Tonight is the final of the three nights of Jól on the Old Norse lunisolar calendar, and the Midwinter nights start tomorrow. I hope you all have had a great season! Soon begins the process of winding down Jólmánuðr and chasing out Jól for the year.
Dec 21: Common modern Yule dates starting on the winter solstice and usually ending Jan 1st.
Jan 12/14: Primstav date for Midwinter (Julian calendar). Using this, Yule would start here and go for three nights. Some debate on exact date.
Jan 19: Primstav Midwinter converted to the Gregorian calendar. Still three nights.
Jan 16 (2022): Old Norse lunisolar dates for Yule. Held for three nights during the full moon following the new moon after the solstice. In 2022 this is Jan 17 at its peak and includes the two surrounding dates. Consequently, the dates move around between Jan 5 and Feb 2.
You can certainly pick one to go with, or even just wrap them all into Yuletide.
As of today we are in the second of two Yule months on the Old Norse lunisolar calendar, those being Ýlir and Jólmánuðr. Before it was moved to be closer to Christmas, the primary celebration of Jól would take place at the full moon of this month and would be held for three nights according to Hákonar saga Góða. Thietmar of Merseburg, in his 10th century description of a great Midwinter sacrifice at Lejre in Denmark, also indicates that it took place in January. This year, these dates are Jan 17-19.
Even after Yule celebrations were moved into December, Midwinter continued to be marked during this time on traditional calendars, and was standardized to Jan 12th on the Julian calendar, Jan 19th on the modern Gregorian calendar. The month, however, ceased to be called Jólmánuðr, likely since there were no longer any Yule observances during it. It was given the later names of Mörsugr (Fat-Sucking Month) and Hrutmánuðr (Ram Month).
**I figured rather than keep editing and reblogging the old post I would just start new. This is at the core my original Yule post, but with significant corrections made in an attempt to cease spreading certain false assumptions and enrich the understanding of what we do know about Yule. Thank you for reading!**
What is Yule?
Yule, or Jól (Yohl) as it is spelled in Old Norse, was the Midwinter celebration of the Germanic peoples before Christianity had spread far into those regions. The Norse year was divided up into two seasons: Summer and Winter. At the halfway point of the Winter season lie Midwinter (Yule), which appears to have been the most important festival of the year, so much so that even beyond Scandinavia and the other Germanic regions it persists to this day. Though through conversion Yule was gradually replaced by Christmas, a number of its traditions remained as the people who were converted kept them alive in their new religion. Terms such as Yuletide and traditions such as the Yule log have persisted, and the name Yule even persists as the default in Scandinavian countries; for instance, the Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish words for Christmas are “Jul”, pronounced exactly the same as Yule in English. Modern Icelandic and Faroese have retained the original term Jól with the same pronunciation as well; to wish someone Happy Yule or Merry Christmas in Icelandic, simply say “Gleðileg Jól!” (Gleth-ih-leg Yohl, with a soft [th] like in “breathe”). If you want to wish someone a merry Christmas in Swedish, just say “God Jul!” (Go Yool). In addition to the Scandinavian languages, the term Yule is represented in works describing the ancient Continental Germanic months. The festival of Yule is believed to have lasted three or so nights based on extant source material, but for all of its importance there is little surviving record of exactly what went on during those nights.
There have been a number of theories in modern times framing Yule as a solar celebration welcoming the returning sun, but these theories cannot be confirmed as fact based on what sources remain or given the festival’s original dating well after the actual solstice. It does appear, though, to have been a time of great feasting and drinking, during which wealthier people (jarls and kings, particularly) would host large community feasts for their families; friends and subjects. Gift giving is mentioned in Fóstrbræðra Saga, although the gift cycle was a major element of Old Norse culture and was pretty much a given at most major festivals and celebrations.
InYnglingasaga, Óðinn commands that the people make three primary sacrifices during the year, one being at Midwinter. While the earlier part of the saga featuring the gods is clearly euhemerism, it does make a possible case for this time being sacred to Óðinn. One of his many names was also Jólnir, which can be translated as “Yule figure” or “Yule being”. He is commonly thought to have been a large influence on the legend and original appearance of Santa Claus, although much of this may very well be conjecture as there are a host of theories concerning this topic and Santa Clause has as much in common with Þórr as he does with Óðinn. In any case, his name of Jólnir and his being worshipped at Yule are the only things that have solid evidence behind them.
Along with Óðinn, Freyr was likely the object of worship during this time as suggested by the practice of boar sacrifice at Yule, the boar being an animal sacred to him. Hervarar Saga ok HeiðreksandHelgakviða Hjörvarðssonar both mention this practice, known as sonargöltr, where the best boar of the herd is sacrificed. In Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks, the practice is also carried out by Heiðrekr who notably worships Freyr.
Yule was a time of peace, and this concept is attested in saga literature as well as in the term “jólafriðr” (Yule peace) found in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic.
