Yule, also known as the Winter Solstice, is a term used in pagan traditions to refer to the celebration of the longest night of the year, typically observed on December 21st. The word "yule" itself has ancient origins, derived from the Old English word "geól", meaning "wheel" or "cycle". In pagan beliefs, the Winter Solstice is seen as a time of rebirth and renewal, representing the turning point of the year. It marks the transition from darkness to light, as the days begin to gradually lengthen after the solstice. The significance of this event varies among different pagan traditions, but it generally symbolizes the return of the sun and the triumph of light over darkness. Pagan Yule celebrations often incorporate various customs and rituals that are deeply rooted in nature.

Pagan yule meaning

​ Celebration of the Norse New Year; a festival of 12 nights. This is the most important of all the Norse holidays. On the night of December 20, the god Ingvi Freyr rides over the earth on the back of his shining boar, bringing Light and Love back into the World. In later years, after the influence of Christianity, the god Baldur, then Jesus, was reborn at this festival. Jul signifies the beginning and end of all things; the darkest time (shortest hour of daylight) during the year and the brightest hope re-entering the world. During this festival, the Wild Hunt is at its greatest fervor, and the dead are said to range the Earth in its retinue. The god Wotan (Odin) is the leader of this Wild Ride; charging across the sky on his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir; a very awe-inspiring vision. In ancient times, Germanic and Norse children would leave their boots out by the hearth on Solstice Eve, filled with hay and sugar, for Sleipnir's journey. In return, Wotan would leave them a gift for their kindness. In modern times, Sleipnir was changed to a reindeer and the grey-bearded Wotan became the kindly Santa Claus (Father Christmas).

​Yuletide is the pre-Christian Germanic Midwinter celebration. The name Yule is derived from the Old Norse HJOL, meaning ‘wheel,’ to identify the moment when the wheel of the year is at its lowest point, ready to rise again. HJOLhas been inherited by Germanic and Scandinavian languages from a pre-Indo-European language level, and is a direct reference to the return of the Sun represented as a fiery wheel rolling across the heavenly sky. Yule celebrations and traditions at the winter solstice predate Christianity by thousands of years. There are numerous references to Yule in the Icelandic sagas, and in other ancient accounts testifying to how Yule was actually celebrated. It was a time for feasting, giving gifts, feasting and dancing.

The Yule holiday is the holiest and most popular of all the native Germanic spiritual celebrations, as Yule marks the return of the God Baldur from the realm of Hel and the loosening of winters grip on the frozen Earth.

The commencement of the Yuletide celebration has no set date, but is traditionally 12 days long with the start of the festivities beginning at sunset on the winter solstice (In the northern hemisphere, this date usually falls on or around December 20th) This Germanic Heathen holiday was forcibly stolen by early Christian missionaries and became known as the “12 days of Christmas”.
The first night of Yule is called The Mothernight, where Frigga and the Disir (female ancestral spirits) are especially honoured on this night. Mothers Night is appropriately named, as it represents the rebirth of the world from the darkness of winter. This is the date with the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

A traditional vigil from dusk to dawn is held on the Mothers night, to make sure that the sun will rise again and welcome her when it does.

Yule is the season at which the gods and goddesses are closest to Midgard: our deities were called ‘Yule-Beings’ by the Norse, and Odin himself is called Jólnir, the “Yule One” and is where the image of Santa Claus is derived from. Yule is also the season during which the dead return to earth and share the feasts of the living. Elves, trolls, and other magical beings roam freely at this time, and must either be warded off or invited to come in friendship and peace. Yule is the time of the year at which the Wild Hunt – Wodan’s host of the restless dead – rides most fiercely; it is dangerous to meet them, but gifts of food and drink are left out for them, for they can also bring blessing and fruitfulness.

Yule is a time for dancing, feasting and family. Sun wheels are sometimes burnt as part of folk festivities at this time. It was the practice in Germanic Heathen times to swear oaths on a hallowed boar (the totem animal of Freyr and Freya). This survived in Swedish folk-custom; a large boar-shaped bread or block of wood covered with pigskin was brought forth at Yule for this purpose through the beginning of this century, and boar-cakes are used for Yule-oaths by most Heathens today. Especially meaningful oaths were also sworn on the horn or cup while drinking at the Yule-feast. The ‘New Year’s Resolution’ is a diminished form of the holy Yule Oath. The fir or pine-tree which is carried into the house and decorated is an ancient Germanic custom, brought to America by German immigrants. The tree on which holy gifts are hung was Heathen in origin representing Yggdrasil, the mighty cosmic tree of life. In Germany, those who kept the old custom hid it inside lest the church authorities notice, but in England and Scandinavia, the trees and various spirits received their gifts outside. In those latter countries, it was a candlelit and ribbon-bedecked wreath, the ring of which may have reflected the holy oath-ring or the Yule sun-wheel, that was traditionally brought in to decorate the home. The Yule-log is also an old Heathen custom. This log was supposed to burn all night during the longest night of the year to symbolize life lasting even in the time of greatest darkness, its fire rekindling the Sun in the morning. Its ashes or pieces were used as protective amulets during the rest of the year. Those who lack large fireplaces often use 24-hour candles instead.

