Yule is known to most of us as a synonym for Christmas. Familiar customs and traditions (yule log, wassail, and the decorated tree) stem from Yule, named for a Norse merrymaking midwinter festival called Jul. The festival lasted for 12 days.
Today, Yule takes place on the day of winter solstice in the northern hemisphere (June 21 in the southern hemisphere). On that day an amazing thing happens in the sky – we earthlings tilt away from the sun and as a result the sun reaches its greatest distance from the earth’s equator (thus the shortest day of the day with the least amount of sunlight).
Many cultures have winter festivals that are celebrations of light, which factor in strongly in Christmas, Hannukkah, and Kwanzaa. Yule being a festival of the sun, its most important aspect is the celebration of light – candles, tree decorating inside and outside in the landscape, and indoor and outdoor fires.
Whatever your festivities, all of us at Outdoor Craftsmen wish you a merry and bright holiday season.