Of course, while merriment was widespread at this time of year, there was also danger lurking in the cold dark of night. This time of the year was seen to give rise to an increase in spiritual activity. Trolls, draugr and other ill-spirits were seen to wander free more often during Yule, so it was not a good idea to be far out at night. While people would venture outdoors during the day and a little bit at night, they primarily stayed inside with company where it was considered to be safer. One piece of later Norwegian folklore, called Oskoreia (Ásgárðs riders) is the ride of the immortal souls of the dead through the night sky during winter. Another name for these riders is Jólareia (Yule riders), suggesting that this event would occur during Yuletide. Though this lore is post conversion (as evidenced by the riders being fended off by a man holding a cross out toward them), it’s firmly rooted in Old Norse legend of Yuletide monsters and may be a carryover of the cautionary tales of the dead and otherworldly beings during this time.
Somewhat in contrast, the nisse, also known as tomte in Sweden, is recognized at this time of the year as well. Described as a very short, elderly looking, bearded man, much like the popular depiction of a gnome, the nisse was originally known to be the spirit of the first inhabitant of the land, and protected later families who inhabited the land from misfortune. Later on, in the 1800’s, the nisse came to be known as the bearer of gifts to families at yuletide. He has been commercialized to be more like the American version of Santa Claus, but even then his appearance has retained elements of its Scandinavian roots.
When is it celebrated?
The timeline of Yule has some variation depending on the tradition, but in modern times it often lasts for about twelve nights. Anglo-Saxon traditions begin the Yule celebration on Modranicht (Mother Night), which is usually the night of December 20th. As the Germanic peoples began their days at the setting of the sun rather than the rising, this would essentially be to them like celebrating at the beginning of December 21st. Because of that factor, it seems appropriate for the celebration to begin at that time, but many Norse-focusing traditions will not address the night as Modranicht, since there is no record of it being called as such, and in that case it is sometimes just called Yule Night. The celebration then carries on through the next eleven nights until New Year’s Eve, after which it is finished.
According to Hákonar Saga Góða, the original Yule observations actually occurred in mid-January before being moved into December by King Hákon to be closer to Christmas, and because of this there are many groups who will choose to time their Yule observances in-line with this fact. Those who do this usually are going consistently off of the Old Icelandic calendar for their celebrations, which hold Summer and Winter starting several weeks after they do by modern reckoning (by this I mean comparatively considering the timing of the Spring and Autumnal equinoxes, where many modern Heathens choose to observe the Summer and Winter halves beginning). The primary celebration may have only lasted for three days, but the Yule season appears to have lasted for at least two months, based on the Old Norse month names of Ýlir (Nov-Dec) and Jólmánuðr (Dec-Jan). While Jólmánuðr has an obvious connection to Jól, it should be noted that Ýlir comes from the same root etymologically. Andreas Nordberg theorizes that this time may have included a number of festivities culminating in the formal observance of Yule for those three nights around the full moon of Jólmánuðr.
How is it celebrated?
Variants of modern Heathenry such as Ásatrú, Forn Sed, etc. have collectively sought to produce a Yule festival which is close to the originals in their cultures of focus, with the limited amount of source material available. Common traditions in modern practice include those which are present in Christmas such as decorating a tree, giving gifts, hanging mistletoe and wreaths, and many others as well as older traditions which we know of, such as wassailing the apple trees to ensure a good crop in the next year. Many groups who celebrate in December will skip the 24th and 25th of because a lot of members celebrate Christmas with their families on those days, but the primary days that are often observed are Mother Night (AS), High Feast of Yule and Twelfth Night. For these and other nights in-between, festivities are usually held at the home of a volunteer.
One tradition which seems to be present in just about every record of Yule throughout the sagas is drinking, and lots of it. In Hákonar Saga Góða it is mentioned that when King Hákon the Good moved Yule to be closer to Christmas, he also required by law that all people brew a measure of ale and not cease celebrations until it was gone. This is echoed in Haralds Saga Hárfagra where the phrase “drinking Yule” is used, and “Yule-drinking” and “Yule-ale” are both featured in Zoëga’s A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic.
Swearing of oaths during Yuletide is mentioned in a couple of sagas, one of them being Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks. Oaths were taken quite seriously in Old Norse culture, and oaths made at a major holy tide would carry even more weight.
Another piece of Yuletide tradition mentioned in Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks is that of sacrificing and eating a boar. In this account, Heiðrekr leads his best boar into the palace at Yule to be sacrificed; the men there also make oaths while putting their hands on the boar’s bristles, making this the second mention of oath swearing at Yule in that saga. Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar is another source that mentions a boar sacrifice at Yule, and the practice is collectively known as sonargöltr. Though the element of sacrifice was taken out, boar meat at Yuletide feasts was carried over into post-conversion practice, and many modern Heathens include it today.
One practice that wasn’t retained, though, was that of eating horse meat. In Hákonar Saga Góða, King Hákon attends a Yule sacrifice where he is forced by the locals to participate even though he is Christian. This includes not only drinking a number of times from the ritual horn, but also eating a piece of liver from a sacrificial horse. Sacrificing and eating the meat of horses appears to have been an important part of Old Norse religious practice, and the fact that laws developed post-Christianization banned eating horse meat lends even more credence to this.
