Uncommon Folk 31 Days of Winter- The Yule Log

Can ancient traditions offer light in our modern darkest days? Discover the secrets of the Yule Log, a symbol steeped in history from the proto-Indo-European customs to the festive hearths of Europe and North America. Explore how this legendary log has evolved from pagan solstice celebrations into a cherished holiday custom embraced by many cultures and adapted by Christianity over the centuries. We'll uncover the fascinating rituals that accompanied the Yule Log, such as the intriguing practice of spark-counting divination and the tradition of saving a piece of the log to ignite the next year's flame.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Yule Log. Now, the Yule Log is a winter tradition in lots of areas of Europe and subsequently North America. The idea is that you specially select a Yule log which will be burnt on the hearth leading up to the winter festivities, be that Christmas or be that Yule, any of these festivals. Yes, it has been adapted by Christianity, but it's supposed to derive from sort of proto-Indo-European customs. But there's no strong evidence there, but it's definitely come from similar traditions from Albania, celtic, germanic, baltic and Slavic paganism. It comes from early solstice celebrations and the traditions of bonfires and you would burn a portion of the log each evening until twelfth night. You wouldn't burn the whole thing. The unlit log would be placed once it's gone out. You've put it out, it would go under the bed for luck and it would offer protection from threats of lightning and, would you believe, fire. There's many beliefs about the actual burning log. Apparently, if you count the sparks, if you know about divination, you will be able to discern your fortunes for the new year and even further than that year and even further than that. It's supposed to be one of an emblem of divine light that featured many winter holiday customs. Now it's generally given by someone. Someone would have selected it and then given to someone else. And once it's put on the half um in some traditions it's unlucky to have to light it again once it's been started and it shouldn't go out until it has burned away, which contrasts the um earlier example of lighting it, putting it lighting it during the 12 days Once it has gone out.

Speaker 1: 2:28

In the last generation the yew log was still burned and a piece of it saved to light the next year's log.

Speaker 1: 2:37

On Christmas morning something green, a leaf or the like, was brought into the house before anything was taken out, according to HJ Rose from Killingall in Yorkshire in 1923. So you would save a piece of it for the next year and you'd take something green into the house before anything was taken out, maybe like the ashes, for example, house before anything was taken out, maybe like the ashes. For example, in some communities it was tradition to burn the eulog outside and was sail around it whilst drinking a mulled cider or wine. It's celebrated in various forms around the world, largely Europe and America, and it goes by many names. For example, the Yule Clog Yule Block in Wales it's called Bonkiff na Doleg or Block na Gwylia. The Christmas log or the festival log, yule Carling in Scotland you know lots of different names for the same principle and it would make sense to have a large log that would last you for the coldest part of the year to celebrate, bring you into Christmas really, or maybe even into the solstice.