got this in an email today from one of my groups! I totally LOVE it!!!


YULE (by Goði E. Wodenson)

Why do we celebrate a seemingly Christian holiday, "Christmas"
or "Yule", in the religion of Asátrú?

Let us begin by clarifying something... Except for the
Nativity Scene and Christmas Mass, everything celebrated, practiced,
and observed by Christians at the "Yule" season, or so-
called "Christmas", was appropriated from Heathen/Pagan sources, i.e.
the ancient Northern European religion, in its various forms. This is
a fact that any historian, of even mediocre expertise, can discover
by a brief study of the past. This knowledge, although quite common
amongst scholars, is generally concealed from the Christian populace.

Yule or the Winter Solstice is possibly the most important
celebration of the year for those who follow the ancient religion of
Asátrú. It begins on the Mother Night (Dec. 20th) and ends on the
12th Night (Dec. 31st). During these twelve sacred days, Asátrúar
around Vinland, Europe, or wherever they find themselves, celebrate
this special time of the year. Feasting, giving of the gift, tree
decorating, visiting with relatives and close friends, religious
observances and more- are all part of this magical twelve day period,
and have been observed by millions of our ancestors for tens of
thousands of years- long before the appearance of the Judiac-based
religion of Christianity.


Why is Yule so important?

It is an end... and a beginning. Like life itself. The old
year ends... the new year begins, and it is the official beginning of
Winter. A time to take stock of the past, and plan for the future.
Some feel that the 12 days of Yule can be viewed as microcosms of the
previous 12 months, giving the practitioner a chance to review and
meditate upon the current year that's about to end. In this way, the
Trú man or woman can also us this time to lay plans for the coming
year. Hence, the first day of 12 days of Yule, gives us a chance to
review January or "Snowmoon", of the current year, and also lay plans
for the up coming month. This proceeds through the 12 days of Yule
and through the 12 months as well, in miniature, until the last of
the 12 days of Yule, which is also the last day of the month of Yule
and the last day of the year in question. A magical time to end old
things and begin anew!

This is the time of the Winter Solstice... An astronomical
event that has been preceded by a period of lengthening nights and
short, dark days. A time of deep darkness and cold. In fact, on the
actual day of the Winter Solstice, there are fewer minutes of
daylight than on any other day of the year. A very dark time for our
ancestors, and dim light- exactly the opposite of Mid Summer
Festival. However, on the day after the 21st (Winter Solstice), the
daylight begins to lengthen, only by seconds at first, but now the
Sun, the giver of life, is returning and it is a time for
celebration! It is a testimony to our ancestors intelligence and
awareness that they were able to pinpoint this particular occurrence,
and realize the significance of this time of year. You can't grow
crops in the dark, shortened days of winter... you can't plant seeds
in the frozen ground. All of this was cause for tremendous
celebration when the Winter's back was finally broken, and the warm,
green days of Spring lay just ahead!

It was also a time for contact with those who had gone
before. With the dead ancestors of the celebrant. Maybe its the
extreme length of darkness each night, maybe it's the cold, death-
like grip of Winter. Maybe its the fact that "death" reins supreme at
this time of year, as all the plants of summer have either died or
become dormant. Whatever the reason, those who follow the old
religion know, from personal experience, that is a time of magic, and
contact with the spirits of our ancestors and even the gods and
goddesses themselves. It is a good time to cast the runes for the
coming year. It is an end, like the end of life. And it is at the
same time a beginning, like birth. A magical time!


Why do we feast so much at this time of year?

The idea of the Yule Feast is to celebrate the return of
light and warmth is obvious... but there is more. Before canned or
frozen food... before Super Markets... before 5,000 acre farms...
long before all of this modern technology, our ancestors had to be
very careful, or they just might succumb to the cold and dark of
Winter. Food had to be harvested, in one way or another. Then it had
to be stored. The Folk had to plan carefully for the whole winter.
Sure, they might get a deer or elk, during a Winter hunt, but they
needed other provisions as well, and a perilous Winter hunt wasn't
always a guaranteed source of food. Winter was a difficult time for
our ancestors, and often they did not survive the dark and cold. So
why the feast? Simple... if they had survived to the Winter Solstice,
then they would likely make it till spring... it was the halfway
point of the cold and the dark, and the beginning of the returning
light and warmth- they had crossed a major milestone of the year! Now
the remaining provisions were easier to ration out for the rest of
the winter. Whereas they might have been holding back on the
consumption of their precious food stores before the Yuletide, now it
was a time to celebrate with a Feast!


