The Yule Log

[scarlet raging storm]

Yule is a very old name, usually given to the person in charge of keeping the Yule Log going at the Winter Solstice celebrations throughout Europe.

The Yule Log


There is a custom that on Christmas Eve an enormous log of freshly cut wood called the Yule log would be fetched and carried to the house with great ceremony. On Christmas Eve, the master of the house would place it on the hearth, make libations by sprinkling the trunk with oil, salt and mulled wine and say suitable prayers. In some families, the young girls of the house lit the log with splinters from the preceding year which they had carefully tucked away. In other families, the mother had this privilege. It was said that the cinders of this log could protect the house from lightning and the malevolent powers of the devil. Choices about the variety of wood, the way in which it was lit and the length of time it took to burn constituted a genuine ritual which could vary from region to region.

The custom, which dates back to the XIIth century, was known in most Europeans countries, notably in France and in Italy where the Yule log was called a ceppo. This tradition persisted in Quebec as it did in France up until the last quarter of the XIXth century. Its disappearance coincides with that of great hearths which were gradually replaced by cast-iron stoves. The great log was thus replaced by a smaller one, often embellished with candles and greenery, placed in the centre of the table as a Christmas decoration.

Today, the Yule log has become a traditional pastry, a delicious cake roll, smothered in coffee or chocolate-flavoured icing and decorated with sugared holly leaves and roses.


Yule Tide


Our ancestors in Northern Europe lighted huge fires to ward off evil spirits as a beginning to the New Year. There are many traditions which have been lost or changed throughout time. In early times, the Festivities of Fire were dedicated to the sun. In Denmark, it was JUUL, Sweden, it was OEL, Norway it was JULVATTER and in Rome it was SATURNALIA.

In Scotland, the festivals were banned by the Presbyterian Church in the late 1500's, however the people continued to celebrate this festival. In 1638, the Festival of Yule was completely abolished in Scotland.

A mixture of the early Festivals combined with the Christian doctrine, plus a large dose of Victorian celebrations and we have our Yule Tide of today.

The Yule Cat


In Icelandic lore, there is a tale of a sinister and gargantuan Yule Cat, who it seems, is ready to eat lazy humans. Those who did not help with the work of their village to finish all work on the autumn wool by Yule time were not allowed the traditional reward of a new article of clothing and were threatened with being dinner for the cat!