The celebration of Yule has been adopted into the calendars of other contemporary pagan religions such as Wicca, but the changes made to it are often substantial enough that they can be considered to have their own distinct versions of it. While they often still celebrate the return of the sun as many modern Heathens have come to do, differences such as cosmology and individual practices as well as the length of the celebration make them very distinct from what is present in ancient or modern Heathen practices. For the most part, the versions seen in religions such as Wicca will only last for a day or so, and they also factor in the birth of the God as well as the victory of the Oak King over the Holly King; neither of these events are observed in the traditional Yule celebrations.
Other traditional Yule and Scandinavian Christmas practices include:
The Julbok (Yule Goat), which can either be a large display or a small toy which is left in someone’s house as a prank and must be passed on to another. The figures are also commonly set at the base of the Christmas (or Yule) tree to await the arrival of Santa or Jultomten. This figure is reminiscent of older Yuletide customs where the Yule Goat was previously the bringer of gifts, and in some places still is.
The Yule Log, which is decorated with holly, fir, and occasionally yew as well and then burned. The burning of the log is seen as a petition to the gods for protection from misfortune. It is greatly advised that, rather than cutting down a living tree just to burn a section of it, one looks for an already fallen tree to cut the log from.
In Iceland, Grýla is known as a giantess and witch who is the mother of the 13 Yule Lads (Jólasveinar) who play pranks on people during the Yule and Christmas season, but may leave gifts for those who leave out offerings for them.
Also in Iceland, Jólakötturinn is a giant cat who according to traditional folklore eats people who do not get new clothes for Christmas. So don’t be sad about getting socks!
In Norway, children will sometimes go from house to house asking for treats.
In Sweden, one person in a house may dress as Tomten and hand out presents.
As with tomten in Sweden, Norway and Denmark regard the nisse as a mischievous being who plays pranks on people, but will be friendly if rice pudding is left out for him.
In Sweden, Lucia (13 Dec) is a major holiday and signals the beginning of Christmas celebrations. Sankta Lucia was a Christian saint who was essentially a bearer of light in darkness, and this aspect made her highly popular in a place where at this time the sun barely rises if at all. December 13th on the Julian calendar was the winter solstice, and even though the switch to the Gregorian calendar changed it to the 21st, the 13th is still often regarded as the longest and darkest night. While she was a Christian saint, there are some who theorize that she may have occupied the place of an earlier being named Lussi, especially since her candle wreath and procession through the darkness have some strong solar associations.
Scandinavian Winter Food/Drink:
Glögg (Mulled wine): This is a favorite of many; a traditional Scandinavian holiday drink made with wine and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom. It also has a citrus flavor to it, and can be found in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, though there are many non-alcoholic mixes that can be mixed with liquor to be quite tasty. Personally I make my own every year, but if I am mixing with store bought I prefer aquavit or vodka.
Julmust: Another holiday drink, mostly consumed in Sweden. It was originally developed as an alternative to beer and contains water, sugar, hop extract, malt extract, spices, and a few other ingredients. It has a taste somewhat similar to root beer, but sweeter, and similar drinks are sold throughout the year such as påskmust around Easter.
Gingerbread (Pepparkaka): Pretty self-explanatory for this one. It is common to make a gingerbread house (pepparkakshus) as well.
Rice Pudding/Porridge: This is common between all three of the main Scandinavian countries, and is made in a somewhat different style in each of them.
Main course of duck, cod, pork or similar dish: Cod is most notable in Norway, duck or goose in Denmark, and Sweden usually has any of ham, fish, poultry, etc.
Lefse: A traditional Norwegian soft flatbread, often made with potato in addition to other usual ingredients. It is commonly eaten with butter and sugar, and possibly cinnamon.
Nisse Cookies: Much like gingerbread cookies, these traditional Swedish treats are shaped and decorated to look like the nisse.
Why celebrate Yule?
Why not? It’s the darkest time of the year, the days are getting colder and there is already a winter holiday which contains many of the same base elements anyway (at least in North America and Europe)! This is a great time to get together with friends and family and celebrate in warmth and merriment. Feasting with the gods and other powers also helps to build a relationship, and this festival was seen as the most important of them all, so if one is going to choose only one holiday to celebrate from the calendar, they would do well to make it this one!
References:
Mapes, Terri. Christmas in Scandinavia. About.com. Web. 2012.
One of the benefits of Heathenry in the 21st century is that we have the ability to look back at and analyze (to a degree) the religious systems of pre-Christian Germanic societies from an objective viewpoint. This allows us to find the flaws in them both in themselves and how they related to their respective societies, such as rich assholes using theology and religious practice to justify and affirm their status and those of others, or using the promise of an eternal cosmic kegger to get guys to be okay with violently dying far away from their families, and to use those lessons to build better systems in the modern day.