Why do most Asátrúar eat pork or ham at the Yule Feast?

Originally this was a time to sacrifice to the god Frey for a
bountiful Spring and eventual harvest. Our ancient ancestors did this
by ritually killing a wild bore. This was one of the main aspects of
the Mid-Winter Festival in Northern Europe. Its cooked flesh was then
eaten at a great Feast. This activity was often combined with the
burning of a giant Sunwheel, which was then rolled down a hill, to
entice Sunna to return. This Pagan practice continued, in Europe,
well into the 12th century C.E. When the wild boar began to vanish,
they were replaced with domestic pigs, of which there was ample
supply. Eventually this was replaced by a token offering of a Boar's
Head, and apple or an orange in it's mouth. To this day, this ancient
heathen tradition is still observed by many Christians
at "Christmas". Many colleges in Europe present the "boars head" at
the Yule Feast, as a long standing tradition. Today most Asátrúar
will simply have a slice of ham at the Yule Feast, but in doing so
they are keeping alive a tradition that goes back for many thousands
of years... when to chew on a juicy piece of pork, was to ensure that
Nature would become bountiful once again.


Why do we give gifts at this time of year?

Besides the obvious feelings of joy and jubilation at the
impending return of light and warmth... a great gift granted by Sunna
herself, the Giver of Life to us all... it was a time to give to any
Kin who might be short on provisions. Who might not have enough to
survive the rest of the winter. Many were not always successful at
the hunt or the harvest, while others did well. It was common to
share your provisions with your blood relatives and "tried friends",
at this time of the year... especially if they came up short on
supplies. It was a matter of survival. Obviously, you would not give
gifts to an enemy or to outright strangers. That kind of action might
endanger the future of your tribe. It was a time to share, and
thereby ensure the future of your clan. This was often the food given
and used at the Feast. Another reason to Feast! Over time, the items
given as gifts, increased and began to include things other than
food. In ancient, Pagan Rome, gift giving became extremely elaborate
and superstitious at the Winter Solstice. So much so, that failure to
give certain gifts of quality and substance, could mean bad luck in
the coming year! After the arrival of the "Christ", the early
Christians tried desperately t suppress the giving of gifts at the
Yuletide, because of its clearly Pagan origins. However its appeal
was too great, and they failed repeatedly to stamp out this Heathen
tradition. Finally, as they always do, they gave up and absorbed it
into their religion... made it their own. Twisted it around until it
no longer appeared to be Pagan. So next time you see all those
people, lined up at the check-out counter of the local department
store... their arms filled with gifts, chocolates, wrapping paper and
more... a week before Yule... remember- they are participating in an
ancient Pagan tradition!

This was also a time to share something with the "land
spirits". Beings who could often effect the success or failure of the
tribe... especially where crops and domesticated animals were
concerned. Unlike the gods and goddesses of Asgard, these "lesser"
deities, or spirits, were strictly known on a "regional" or tribal
basis. Each tribe or clan were aware of the land spirits of their
particular area and knew of their abilities or attributes. The giving
of gifts, in the form of food, to the land spirits, at this time of
the year, was to assure a bountiful harvest next fall... to ensure
the continued good luck of the clan. This practice was quite common
throughout all ancient civilizations, and is till practiced today in
many areas of the world. In modern-day Asátrú it is common for
Asátrúar to offer nuts, fruits, cookies, mead and other treats who
occupy the land where they live. This is another example of gift
giving at Yuletide.


Why do we decorate a Yule Tree in our house?

