BS: Decorating for Yuletide?

Subject: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 12:29 AM

Oh, bugger! I have tried to word this as carefully as possible, as it is not my intention to offend anyone. Please bear with me. Thanks.

Just wondering what others use to decorate for Yuletide. I love the traditions of my childhood Christmases; realise a lot of the decorations used for Christmas predate Christianity, yet have become synonymous with the Christian holiday.

While we will have a special evening for Solstice, we will probably put up a tree and we do celebrate Christmas morning as a special day for gift-giving and showing our love for one another. I am very much in the minority in Wyoming and would like to know if any of you have specific ways of decorating which lets people know that you are pagan.

Thanks very much,

kat

Subject: RE: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 01:39 AM

Well, I think you worded it pretty well, Kat. I think December is a good time for celebrating our diversity of rich traditions. What gets me worried is when people go overboard in trying to sterilize things so nobody gets offended. I get a bit peeved with our library, which calls December 25 "The Holiday" and January 1 "New Year's Day."
Yuletide is a near-perfect term, I think. It calls a spade a spade, and shouldn't offend anybody. The symbols I think of are wreaths and trees and candles and light and snow - and crackling fires in the fireplace. Not distinctively pagan, I suppose - but I think they're all originally pagan symbols of the season.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: LR Mole
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 10:43 AM

Yourself celebrating life is all the season needs, K. Anything else is more of a gift. (Seasonal schmaltz, but true.)

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 10:55 AM

Thanks, Joe and LR. I appreciate your kind words.

Joe, the things you mention have been appropriated or become synonymous, as I said, with Christianity.

Four doors down from us, on our block, is a house with a huge lit up cross in their window. That is fine, it does not bother me and they are just showing their belief in their "reason for the season." But, it set me to thinking and wishing there were some specific ways that I could show our way of honouring the season, too.

Thanks very much,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Gypsy
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 11:29 AM

Solstice is the celebration of breaking the back of winter. I would assume that your statement would include lots of light, particularly candles. Mistletoe, which requires neither soil nor light, is a standard talisman. Evergreen is another. Be sure to save your Yule log to ignite next years fire. Don't let your fire go out that night...bad luck, gotta last till morning. Bells are another harbinger. (bells drive away evil spirits. One would presume that bagpipes would work also, eh?) Hope this helps. We use alot of the pagan symbols, as well as Christian. All comes from the same source, it's just the language that changes.

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Peg
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 11:44 AM

holly, ivy, mistletoe, "kissing balls" (balls of greenery), anything with deer (yes they may ostensibly be reindee--also pagan-- but can double as the Great Stag!), LIGHTS (rebirth of the Sun/Son)...I will also sometimes arrange my tiny Xmas lights into the shape of a five pointed star (using strategically-placed tacks in the window). This is accepted as a Christmas symbol in most places...

I also like using fruit in centerpieces with candles; very Martha Stewart but looks nicely pagan! Bowls of pomegranates with green apples looks very nice. You can also hollow out firm apples and place small votive tea lights in them...

I am having a big Yule party next weekend (local Boston area Mudcatters feel free to come!) and am getting excited about the decoration possibilities!

happy holly daze

peg

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Naemanson
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 12:04 PM

Gypsy, do you think accordians would drive away the evil spirits too? Or would they call them up? *BG*

Kat, I am not Pagan but neither do I consider myself Christian. I generally answer undeclared to questions of spirituality. But I love Christmas for it represents to me the collision of so many cultures, past and present, which have accumulated into the holiday we now have. Gypsy ennumerated some of them. Others are found in the music, if you look for it. Some of the carols and visiting customs certainly predate Christianity's usurpation of the holiday and careful dissection can find the earlier beliefs peeking through. John Roberts and Tony Barrand's offerings of Nowell Sing We Clear do a lot to show these connections.

As far as decorating is concerned it is hard to make an Earth based item like evergreens and missletoe shine like a gaudy ornament. It kind of goes against what the Earth is all about. Yet if you decorate with evergreens and missletoe you stand the chance that people will not recognize your decorations for what they are. Sticky proposition.