It also allows us to adapt those systems to suit our modern world and address its problems whether social, ecological, etc. rather than trying to shove a square peg through a round hole, so to speak. When discussing ancient practices and religious systems it’s important to be intellectually honest and let history speak for itself, but while it should be informed by them modern Heathenry doesn’t need to and really shouldn’t seek to be exactly like those ancient versions. In reality it simply can’t because even now there’s a lot of gap filling that comes from comparative analysis of other systems, and the apparent temporal; social and geographical variations in those practices means at best one could accurately reconstruct how some people were doing it.
Anyone who wants it to be exactly like those systems either hasn’t read enough about them or is getting a heavily romanticized and probably outdated version of them.
The next festival on the Old Norse and Old Icelandic calendars is Vetrnætr, or Winternights. Beginning on the full moon following the first new moon after the autumnal equinox and lasting for three nights, this year it runs Oct 20-22. This is reckoned using the lunar system as Andreas Nordberg describes, but there was also a week-counting system at the time which would put it about 26 weeks after the start of summer.
It marks the transition from summer to winter, along with the beginning of the first winter month, Gormánuðr (Innards/Slaughter Month). Vetrnætr and associated practices are attested in several primary sources, most directly in Ynglinga Saga (alongside Jól/Midwinter and Sigrblót) but also in Víga-Glúms Saga,Egils saga Skallagrímssonar, Gísla saga SúrssonarandAustrfaravísur. Several deities and groups of beings are mentioned or implied as being offered to, including Freyr; Óðinn; the dísir (Dísablót) and the álfar (Álfablót).
The reference to the honoring of Freyr comes from Gísla saga Súrssonar when Þorgrímr says that they will be performing a sacrifice to Freyr during the autumnal blót. Since Freyr is also known as the lord of the álfar this could lend support to the connection between them and Winter Nights, but that is in no way certain from this reference alone, and by itself would be purely conjecture.
However, there is a clear reference in support of their being honored at this time, at least regionally, and that comes from Sweden. In the skaldic poem Austrfararvísur, Sigvatr Þórðarson journeys to Sweden in the service of King Olaf II in Norway at the onset of winter. When he comes to a place known as Hof he seeks a place to stay. However, he is turned away at several different houses, each time by a man named Ölvir. He is told that the people there are heathen and are performing a sacrifice to the álfar, and that they also fear Óðinn’s wrath should they allow the ceremony to be interrupted by outsiders.
The account given in Austrfararvísur does not explicitly state that Óðinn was honored at that time, but it certainly carries a heavy implication of it. Whether this was a general fear of his wrath for violating the apparent custom of secrecy or specifically regarding a rite at least partially in his honor is unclear, but at the very least the people there seemed quite wary of angering him.
Lastly, the reference in Egil’s Saga says that Egil and and Ölvir are first denied ale when they travel to the home of Barð because it is being used for the Dísablót.
Details are fairly vague about specific practices during the time of Vetrnætr, and appear to have varied quite a bit regionally. This is demonstrated by the account of Álfablót happening in Sweden while Dísablót occurred in Iceland and probably Norway. In Sweden, Dísablót took place in late winter.
One thing mentioned that seems to have been commonplace, though, is the offering of ale, likely aided by a recent harvest of barley. The account in Austrfararvísur gives a possible reference to ale being used as an offering; because the man who turns away Sigvatr at every house is called Ölvir, it has been interpreted as possibly being a title rather than an actual name, meaning “Ale Being.” Similarly, the Egils Saga reference clearly contains ale being used as an offering during a religious ceremony.
Additionally, this was the time to slaughter livestock that would not be kept through the winter since the colder weather would now allow meat to keep longer without spoiling, and this practice was likely incorporated into Vetrnætr celebrations.
In the somewhat later primstav system this point was standardized to Oct 14th by our modern Gregorian calendar, so either of these times is pretty valid for observing the start of winter. In any case, summer is quickly coming to a close!
References
Snorri Sturlusson. Heimskringla. (New York: Dover Publications, 1990).
Nordberg, Andreas. Jul, disting och förkyrklig tideräkning: Kalendrar och kalendariska riter i det förkristna Norden. (Uppsala, 2006). Available from: http://www.kgaa.nu/upload/books/103.pdf
Thorsson, Örnólfur et al. The Sagas of Icelanders. (New York: Viking Penguin, 2000).
I think one big thing that turned me off to a certain demographic amongst Heathens was seeing the question “What is your favorite place to be in nature?” answered with “In my house away from the wild” (or some version of that; it’s been a few years).
I get it. People in Early Medieval Europe had a different view of the natural world than many do today, and our modern luxuries that make our survival less directly dependent on it have done a lot to bring about worship of nature that’s motivated by reverence rather than necessity. However, you sound like quite a literal heimskingi bragging about *not* getting out and exploring when it’s become so much easier and safer to do.
Of course not everyone needs to be backpacking all the time and I certainly like being home as well, but if you go into a thread specifically about enjoying nature and bring that in as your contribution you just sound like a wet dish towel.
This is the third full moon after the Yule Moon, and that means that by both Primstav and Old Norse lunar reckoning the summer season and the month of Harpa have begun!
