46f this morning, drizzle and cloudy after a night of thunder and lightning.
Sharing a post today that I wrote 10 years ago:
It's almost time to start the Christmas fire and if you know the old traditions, you'll have saved a bit of log from last year to start your fire this season.
Cutting an burning a special log during the Solstice/Christmas season dates back to pagan times, when the return of light was celebrated with merrymaking, food and song much like our Christmas holidays today. The Yule log began as a Viking tradition; a special log, preferably from one's own land, according to the website History.UK.com. The log would be cut and dragged to the fire, sometimes requiring a team of horses to drag the log! The ideal was to find a log large enough to burn for twelve days. I once saw a photo of a Yule fire with the log extending out into the room, so it burned end-first! A bit of obstruction to step over, I'd think, but I feel sure that log burned as long as needed.
According to Tomm Larson at NoelNoelNoel.com, "The burning of the Yule log marked the beginning of Christmas celebrations. In Appalachia, as long as the log, or "backstick" burned you could celebrate. Often a very large "backstick" was chosen and soaked in a stream to ensure a nice long celebration. In the early nineteenth century, American slaves didn't have to work as long as the Yule log burned, so they would choose the biggest, greenest log they could find. If they did have to work while it burned their master had to pay them for the work.
Come Bring the Noise by Robert Herrick
Come bring the noise,
My merry, merry boys,
The Christmas log to the firing;
While my good dame, she
Bids ye all be free,
And drink to your heart's desiring.
With the last year's brand
Light the new block, and
For good success in his spending,
On your psalteries play,
That sweet luck may
Come while the log is a teending.
Drink now the strong beer,
Cut the white loaf here,
The while the meat is a shredding
For the rare mince-pie
And the plums standing by,
To fill the paste that's a kneeding.
‐‐---------------‐---------------
One of my favorite carols for this time of year, which I often used to open my Celtics Christmas presentations:
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's Yule log was not burnt. She made hers with a small log into which my father drilled small holes and 3 larger ones. She put 2 red and one white candle into the large holes and stuck bits of greenery, and small Christmas ornaments into the small holes. It was a bright and cheery decoration, especially when she lit the candles, something she did on Christmas Eve, the next day, and then again on New Year's Eve, as I recall. The decorations would be removed and the log stored away for use the next year, or Dad would save a piece of the trunk of our Christmas tree to make her a new one. Mom's heritage traced back to Scandinavian roots (her surname Hagger traces to Hagar) so perhaps that is where her tradition originated.
I hope your fires are bright, both on your hearth and in your heart, and that all preparations for your holiday are moving smoothly and joyfully.
Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Comments are moderated so may not appear immediately, but be assured that I read and enjoy each and every word you write, and will post them as quickly as possible.