About
Jól was the great midwinter feast of the Germanic and Norse peoples, a time of feasting, drinking and sacrifice for a good year and peace. Hákonar saga góða says that King Hákon moved it to coincide with Christmas, and that it had been held at midwinter night over three nights; the twelve nights kept by many today follow later Christmas custom. Yule is also one of the eight sabbats of the Wheel of the Year, a modern twentieth-century framework that not every tradition uses.
Customs
- Burning a Yule log or lighting candles through the longest night
- Decorating with evergreens such as holly, ivy and fir
- Feasting and toasting for a good year and peace
- Making oaths over the cup for the year ahead
- Wassailing apple trees and neighbours
Food
- Roast pork or ham
- Wassail or mulled apple juice
- Spiced breads and gingerbread
- Porridge with butter for the house spirits
- Recipe: Yule wassail 40 minutes
A simple ritual
- On the longest night, bring a sprig of evergreen into your home.
- Light a candle in a safe holder and keep a quiet vigil for a while in the dark.
- Raise a cup to the gods and ancestors for a good year and peace.
- Make a promise to yourself for the year ahead.
- In the morning, greet the returning sun and put out the candle.
Never leave candles or fires unattended, and keep them away from pets and children.