher in a fruitful spring. In Christianity, Protestants might claim that Martin Luther invented the custom, and Catholics might grant St. Boniface the honor, but the custom can demonstrably be traced back through the Roman Saturnalia all the way to ancient Egypt. Add a tbsp of water and … Today, a Yule log is still a Christmas tradition in some cultures; a large log is traditionally burned in the fireplace on Christmas Eve. It was a festival that occurred in mid-winter, the darkest part of the year. After the Christmas celebrations, a piece of the Yule log is kept to relight the next year's log. If you are in the woodlot, plan to cut some of that white birch into Yule logs for your friends. Once burned, the ashes from the logs were kept as protection against evil and misfortune. It is a symbol of prosperity and luck. Oak is the traditional wood used at this time. As far back as the Iron Age, predating the Medieval era, Celts and Gaelic Europeans would gather together to celebrate the winter solstice at the end of December, according to History. When Christianity came to Europe in the fourth century, many families continued to celebrate the Yule log tradition inside their own homes, turning the pagan ritual into a practice associated with Christmas. They also couldn't be handled with unwashed hands, and it was considered especially bad luck if the log did not catch fire on the first attempt to light it. The custom of Yule Log is performed with high spirits and sanctity. As per the belief, all the family members must sit on it before it is burnt. While they might not be started with the remnants of last year's log, the warm camaraderie of gathering with loved ones around the fire — virtual or otherwise — is sure to bring about some Yuletide cheer. It was a feast to honor the Norse God, Odin who was the God of Intoxicating Drink. Once the log was lit, it had to keep burning for 12 hours, but could not be stoked for as long as anyone remained eating at the Christmas Eve dinner table. Each year’s log should be started with that portion of the previous year’s log. Moreover, Yule Log has also become a traditional delicacy. Here the log is dried out and taken into the house when its bark is taken out. the god. Today, Yule Log has become an important part of televising Christmas traditions. Candles are lit, Yule logs are burnt and we enjoy spicy herbs and treats with Cinnamon, and Ginger to ignite our own inner lights as well. Thrower's concept came to life on December 24, 1966, when WPIX first aired three hours of a continuous 17-second film loop of an ornate fireplace. The log is subsequently placed beneath the bed for luck, and particularly for protection from the household threats of lighting and, with some irony, fire. There is an old Scottish saying, ‘He’s as bare as the birk at Yule E’en’, alluding to having no clothes or being poor. The familiar custom of burning the Yule log dates back to earlier solstice celebrations and the tradition of bonfires. It originally aired from 1966 to 1989 on New York City television station WPIX (channel 11), which revived the broadcast in 2001. Although some believe its origins are Pagan, the practice of burning a Yule log began in Medieval times as a Nordic tradition. The tradition of burning a yule log during the twelve days of Christmas originally inspired this iconic chocolate roulade cake. If you have a fireplace to burn your Yule Log indoors feel free to or if you have a fire pit you can also do it outside! The Yule log tradition had many accompanying rules, and failure to adhere to them exactly risked bad luck. The word yule is a derivative of a Germanic pagan ritual called guili. Here are some of the examples of the tradition of Yule Log performed in different countries: United Kingdom - In U.K., the log is called 'The Mock'. People in France use Cherry tree as the traditional Yule log. The Story of Yule Log For example, in Scandinavian countries long ago a “yule log” was rolled through the streets then burned in a symbolic bonfire (hopefully, to destroy the sorrows of the past year and bring good tidings of hope and joy to the city and its residents in the future). Yule Log is a significant part of Christmas traditions. On winter solstice night, you can begin as the sun sets into the full darkness of evening. Light your hearth fire. As one saying goes: “Old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to talk to, and old books to read”. Use a coffee cream filling to create a Yule Log coffee cake fusion. This is a lovely tradition you can add to your family celebration for Yule and Winter Solstice (although I enjoy burning mine on New Year’s Eve and you can check out mine from last year here). It is a symbol of prosperity and luck. During this period in most of the European countries, the winter festival was celebrated by burning wood and drinking wine. A simple but meaningful tradition is to, before you burn your log, have each person in the family write down a wish on a piece of paper, and then insert it into the ribbons. As it has spread throughout the world, each country has made its own little changes throughout the centuries. Burning of the Yule log is said to keep evil spirits and negativity at bay and ensure prosperity and protection for the household, particularly if a portion of the log is kept throughout the year. On Christmas, people light the Yule log placed in the hearth and wish that it burns for longer. Add crushed up mints or candy canes to give your Yule Log filling a refreshing and creamy twist. The origin of the folk custom is unclear. The tradition began in Europe and came to the United States, where, like a lot of traditions, it made its way to television and hence the burning of a Yule log for all to watch. Yule log is a large log burned in the hearth of the house. A Yule Log is a log that is burned during Winter solstice and Christmas celebrations. It was originally a Nordic tradition. Bake in the … A very famous series of Yule Log is aired on New York's WPIX TV. For example, most people with a yule log don’t care about its origin or associate it with paganism, but the custom of burning a yule log goes back to medieval times. 29 Related Question Answers Found What channel is the music on on Dish? The Yuletide flame was started from a scrap of the previous year's Yule log, which would have been preserved and stored for safekeeping, most likely under the homeowner's bed, says Quartz. This year, it is definitely going to be different, with smaller gatherings rather than the large get-togethers some might be used to. And as the nights turn longer and colder, the cozy crackling of a Yule log on the hearth can be a particularly warm and welcome part of the Christmas festivities. Yule is the name of the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe, such as Germany. Different countries have different ways of performing this tradition. While the Yule Log is burning is the time on Christmas Day that you make merry, enjoy the good food, good drink and pleasant company. In some families, young girls and mothers take the privilege to light the log. It was originally a large tree brought to the house with great ceremony. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and spread evenly out into the corners. The Yule Log, an ancient symbol of the season, came to us from the Celts. The Solstice festival was Jol (Yule) which was celebrated throughout Northern Europe and Scandinavia. For starters, the logs couldn't be purchased; they had to come from the homeowner or a neighbor's land, per Snopes. Source The Burning Heart of Yule. This is a time of new beginnings both physically and spiritually. 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