Our own Christmas decorations celebrate as many of the old beliefs as we can fit on to the tree. We have the usual angels and Christian based items, we have a yarmulka from Bar Mitzvah on my ex-wife's side of the family, there is a little arm and leg representing the old Germanic tribe's use of human sacrifice, there are sprigs of holly and missletoe, small animals like birds and mice, and, of course, lights. (I don't have anything for Kwanza yet) I try to always have strings of popcorn and cranberries on the tree as an offering to the little creatures who share our little plot of Earth. The tree goes up in Mid December and stays up till January when Twelfth night has passed.

Joe - Have you considered that your library, by refering to it as THE Holiday, might be slighting those who do not recognize the 25th of December as a holiday? That would include both Jews and Muslims as well as (I think) many Pagans. You ought to call them to task and ask that they either go back to calling it Christmas or just call it "a" holiday. *BG*

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 12:55 PM

I just wrote a LONG entry and accidentally pressed the "Clear entries" button! Argh!

Anyway, I do Solstice, Christmas, and everything else that comes up to celebrate. Like Brett I honor all the celebrations that shine a light of hope in the darkness of the time of year.

However, there are ways to make Solstice look a bit different, if that's important. One way is to use colors other than red and green, such as blue (for the night sky) and gold (for the Light, and for the sun, moon and stars).
I know someone who uses twelve gold balls on a long garland to signify the twelve months of the year. Another friend has shapes cut from plywood representing the sun, moon, stars and planets, painted gold, as the only ornaments on her tree. She has one small string of white lights wrapped around the trunk, and twelve real candles on the outer branches. It is a magical sight!
Another friend will be having a Solstice bonfire, which will burn all night long until the rising sun. I'll be at the early evening celebration, but won't last the night- I have to work the next day! We'll drink wassail and sing and the kids will have a pinata in the barn and we'll celebrate our friendships most of all.

The point of all of these holidays is the Light. Although I admit I'd be bugged buy a gian electric cross in my neighbor's window (Christian-pagan-universalist that I am!) I still see the daily increase of lights in our neighborhood and in the community as the common, primal need to shine a light against all the darkness and hate and evil in the world. Happy everything!

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Morticia
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 01:13 PM

We use lots of natural and traditional materials, holly, ivy and miseltoe in the main but also woods.I always have a sprig of miseltoe over every opening in my house to the outside world, i.e. all doors and windows and the fireplace and I use the 5-pointed star and candles in much of my decorations.We have a tree but decorate it with fruit as well as shiny stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 01:31 PM

I prefer the term Midwinter Holiday - that allows for the Christian Christmas, the Jewish Hannukkah, I don't know if the moslems have one (Ramadan is not steady in the solar year), pagan whatnots, and the whole enchilada. Even Yule really means Christmas (NOT that I was offended, at all! And in fact I truly appreciate the effort not to use Christmas as the default term...). Besides, what I like to celebrate in the dead of winter is the certainty that spring will come again. I celebrate it by giving a lot of presents and hoping I get a lot of presents... And I teach the boys about generosity, goodwill towards all, and peace on Earth, none of which I consider to be Christian exclusively.

I can't use a lot of candles (5-year old twin boys) but we do have multicolored lights and a lot of balls with winter scenes on them, severa small glittery silver stars, and a large gold 5-pointed star; there are also a polar bear and some presents, on sticks, that came with an old tree we got one year. Generally we get a little live tree from the dreaded Walmart or something on the theory that it will be bigger next year. Then they always die and we get a new one. But this year, for some reason, the boys decided to decorate for the holiday themselves, so we have little balls all over the house (one hanging from the downstairs toilet's flush knob, one on the doorknob to my room...), and Timmie got one of my prettiest vases and made a kind of bouquet with the polar bear and presents on sticks and put it on our end table... so instead of an area thickly decorated (our usual) we have some decorations absolutely all over the house. I love it. A new tradition has just been born, and we won't even have to kill another little tree!

But we also hang stockings, which really is very Christmassy, although more Santa Claus than Jesus...