The 12 days of Yule is largely devoted to baking cakes, cookies, and breads and making the unique decorations which beautify every Heathen home at this holiday season. There are, for example, intricate paper cutouts to make and put on the walls; festoons, stars, wooden toys, and straw animals in the shape of Goats, and Wild Boars to hang on the Yule tree. The straw animals, which are still widely found throughout Sweden, are intimately related to ancient Norse Germanic mythology; originating in legends of the sacred animals of the gods; the Goats of Thor, the thunder God, and the Wild Boar of Freyr, God of Fertility.

The majority of the symbols associated with the modern holiday of Christmas (such as the Yule log, Santa Claus & his Elves, Christmas trees, the Wreath, the eating of ham, holly, mistletoe, the star…) are derived from traditional northern European Heathen Yule celebrations. When the first Christian missionaries began forcibly converting the Germanic peoples to Christianity, they found it easier to simply provide a Christian reinterpretation for popular feasts such as Yule and allow the celebrations themselves to go on largely unchanged, rather than trying to suppress them. Halloween and Easter have been likewise assimilated from northern European Heathen religious festivals.

The Curious Past and Lasting Importance of Yule

“Yule” is an oft-used word during this festive season. The classic Christmas tune “Deck the Halls” gushes about “yuletide carols.” YouTube Yule logs bring crackling joy to those without fireplaces. And many companies are on the real Yule log train with their own weird twists to the holiday staple. But what does Yule mean? How did it become associated with Christmas? The history behind the word Yule, what it celebrates, and how people enjoy Yule today is a trip worth taking. Let’s dive into Yule’s interesting past.

The Word “Yule” and its Origin Story

Newer idioms ( like “LOL”) are easier to trace back to a specific time period; however, Yule has been around for thousands of years. Therefore, its creation and evolution has a murkier background. According to Dictionary.com, Yule derives from the Old English word “gēol,” which itself likely comes from older Germanic languages like Old Norse that predate Christianity. In Old Norse, the word “jól” was used in poetry to refer to a large celebratory feast. These words eventually evolved into Yule (also known as “ Juul” or “Jul” in Scandinavian languages) in reference to midwinter pagan festivals near the winter solstice.

The phrase “ yuletide” to describe the festive season first became documented around 1475. In this context, the word “tide” means a season or period that includes and follows an anniversary or festival. So yuletide is the season in which people celebrate Yule festivals and traditions.

What Is Yule?

We now know a little bit more about the word’s origins. But what does Yule actually observe? History.com says Yule is the celebration of the winter solstice (midwinter), a.k.a. the longest night of the year. It signifies our joy about literal longer and brighter days ahead. In the distant past (and today for many people), men would bring large logs home (Yule logs) and set them on fire. Women would decorate their homes with evergreens and candles to welcome in more light.

People came together to feast, drink, and make sacrifices until the log burned out, which could take around 12 days. This would often lead to some very happy (and perhaps inebriated) people gallivanting around and signing joyful songs. In the framework of our current calendar, Yule ran from around December 21 or 22 until January 1. Pagan Scandinavian and Germanic people would call the celebration the Feast of Juul and it was their way of having faith that the next season would be fruitful.

“The idea of Yule is to bring a light to dark times,” metaphysical teacher and author Courtney Weber tells Nerdist. The Portland-based tarot adviser and Wiccan priestess stresses that her expertise and breakdown of Yule practices come from a European framework. So her statements may not encompass the past nor present experience of people from other parts of the world.

“Three thousand years, or more, ago, it’s a very scary and cold time [near the Winter Solstice],” Weber continues. “The days are short and the harvest is pretty much over. So you have to hang on until springtime when the sheep and cows start producing more or you can grow fresh crops. Because of that, a lot of different practices came about to chase darkness away or bring some joy and merriment…Yule would have taken place over several weeks in order for people to have something to hold onto during these dark and scary times. And, to be truthful, winter solstice celebrations have been a part of human existence since the beginning of time. Our earliest ancestors around the world would notice that there was one specific day when days would start to grow longer again.”

Ancient Romans had the festival of Saturnalia, which honored the agricultural god Saturn. They would exchange gifts, eat, and make sacrifices to various gods during the winter’s sowing season. School and work would stop, even for enslaved people. Romans would decorate their homes with wreaths and other greenery, much like a Yule celebration.

