Yule, Jól is the beginning of winter.  The Sun has reached both its lowest point and weakest strength, and begins the long climb back toward the light.  Darkness has descended fully upon the land, and lights return concerns all.

Too old to know where the name was originally from, it is likely that it is based on the Old Norse word for “wheel”, maybe based on the wheel of the year, or the wheel of the Sun as she is seen traveling the skies.  Although not a Fire Festival, bonfires and the burning of sun-wheels were sometimes part of the celebrations.  Large logs, commonly called ‘Yule logs’, were set to burn all night to symbolize life even in the darkness and its fire to add strength to the returning of the Sun in the morning.

With a limited amount of hunting and no farming, time was available for the creation and crafting of homely, but needed items.  The creation of these may be the origin of gift-giving – exchanging one item for another.  Norse Heathens use this time to swear oaths on the horn or cup at the feast or on a hallowed ‘boar’.  Our current ‘New Year’s Resolution’ probably came from this.

Most Neo-Pagans celebrate Yule as the time when the Goddess becomes the Great Mother and gives birth to the Sun, or the Sun King, thus on the darkest and longest night, returning hope and life to the world.

I’ve had some wonderful Yule celebrations with Asatru friends over the last couple of years, and some wonderfully fun memories as a child of our Christmas celebrations.  My younger brother tended to get up at 2 in the morning, go through all of his presents, and then go back to bed – not to awaken again till 11 or 12.  (299 words)