Happy Yule

 

 

Until recently I had always thought that references to "Yule" and "Yuletide" were folksy Disney-speak, going with logs, real or chocolate.  "Christmas" was the obvious term for the festival celebrated on 25th December, with all its Christian connotations and origins.  I knew that the Fathers of the Church latched onto the symbolism of the arrival of Christ and the period just after the winter solstice; and that the early Church grafted its festivals onto pre-existing pagan ones.  But I'd never really put it all together.

The Celts and Druids had a tradition where the waning year was represented by the Holly King, who did battle with the Oak King, representing the waxing year, who would reign until midsummer.  The Oak King is behind the custom of burning the Yule log - "Yule" being a Germanic pagan festival in the same period. It has been suggested that the word is linked to the word "Wheel". 

The period after the solstice was - and is - usually the coldest and hardest in the year.  There was no food available for animals and to avoid the cost of feeding them through the winter they would be slaughtered.  This gave an excuse for a gastronomic binge.

So there you have it - holly, Yuletide log, and lots of eating and drinking.  Sound familiar?   "Yule" seems to bring pagans and Disney together, which is an apt summary of what happens in the UK at this time of year.  So that's what I wish you all: a very happy Yule.

Antony Mair