The Inca Empire celebrated their sun god Inti by fasting for three days before the solstice, which takes place in June for the Southern hemisphere. Then, they would make offerings to Inti at sunrise. Some people also believe that Stonehenge may have been the site of ancient winter solstice festivals; celebrations happen there today. So, the concept of festivals at this time of year is indeed global with some similarities.

There’s undoubtedly a correlation between Yule and Christmas. Many Christmas traditions like trees, Yule logs, caroling (which stems from wassailing), and mistletoe were from earlier pagan practices. This isn’t surprising considering how people began to spread out, explore, and colonize different areas. Locations that were not predominately Christian adapted the religion by either choice or force.

As Christianity began to spread in the 1st century AD, many pagan traditions were often seen as gluttonous and ungodly. However, Roman Catholic Church leaders aligned the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 in 336—the same date as Saturnalia. Interestingly, many Biblical scholars believe that Jesus’ actual birth would have been in the springtime. So why did they choose a winter date?

It’s speculated that choosing December 25 was a strategic political move by Roman emperor Constantine to weaken pagan celebrations and push people towards the Christian faith. Christmas “borrowed” from established winter solstice celebrations and traditions like Saturnalia and Yule and combined them with the commemoration of Jesus birth. Many people feel like Christmas is the Grinch who stole from paganism; however, Weber offers a different perspective.

“So, I don’t really feel like Christmas is stolen from paganism,” she affirms. “If you look at Christmas celebrations around the world, you’ll see pre-Christian customs kind of folded in. And this is where I say Yule is cultural and Christmas is much more of a cultural thing than most Christians would admit.”

Modern Yule Observances

Despite their blended practices, some people may see Christmas and Yule as two mutually exclusive celebrations. They might see Christmas as a Christian holiday and Yule for those who are pagan, polytheistic, or atheist/agnostic. In reality, a Christian person can celebrate both because Yule isn’t “anti-Christian,” but rather a celebration of nature and seasonal change.

Many pagans, like writer Talia Franks, celebrate Yule and Christmas culturally and not religiously. They grew up celebrating Christmas without being raised under a specific religious structure. Talia’s natural attraction to witchy things and Greek mythology shaped their spiritual path towards paganism and witchcraft. They speak further about how they have previously celebrated Yule with friends.

“Almost every year I have a general holiday party for the solstice,” Talia says. “It’s a party where friends who celebrate other holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa would come together and have fun. Last year we did a small ritual where everyone would take a slip of paper and write down things they wanted to release from the past year. Then we put those papers in a bowl and light them on fire. Everyone had the opportunity to say this specific phrase, ‘I release these to the return of the light.’ It was really a great time to process the year…For me, Yule is very much a time of renewal, letting things go, and moving into brighter days.”

On a more personal level, Talia has their own set of personal rituals to commune with spirit and the gods. They also use this time to craft a plan for the upcoming year, go deep within themselves, and recharge their energy. The Massachusetts native views Christmas as more of a general fun American holiday complete with time off work, fun songs, quirky clothes, and a chance to spend time with family.

“I don’t have any problems celebrating Christmas and Yule because Christmas is an excuse to hang out with my family,” says Talia. “We exchange meaningful gifts and it’s nice to pick out things for them. I also give out solstice presents too.”

Weber and her husband, who is also pagan, combine Yule and other cultural and regional traditions for a weeks’ long celebration. Even in the initial year of COVID, they started cranking up the Christmas tunes in mid-November and will continue to honor the refreshing spirit of the season through the New Year. The North Carolina native and Portland transplant blends Southern New Year’s cooking traditions—like black eyed peas and collards for luck and money, respectively—along with her husband’s Italian roots. They also dine on Christmas Eve seafood and pork on Christmas Day.

“It is weeks of celebration for me,” Weber says. “So, on a more secular level, we do a lot of winter-themed Christmas lights and put up a tree. We don’t put up a nativity scene or cross but we do have a giant, glowing snowflake. We basically celebrate the beautiful things about winter. I have also started embracing more cultural things related to this time of year. We’ve been putting up a lot of La Befana [decorations] in our house. She is the Christmas witch in Italy who is kind of like Santa Claus in that she shows up and brings presents, but also cleans the house, which is why I love her. I will normally get up before dawn on the day of the winter solstice for the sunrise and honor it through rituals as well as encouraging the light to come and purge our home of anything that is negative, harmful, or hurtful. To purge us of any sorrows that we’ve had over the past year.”

In terms of wider events, some places may do public celebrations. For example, Virginia-based university William & Mary holds an annual Yule Log event where attendees cast their cares into a fire and look towards a hopeful future. Unlike other years, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into Talia and Courtney’s celebration plans. Talia spent that year going within for self-care.

They were admittedly upset about not gathering with others, but thankful for maintaining connections online. Weber and her husband leaned deeper into their rituals as well and set their sights on a smaller family gathering with those who were strictly quarantining.