The primstav marks today, April 14th, as Sumarmál or Sommardag (Summer Day): the first day of the summer half of the year!
Old Norse time reckoning, and consequently the Old Icelandic calendar, began the months and seasons on a lunar basis, with summer and the month of Harpa beginning on the third full moon after the Yule moon. This year, that falls on April 26th, just a bit after the primstav reckoning.
Heimskringla mentions that the “onset of summer” was marked with Sigrblót (Victory Sacrifice), which one could assume was held at the actual beginning of the season. Not much else is mentioned in regard to major observances, although this was the time at which people began to bring out their livestock while still watching closely over them. The month’s name itself is a woman’s name in Old Norse and Icelandic, and as with Þorri and Góa it may have been personified as a goddess or legendary female figure.
Though here in Western Washington (specifically the Cascade foothills) our seasonal transitions are a little more gradual than where these methods of time reckoning originated, yesterday and today have been the first two days absent of frost or rain in a while, so it definitely feels like a seasonal change nonetheless!
The oldest ones are from about the 17th century, and the tradition itself is inspired by continental Christian magic mixed with some elements of Icelandic folk belief.
However, not being ~1000 year old pre-Christian symbols doesn’t mean people aren’t allowed to enjoy them. It just means that they shouldn’t be forced into a context to which they’re quite foreign (Viking Era reenactment & living history, etc).
It likely sounds odd to hear that near the end of January, but going by the dating before it was moved into December to be closer to Christmas, Old Norse Yule begins tonight (1/28) and runs through Saturday night (1/30). This is the full moon following the first new moon after the winter solstice, and was observed as being Midwinter Night by Old Norse reckoning, the halfway point between the beginning of winter (late October) and the beginning of summer (late April).
If you haven’t yet taken your holiday decorations down, well, you have an excuse for at least another few days.
The Old Icelandic “calendar” relative to the modern Gregorian calendar. I say “calendar” for the Old Icelandic one because it, and the reconstructed Old Norse one that predate it, were lunar based and therefore the dates moved around relative to the lunisolar one that we use, and also because they didn’t really use the concept of numbered years like we do (2020, 2021, 2022, etc).
One of the main changes I often make when using this in an Old Norse context is to change Mörsugr to Jólmánuðr; the latter appears to have been an older name that was replaced by the former, likely as a result of Jól having been moved into Ýlir (or late December on the Gregorian calendar) and given a more fixed date. Given that this change occurred during the later part of the nominal Viking Period it’s not necessarily “wrong” to have Mörsugr there; I just prefer to focus on earlier contexts.
What is clear, though, is the division of the year into Summer and Winter halves, beginning several weeks after the astronomical Spring and Autumn equinoxes, respectively. Here in the PNW I’d say some years this is fairly accurate, while for some others that summer half could definitely be narrowed down a bit.
One of the most annoying things about the classic debates centering around racism in modern Heathenry, not that I don’t think it’s important to address those problems or that they haven’t been there since its beginnings in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is that they pull so much attention away from the discussions around more in-depth topics of the religious traditions themselves.
Things like the parts of the soul, death and the afterlife, the structure of prayer and ritual and how they compare to the more generic neopagan structures, reconstructing and adapting ancient calendars based on seasonal and lunar events (that aren’t just copy/pastes of the Wiccan Wheel of the Year), low mythology and the importance of beings outside of the Æsir and Vanir, the variations in who was most prominently worshiped outside of systems presented in the Eddas, etc.; all of these tend to be given minimal or very shallow attention in comparison to the endless cycle of addressing and denouncing (or often denying) racists. Again, it’s not that it’s not important or that racism isn’t the fault of racists. However, Heathenry isn’t the only religion that has this issue, but it certainly seems to be disproportionately hindered by it from developing a real sense of substance that makes it worth taking seriously from an outside perspective.
There’s a lot of concern and attention put into trying to separate non-racist Heathens from racist ones, or claiming that racist Heathens aren’t really Heathens (sorry, they are), but there’s not nearly that same energy often put into creating an image of Heathenry that makes it hard for journalists and the general public to only have that negative view of it. I don’t mean that Heathens all need to be out on the front lines of protests or leading the anti-racism movement, but even simply being a good and relatable person in one’s community who happens to have that religious affiliation begins to create that more positive view.
Those who feel called and able to be more active in those social movements do the work on the level, and others are simply real living examples of a collective Heathenry that isn’t based in bigotry and is in fact a part of the community fighting against those injustices. Meanwhile, creating a greater collective knowledge of ancient practices and views and using those to create a modern revival with real substance and identity to it gives Heathenry a reputation that isn’t “possibly racist LARPers who have read/watched a little too much Marvel and Vikings”.
Heathens are not and never will be monolithic; there will always be a range of political views amongst them just as with many other religions. However, building a genuine religious tradition or group of traditions that aren’t essentially caricatures of themselves is a big part of being a legitimate member of that interreligious “community”. Some groups and organizations have already achieved this, absolutely, but it seems to overall be the exception rather than the rule thus far.