The decorating of the Yule Tree, is also related to the land
or "tree" sprits. The purpose was to assure that the spirits that
attached themselves to the trees, would not leave because of the cold
and dark of winter. The sacred Oak, Elm, or Ash were probably the
original trees for Yule decorating. But, with the appearance of
Christianity, this activity was greatly discouraged by the Christian
monks & missionaries. They soon realized that they would not be able
to stem this ancient tradition, so they changed it, and convinced our
ancestors to decorate an evergreen tree instead of the Oak, Ash, or
Elm. This tactic worked but it's success was limited. As we know from
the ancient Sagas and Eddas of our Folk, the evergreen tree is
Sunna's promise that she will return, that summer will come again.
All the other trees have lost their leaves and appear to be dead...
but not the evergreen! At this point in our history, many of our
ancestors switched from the Oak, Ash, or Elm to the evergreen, as the
main tree of the Yule season. By decorating that "always green" tree,
our ancestors assured that the spirits associated with it would not
succumb to the winter's spell and abandon the trees, which could mean
bad luck for the clan. By decorating the trees with bits of food,
colored cloth, carved runes, small statues of the gods, etc., our
ancestors soothed the feelings of the tree spirits, made the trees
more attractive, and assured the spirits continued presence. Thus the
Christian Monk's attempt to remove a Pagan tradition, backfired, and
it continues to this day.

With the dominance of Christianity in Northern Europe, our
Heathen Ancestors were eventually forced "underground" or indoors...
and they brought their tree with them. Of course, as we all know,
this tradition was eventually adopted by the Church, after they
realized that they could not rid the population of this "disgusting
pagan habit". Only then did they adopt it as their own, and thereby
set the stage for duping our ancestors into becoming part of their
Judaic-based religion.


What about Santa Claus, Father Christmas, and Old Man Winter?

In ancient times our ancestors found it difficult to deal
with the harsh Winter season... obviously without the modern comforts
we all enjoy. A mild winter was always something they longed for, and
they often tried to appease the forces of Nature with various
religious activities. The pagan Vikings would dress someone up to
represent Old Man Winter, and then make him as welcome as possible.
The British eventually adopted this custom, and after the advent of
Christianity, called him Old Father Christmas. He was welcomed into
each household to enjoy all the Feasting and festivities. He was
piled with mead and food to try and keep him in a good mood. It was
hoped that these activities would make for a mild winter and a good
spring. Much later, this ancient heathen figure, was confused with
Santa Claus, and today most think of them as one and the same.
Actually "Santa Claus", as he is most commonly known, started out as
a Christian Monk who died in 345 C.E., and who eventually gained
sainthood. Needless to say, he eventually became more popular
than "the Christ", and was burned in effigy by the French Clergy in
the middle part of the 20th century! Finally in 1969 C.E. Pope Paul
VI demoted him to non-saint status! Today the fat, jolly, red suited
Old Man is actually an invention of the Coca-Cola Company. Strange,
but true! In 1931, Coca-Cola hired an artist to redesign Santa Claus
for their winter advertising campaign. Red and white are the official
colors of Coca-Cola, hence the Old Man's new outfit. Since that time,
the look of Santa Claus has been carved in stone. Years ago Father
Christmas or Old Man Winter, would appear in green, purple, blue,
blue-black, or even brown, often trimmed with brown, black or white
furs. Sometimes even covered head to toe in fur or skins. But no
more! True to Corporate America's goals, now all see him as the fat,
jolly man in the red suit, with lots of goodies from everyone.

Before Clement Moore wrote his famous poem in 1822, Father
Christmas traveled by food or by giant white horse (Odin's horse
Sleipnir?). But Moore, a very learned man and professor of
Literature, changed all of that forever when he introduced the idea
of reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh. This was not done on a casual
whim, but came from an ancient Finish legend about "Old Man Winter".
The ancient Finns believed that Old Man Winter drove the reindeer
down the mountains, into the lowlands each year with the coming of
the cold (food source?). Moore grafted part of this Finnish legend
onto existing Father Christmas. Why eight reindeer? Some scholars
have speculated that the professor was having some fun with the
general populace by perking up his tale with a scholarly reference to
Odin, who rides an eight legged horse. As well known author, Desmond
Mooris has stated: "Odin's horse carried the god around when, clad in
a large cloak and hat, he set out to meet his people, dispensing
rewards and punishments as they were due. There are clearly elements
there suggesting that Odin was a precursor of the Father Christmas-
Santa Claus figure, and it may have amused Moore to incorporate at
least on Odin feature in his new creation." So again we find that
much of what we consider to be strictly Christian phenomenon... is
again based in pagan reality.