A Yule Celebration Guide

Some people may be curious about Yule and perhaps want to start a celebration of their own. Google is always an option but the information can often be overwhelming. So, what should you do? Weber suggests looking into the simple things that your parents or grandparents do that are rooted in mysterious tradition. She gives an example about an Appalachian custom that was passed down in her home.

“I learned recently that in Appalachia you never leave a candlewick unburned,” Weber says. “So, if you get a new candle, you burn the wick right away a little bit, even if you don’t plan on fully burning the candle. My mom used to say she did it because ‘white wicks are tacky,’ but it’s actually an old Appalachian custom of keeping good luck in the house. My mom didn’t know that; she just did it because her mom taught her to do it. It’s those little pieces that may have lore behind it.”

She also encourages people to dig into their culture, if possible, and discover traditions there. Weber says the focus should be on doing fun and intentional activities. For those who may no longer go to a church, she suggests creating something like their own sunrise service on the winter solstice or staying up all night if they are a night owl. Taking time to enjoy the long night could be a spark of restorative and thoughtful joy. And, again, Yule isn’t just for people who are pagan or witches.

“The term Yule is much older than the term witch,” Weber affirms. “Yule and the idea of celebrating the return of lighter days is as old as human history. You may have to modify past traditions a bit for your modern life but there is something beautiful about embracing older practices.”

Talia, an avid bibliophile, shares a few recommendations that are both insightful and inclusive. “There’s a good series about all the Sabbats. Llewellyn has these cute books that aren’t expensive and sometimes go on sale for the holidays. There is one for Yule that talks about the old and new ways that Yule is celebrated, spells, divinations, recipes, crafts, and prayers. It’s a good primer book.”

Ultimately, your Yule celebration is what you make it. It can involve watching holiday movies that aren’t super religious or traditional (The Long Kiss Goodnight, anyone?). You can make a decorative Yule log or simply spend solstice in nature. No matter what, it’s never a bad time to start a new tradition, especially with a new understanding of Yule.

Originally published December 21, 2020.

The Meaning Of Yule: Why We Celebrate The Winter Solstice

Modern witches can only discern the meaning of Yule by looking at our history. Because early Christians were fascinated by old pagan traditions, many of these pre-Christmas traditions live on in modern times.

What is the meaning of Yule for pagans and Wiccans? Yule is a holiday that taps into the eternal cycle of life and death and the battle between light and dark. It reminds us that there is hope in knowing that the sun will return even in the darkness.

What is Yule to you? Do you worship a specific pagan deity during the Winter Solstice?

Also known as the Winter Solstice, Yule is a holiday that celebrates the shortest day of the year and the sun’s waxing. The Winter Solstice is the most intense and challenging night of the year if you’re a farmer or live off the land.

The feeling leading up to midwinter feels similar to modern hibernation which is why food feasts are also prevalent during this season as people prepare storehouses full of treats in order cook large meals over several days and enjoy visiting family, music, spells (and stories) around big fireplaces that mimic our ancestors from centuries ago who hunkered down through difficult times within their homes.

Early humans had to prepare extensively to survive this time by building up a stock of food. They also had to hunt for furs to keep warm and make sure their shelters were ready for harsh winters.

This is a time of settling in, and in that way, Yule encourages inner reflection and a more profound spirituality than other parts of the year.

In many parts of pagan Europe, the winter was bitterly cold, barren, and long. There was little hope of finding fresh food unless one wanted to brave the cold to hunt game. This lack of new food made all early humans aware of their mortality. For that reason, death is at the forefront of our minds.

For pagans and some witches, the Winter Solstice marks the beginning of the 12 days of Yule. At this time, we respect the underworld, ward off spirits, and honor the rebirth of the sun god.

Winter Solstice is one of many winter pagan holidays. What does Yule celebrate? The rebirth of the sun and warmer days to come.

Pagan Yule celebrations often incorporate various customs and rituals that are deeply rooted in nature. Many pagans decorate their homes and altars with evergreen branches, symbolizing everlasting life and the reawakening of nature. The Yule log, typically a large piece of wood, is traditionally burned in a fire as a representation of the returning sun's warmth and light.

When Is Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice is an astronomical occurrence that happens between December 20 and December 23. It is the shortest day of the year, after which the sun is waxing and growing in strength.

Gift giving is also a common practice during pagan Yule celebrations, as it is believed to represent the exchange of positive energy and blessings between individuals. Feasting and sharing meals with loved ones is another integral part of the festivities, bringing people together to celebrate the winter season and the interconnectedness of life. Overall, the pagan Yule celebration holds deep spiritual and symbolic meaning for those who adhere to pagan beliefs. It serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of life, the importance of honoring the cycles of nature, and the celebration of light and warmth during the darkest time of the year..

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The Spiritual Significance of Pagan Yule Symbols