It may seem counterintuitive to end this with a quote from something outside Norse or other Germanic sources, but Marcus Aurelius seemed quite relevant here: “Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.”
Friendly reminder that going by Old Norse (pre-Hákon) reckoning, Jól this year would start on the 28th of this month and end on the 30th. So, y'know, if you want a second round of Yule and are looking for reason, there’s that.
It’s in the name. The word “Yule” is often said to come from the word “hjól” meaning “wheel”, referring to the cyclical wheel of the year. However, this may well be a folk etymology based on conveniently similar words rather than genuine etymological reality.
The ancestor of the Old Norse “Jól” has been reconstructed as “*jeulō” in Proto-Germanic, which is a plural form of “*jehwlą” meaning “festivity or celebration”. While this term had a fairly generic meaning in Proto-Germanic, it seems that in Old Norse it took on the more specific meaning of the Midwinter celebration in what is now mid-January while other terms took over the role of describing general festivities.
Interestingly, Jól is never a singular term, making it a plurale tantum. Being derived from a plural form of an older term, this makes sense and makes a stronger case for this etymology. At the end of the day, even the name Jól suggests that it was a time to party!
Source: Orel, Vladimir (2003). A Handbook of Germanic Etymology. Leiden: Brill Publishers. pg. 205. ISBN 90-04-12875-1.
Here is a good Christmas/Yule folktale from Østfold, Norway about the nisse:
One Christmas Eve many years ago, a servant girl wanted to tease the nisse by playing a trick on him. She hid the butter at the bottom of the bowl of porridge to be set out in the barn, knowing very well the nisse was greedy for the butter and would make a long face if he could not find it.
But when the nisse saw that there was no butter on the Christmas porridge, he became madder than the girl had imagined - he went straight to the cow shed and killed the best cow. That would show them how much he appreciated their begrudging him of even a little bit of butter!
Then he went into the barn and ate the porridge anyway. And when the bowl was empty, he found the butter lying on the bottom. Now the nisse felt so bad about having killed the cow, he cried and carried on.
That same Christmas night, the nisse walked over to the neighboring farm, took the best cow he could find, led her back to Rød, and put her in the stall - the same stall where the other how had been.
From Scandinavian Folk Belief and Legend, edited by Reimund Kvideland and Henning K. Sehmsdorf.
Reblogging myself because I always like this story. Also I found a perfect picture to go with it.
To those starting Yule celebrations tonight or tomorrow, gleðilig jól!
I tend to celebrate personally starting at this time and then with my living history group in mid-January going by the Old Norse time reckoning (around the full moon after the first new moon following the solstice). Having two rounds of Yule isn’t the worst thing.
It has been a while since I have featured more from Sceith-A but it is always a pleasure to showcase her stunning artwork. From top to bottom:
Sif “Alone thou wert, if truly thou wouldst, All men so shyly shun; But one do I know, full well, methinks, Who had thee from Hlorrithi’s arms, (Loki the crafty in lies.)”
Wolf’s Father “Stand forth then, Vithar, and let the wolf’s father, Find a seat at our feast; Lest evil should Loki speak aloud, Here within Ægir’s hall.”
Freyja “Be silent, Freyja! for fully I know thee, Sinless thou art not thyself; Of the gods and elves who are gathered here, Each one as thy lover has lain.”
Skadi
Loki “And after that Loki hid himself in Franang’s waterfall in the guise of a salmon, and there the gods took him.”
Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland has been my most highly recommended ‘narrative’ exploration of the tales of Norse Mythology for many years and now it has been updated with some truly beautiful artwork by Jeffery Alan Love.
Yggdrasil, the World Tree By Simon E. Davies of Human Odyssey
In the beginning of the Norse cosmos, there existed an eternal Void, known as Ginnungagap. Out of this nothingness sprang Yggdrasil, a huge Ash tree. Its newly emerging branches held two primordial worlds; Niflheim, a world of ice & frost, and Muspellheim, a realm of molten fire.
When a spring erupted from Nifelheim (known as Hvergelmir), it created a river which crossed the void into Muspellheim. Here, the hot air scorched the freezing river creating a new world, known as Jotunheim, land of the giants.
From this bloodline of primordial beings came Odin, Vili and Ve, who despised the father of giants who ruled his people with malice and brutality. When the chance came, the brothers slew the frost giant, and from his body they created Midgard, a world of mortals. Surrounding this realm they placed a great ocean which nourished the roots of the great tree.
Yggdrasil grew ever higher, forming a new realm called Asgard, which is located on the highest branch of the world tree. This was where Odin, king of the Aesir would take his people to settle a new civilisation. It was said this race of gods brought culture and technology to the world of mortals via a great causeway called Bifrost.
Bifrost was a burning rainbow bridge, connecting Midgard (the world of mortals) with Asgard. This colourful overpass emerged from Himinbjörg, a mountain hall guarded over by the ever-vigilant Heimdall. This watchmen of the gods kept an eye on the mortals below, making sure no giants breached their homeland.