Why do Christians celebrate the birth of Christ during the Yuletide?

In the fourth century C.E. Pope Julius I officially set the
date of Christ's birth to December 25th, after a brief investigation.
The truth is, no one had the faintest idea as to the actual date of
his birth... they weren't even certain about the year! All of which
lead to endless arguments amongst their faithful. Today scholars know
on thing for certain- the Christ was not born in the year 0, on
December 25th! That they all agree on. Many had speculated as to
the exact date of birth of this religious figure. Some say they have
proof that he was born in May... others have suggested April. Still
others have championed January... March... and September. In reality
no one knows- and they never will! But certain historical evidence
has shown that he definitely was not born during the Yule Festival.

So why December 25th? Again... it was that old "if you can't
beat them, then convert them by deceiving them." By placing the birth
of their Christ in the middle of the ancient Mid-Winter heathen
festival, the church hoped to convert, and thereby absorb the Pagans
into their belief system. It was a limited success. For although the
Yuletide became "Christmas", all the Pagan traditions stayed on. and
the Nativity ended up taking a back seat to the rest. The ancient
heathen practices never died out, but lingered on right up to the
present time- lucky for us! And the traditions of Feasting,
drinking, dancing, gift-giving, the lighting of fires, the holding of
parties and general merriment and revelry... stayed on in their
mostly original Pagan forms, with very little change. Over the years
the church tried to stamp out the celebration of Christmas or Yule,
and even made it illegal to observe it, at various times in history.
It was officially abolished in England on the 3rd of June, 1647 C.E.!
The puritans couldn't stand all the Pagan revelry, obviously having
nothing to do wit the birth of their "Christ", and so they too tried
to stamp it out! When that failed, they tried to make the whole
Christmas idea non-appealing and eventually illegal! However, this
attempt to remove the Mid-Winter Festival from the hearts of people
failed. And there were even riots against this law. It got absurd to
the point where the mayors of cities, were forced by law, to go out
an burn all Yule decorations they found! But the law could not remove
it and it went underground, and was practiced behind closed doors. In
1660 the puritans were ousted and the Festival was returned to its
former glory. The same thing happened in what would soon be the
United States of America, and the observance of "Christmas" was
banned, by law, between 1659 and 1681 C.E.. Again, this attempt to
suppress the celebration of the return of the light and warmth of the
Sun -failed!

The Christian attempt to change, by deception, the "rebirth of the
Sun God" into the "birth of the Son of God", was never complete. And
it only goes to prove that is ingrained so deeply in the hearts and
spirits of the people, that is derived from their natural history,
their ancestral faiths will always prevail!


Today...

Today the Yule Festival is observed by Asátrúar and Odinists
with much Feasting and revelry. Blot (ritual sacrifice) is
traditionally performed to one of several gods. Some believe Thor is
the god of the Yuletide... some think Balder, as the god of light...
Some feel that Odin is the original Old Man of Winter, and therefore
the god of Yule. We know for certain that Frey was honored at this
time of year by our Heathen ancestors. But whoever you choose as the
god of the Mid-Winter Festival- observe it well. For it is certainly
one of the most potent times of the year. Feasting, giving of gifts,
tree decorating, visiting with relatives and close friends, religious
observances and more... fill the twelve days of Yule with as many
special activities as you can. Rediscover the joy and anticipation of
this wonderful time of year. Watch the Christians around you, as they
go about, unknowingly performing ancient pagan rites... and
celebrate! Realize that the excitement that everyone feels at this
time of the year has nothing, whatsoever to do with the birth of the
Son of God... but rather, has everything to do with the rebirth of
the SUN GOD!

Fara med godanum!

Goði Frank P. Coleman

"He knows alone who has wandered wide,
and far has fared on the way,
what manner of mind a man doth own
who is wise of head and heart." - Havámal 18


The Michigan Vitkarian Circle:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MIVitkarianCircle/