Solstice is past, and winter is here. He came in with cold snowy breath and icy winds that kept us mostly indoors during the shortest day of the year. It was a good day to be inside: the fires were burning brightly while I finished the Christmas cleaning and decorating.I even got a few gifts wrapped while listening to the Chieftains' album, "Bells of Dublin," my absolutely favorite holiday recording. I know I drive my family crazy with it. As soon as Thanksgiving is past, I get the CD out and start listening to it at every opportunity. I sing along with a lot of the songs because I know almost all of them by heart after about 15 years of dedicated listening.
Larry worked on th
e New Year's bonfire, carefully piling brush and logs into a giant pile that will burn brightly to light in the year. Although tradition in many places has a bonfire being lit and maintained through Solstice night, we do ours at New Years and it's become a special and central part of our holidays.
e New Year's bonfire, carefully piling brush and logs into a giant pile that will burn brightly to light in the year. Although tradition in many places has a bonfire being lit and maintained through Solstice night, we do ours at New Years and it's become a special and central part of our holidays. We save part of the central log from the past year to start the next year's fire, a custom evidently that goes back to Scandinavian times. This practice is supposed to bring luck and good fortune--we can all use that!
The Book of Days for December 24th (the book is a real compendium of information for any day of the year) provides a wealth of background information about the yule log, as well as several poems that detail the customs of ancient celebrations.
Here is one short poem supposedly from the time of Henry the VI, from the Book of Days:
Welcome be thou, heavenly King,
Welcome born on this morning,
Welcome for whom we shall sing,
Welcome Yule,
Welcome be ye Stephen and John,
Welcome Innocents every one,
Welcome Thomas Martyr one,
Welcome Yule.
Welcome be ye, good New Year,
Welcome Twelfth Day, both in fere,
Welcome saints, loved and dear,
Welcome Yule.
Welcome be ye, Candlemas,
Welcome be ye, Queen of Bliss,
Welcome both to more and less,
Welcome Yule.
Welcome be ye that are here,
Welcome all, and make good cheer,
Welcome all, another year,
Welcome Yule.'
My mother always prepared a Yule log as a decoration--Dad would save part of the trunk of the Christmas tree and bore it with little holes and three bigger holes.
Mom put bits of greenery and Christmas trims into the small holes, and three candles into the larger ones. It made a pretty decoration, and I have one in my home today. Mom's heritage traces back to Scandinavian roots (her surname Hagger traces to Hagar) so perhaps that is where her tradition originated.
Today many people equate "Yule log" with a Christmas cake, and I have to say those cakes are a delicious tribute to an old custom. But for me it will always mean Mom's log decoration, and our own New Year's bonfire.
The Book of Days verse is really neat! I love old stuff, and I love verse - perfect! That would make wonderful text for a holiday wall hanging or something. Also meant to mention - you done been tagged. =)
ReplyDeleteI think that's a neat tradition of your mom's. Saving a piece of the Christmas tree trunk and boring holes in it for the candles and greenery. And that tradition doesn't put weight on you like the "Yule log" cake does.
ReplyDeleteToo true, Janet! I never thought of it like that, but it's a good point. It's a pretty decoration too.
ReplyDeleteAha, the Bells of Dublin by the Chieftains is one of my absolute favorite CDs for this season too! Batsy
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