As Yggdrasil continued to grow, a new land emerged on one of its branches called Vanaheim. It was a land full of luscious forests and wild meadows. From this primal wilderness emerged a race of gods known as the Vanir. This tribal people lived near the coast, ruled by Njörðr, a seafaring god who loved wealth and magic, a trait common among his people.
A great tension broke out between the Vanir and the Aesir resulting in a long winded war. It eventually ended in a stalemate, so many of the gods sent their families as hostages to the opposing tribe to help bring them closer together. Njörðr’s son, Freyr, was placed in charge of Alfheim, homeland of the Elves. This class of god-like beings were said to be “more beautiful than the sun.”
These elves were also linked to another realm far below the Earth. Legend says a tribe from Alfheim were exiled from their homeland many eons ago, and eventually sought refuge with the dwarves of the underworld. These subterranean beings had build their homes around the roots of Yggdrasil, carving a network of labyrinths, mines and forges for their empire. They called it Niðavellir, and the elves, who skin eventually became black as night, called it Svartalfar.
All the beings of Yggdrasil, mortals, gods, dwarves and elves would eventually die, and their souls were destined for several realms. If the Aesir died valiantly in battle, they would find rest in Valhalla, for all others, Helheim was their inevitable destination. This dark and gloomy abode resided at the tip of Yggdrasil’s deepest root. This afterlife was ruled over by Loki’s daughter Hel, a strange being who was half black and half flesh-coloured, characterised by a gloomy, downcast appearance.
There are a number of sacred creatures which live within Yggdrasil. this includes the monstrous wyrm Níðhöggr who gnaws at the roots of Nifelheim, weakening the great tree of Yggdrasil. This frost dragon was also known for eating the corpses of the Nifelheim when found guilty of murder, adultery and oath-breaking.
Atop the highest branches of the world tree is perched a great eagle and his hawk companion Vedrfolnir, who sits between his eyes. The two stare deep into the Norse cosmos, perhaps representing insight and awareness.
Ratatosk is a squirrel who runs up and down the world tree to carry messages between the unnamed eagle and Níðhöggr the wyrm. This mischievous critter is said to stir trouble between the all knowing eagle and the world hungry dragon.
Among the branches of the Great Ash tree live four stags known as Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr and Duraþrór. These ravenous beasts eat the branches of the World Tree, perhaps representing the four seasons. When they eat too much, winter ensues, when they are full, the leaves grow thick and lush in the midst of summer.
Perhaps the most important guardians of Yggdrasil are the three Norns (witches) who lives at the well Urd (below Midgard). Their names are Urd “past”, Verdani “present” and Skuld “future”. These three hags are the goddesses of fate, who spend most their time spinning the threads of life, deciding the fate of every human, animal and god. Every day the Norns will also carry water from Urd’s well, and pour it over Yggdrasil. The water from the well is of vital importance to keep the tree green and healthy.
It is the Norns who foretold Ragnarok, the twilight of the Gods and the fall of Yggdrasil. It is said that Ragnarok will begin when the wolf, Fenrir, son of Loki, breaks free of his imprisonment. This will lead to a chain reaction of events including the Midgard snake Jormungandr rising from the sea and a wolf (known as Skoll) devouring the sun, and his brother Hati, eating the moon, plunging the earth into darkness. The stars will vanish from the sky.
Everything will come to a head in a huge battle that draws in all the races of the nine worlds. It will conclude with Surter, king of the fire giants, setting fire to the great Yggdrasil. The nine worlds will burn, and friends and foes alike will perish, culminating with the earth sinking deep into the abyss of the sea.
Johan Egerkrans (the Swedish artist who created Nordiska Väsen) has recently released his newest book entitled Nordiska Gudar (meaning “Norse Gods”) and it is exceptional! Please enjoy some of the artwork from within.
“Völuspá”, recorded live at Castlefest Winter Edition during Einar’s solo concert. Music: Einar Selvik | Wardruna Instrument: 13th century, Kravik Lyre
“Hræsvelgr he is called, who at the end of heaven sits, a Jötun in an eagle´s plumage: from his wings comes, it is said, the wind, that over all men passes.”
Kulturhistorisk museum in Oslo hosted an exhibit named “Fabulous Animals”, exploring the connection between humans and animals in the period from the Iron Age to the Viking Age, through archaeological finds.
I hope you will enjoy some photographs of some of the exhibits.
“Heathenism is, that men worship idols; that is, that they worship heathen gods, and the sun or the moon, fire or rivers, water-wells or stones, or forest trees of any kind; or love witchcraft, or promote ‘morth’-work in any wise; or by ‘blot,’ or by ‘fyrht;’ or perform any thing pertaining to such illusions.”
This excerpt from The Law Codes Of King Cnut, written by Archbishop Wulfstan (on behalf of King Cnut) in approximately 1020, serves as a fantastic outline for exactly what constituted “heathen” practices, from the time at which they were trying to ban such practices.
A red bearded warrior, hunting trolls with his axe on his travels does not require us to make a huge leap of imagination in order to note similarities with the norse god Thor. However, there is far more to the comparison that St. Olav may have been used to reimagine pre-Christian beliefs surrounding Thor if we look a little deeper…
Following Christianisation in Northern Europe, many Scandinavians kept their heathen beliefs alive through syncretism with Christianity. A strong case can be made for this practice being evident with the Catholic saint and former king of Norway, Olav Haraldsson, celebrated each year on 29th July.
In Scandinavia, from long ago through until more recent times, St. Olav’s day was the day when the people would pray for thunder (named directly from Thor) and (as they referred to it) “the rain of the Æser” to prepare the crop for harvest, which they so eagerly awaited to come to fruition at this time of year.
St. Olav, like Thor, could control trolls and giants, according to legend. When he travelled around Norway on his Christening mission, the trolls often tried to block the way for him. He then used his power to turn them to stone, as if he was the sun, using a cross instead of Thor’s hammer, mjølner
One story, from the area of Ringerike, tells us that when St. Olav tried to pass a place called Krokkleiva, an angry giantess jumped out of the mountainside and said: “Saint Olaf with the red beard, you are riding too close to my cellar wall!” But St. Olaf replied: “Stand you there in wood and stone until I return!” Whereupon the giantess was turned into stone. Similar stories are told about various landscape features throughout Norway. People also saw other traces of St. Olaf in the landscape, such as footprints of his horse. A stone in Setesdal is said to be his chair, two rocks near Stiklestad are his bowl and cup, etc…
Another famous landmark is The Well Of St. Olav at Karmøy: “The legend claims that King Olaf was followed by enemies through the strait Karmsund. He sailed his ship to the western side of the island. From here the King and his men started to drag the ship over land from Torvastad to Vikingstad.The hard work made them thirsty and the King stabbed his clenched fist in the rock. Immediately it came roaring up clear water so everyone could drink.” Most interesting about St. Olav’s Well is that it is located in Torvastad and just a few hundred meters to the west we find Hovland. As the name suggests, it was likely to have been a pagan hov (temple). We know that water played a major role in Norse mythology, and perhaps the water in St. Olav’s well also had a sacred function in Pre-Christian times.
In Viking times, before the conversion to Christianity (and after it, too), people in Norway believed in different supernatural beings living in the landscape. Landscape features could also be made by them, such as mountains being petrified trolls, or a ravine being the axe blow of a giant. With these stories about St. Olav, this way of thinking and explaining the landscape takes on a Christian mask, yet it is still fundamentally a continuation of traditional beliefs.
The longest day, the shortest night, Natt is in absence, The shortest darkness, the longest light, Dag rules this sky, Sol enlightens a world more bright, Just as the embers of the midsommar fire, Until the sun rises, they must stay alight, Make haste, the days move quickly now, Jord grows stronger now, And Balder’s brightness shining through, As Hod stirs from his deepest sleep, Anticipating the falling leaves, For one more year, give thanks, Sol ascends tonight.
A Scandinavian/Nordic folk belief pre-dating the Viking Age, a tordenstein (in Norwegian), known as a ‘thunderstone’ in English and ‘dynestein’ in Old Norse, refer to recovered Stone Age flint axes/tools (usually dug up from the earth after many years beneath the surface) used as talismans, protective amulets and sacred objects in heathenry. Believed to have been hurled to earth by Thor, within lightning bolts during thunderstorms, as weapons to destroy trolls, alver (elves) and other malevolent vetter (mystical or spirit creatures), to protect the world from chaotic forces. This ancient tradition is one of the longest continuously running and most widely spread customs in human history, practiced for many thousands of years across many cultures, in various different ways.
When thunderstones were first excavated from Viking Age graves, they were initially dismissed as accidental additions because they were dated as much as 5000 years before the burial. As more evidence emerged and more examples were excavated (including one in an untouched, sealed stone coffin), it was soon understood that these thunderstones held significant importance. Some unearthed examples were even carried to Iceland all the way from Norway by treacherous sea voyage! It is believed that they protected houses and people, along with protecting the hamingja (”luck”).
To the Vikings, there were three essential properties for a thunderstone, according to Olle Hemdorff, an archeologist from the University Of Stavanger, Norway and expert on the topic:
“The form had to be similar to an ax or a hammer—that is, a ground stone or flint. The stone had to have ‘flaming’ properties, which flint and quartz have. And all the stones were damaged with the edge chipped off—'proof’ that they fell from the sky.”
In Scandinavian folklore, thunderstones are seen as potent magical artefacts and anyone lucky enough to dig one up possesses a very powerful charm. Often worshipped as famial or ancestral deities/powers, they are said to protect against spells and witchcraft, if kept on the person. Similarly, if placed within the wall of a home, they will bring good luck, prevent lightning from striking and protect against bad magic. When used within a sacrificial blot ceremony, the thunderstone would be venerated with an offering of beer, poured over the stone, or anointed with butter.
Photographs:
My own tordenstein.
Lightning shower (CNN, 2014).
Artistic recreation of Viking Age woman with tordenstein in excavated in Kongshaugen, Norway.
Photograph of the Stone Age greenstone axehead and grave goods found buried with the Viking Age woman (as above)