Subject: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 02:09 PM

Solstice is the celebration of breaking the back of winter. -Gypsy

Gypsy, I liked that. I've never liked Winter Solstice, but you cause me to think again. When I was a kid in Wisconsin, November and December were my least-favorite months, because everything was grey - no snow, and no green, and no blue in the sky. Here in Sacramento, it's much the same - except that we get fog, too.
I think I'll have to change my perspective now. Solstice may be the bottom - but right after that, the skies get clear and the snow covers the ground. The grass is already starting to get green here, but the fog won't let me see the snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains yet. The rains will come soon, and our bird population will multiply a hundredfold when they all come here for their winter vacation. I notice our neighborhood turkey population has doubled - we have 8 "regulars" in the neighborhood now.
I guess that give us a reason to hope for a lot of good things, huh?
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 02:14 PM

And I like to think that it is a purely human gift, to anticipate spring during the depths of winter. Thank you, Mother Nature, Father Time, Coyote and Lady Luck!

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Pseudolus
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 04:09 PM

The thing about this time of year is that it seems that so many people have some sort of celebration going on in their lives. I think it brings people together which is one of the reasons I love the Christmas Season. I put it that was because Christmas happens to be the holiday I celebrate. Not everybody does and I can appreciate that. But I think that we should all celebrate in whatever way we seem fit and that would include a big lit cross, or a star of David, or whatever symbolizes to you what the holiday season means to you. It's our traditions and history that make up who and what we are and I think we should all show our colors!! Hang a flag, a light, a mistletoe, whatever! Maybe even do nothing if this is not the time for you to celebrate. I personally love bumping into someone who is celebrating something different than me. It usually starts up a lenghty conversation about holidays, traditions, etc. I think we all get too caught up in worrying about what someone will think if we use this decoration or that decoration. I say do it, and then take the time to know your neighbors and find out why they chose to do the things they did!! This probably didn't help Kat's question at all but if I had to make a suggestion, I would say, if it looks good, hang it up!

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 05:51 PM

Joe, the drabness is exactly why the Solstice is such an important holiday to me. I think I'll search for my favorite Solstice poem by Susan Cooper, The Shortest Day, which explains it so well. It's all about people gathering together, lighting candles, singing, dancing, to drive the dark away.

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 06:12 PM

Click here for the Shortest Day poem.

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: GUEST,Lyle
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 06:16 PM

Kat, a friend of mine had what is apparently the same concern as yours, and lived in an area where every house seemed to be decorated during December. His wife was (is) a pretty good artist, so he found a picture somewhere which showed people of all nations, background, etc., with their hands joined and all smiling. It was published, I think, to appreciate diversity. He had his wife paint an adaptation of it on a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood, put "Seasons Greetings" above it, put it in his yard with a spotlight on it, and received lots of compliments!

Lyle

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 07:01 PM

Huh. I am in the same predicament as kat, and for years have just refused to Celebrate anything this time of year precisely because it is so difficult to be anything other than Christian/Christ's Mass in Wyoming. I will have to re think that, I see.

Lots of good suggestions above, thanks guys. I usually just avoid the obvious Christian stuff--Nativity, Angels, etc. Biggest problem with decorating is that I have to clean first...........LOL!

Maybe one of those great big brass(?) sun faces or Green Man things they sell in catalogs? Or lots of little ones all over the house and tree? (Signals, PBS, Lillian Vernon, etc.)

And oh, how I would love to go to a real Solstice Celebration..........with like minded people.......oh Joy!

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: sophocleese
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 07:15 PM

My mom likes to have solstice party every year. She doesn't do much decorating but has lots of candles of different colours around the house and fire outside near the lake. You could invite your neighbours over for solstice cocktails.

I think there are a lot of good suggestions in the thread for tasteful solstice decorations. I think a large lit up cross in a house is less an outburst of delightful Christian celebration than a lack of taste. What may be fun is to try and create tasteless solstice decorations. How about a tableau of pink flamingoes wearing holly and mistletoe carrying a banner saying "Welcome back Sun! Ra Ra Ra!"?

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 07:19 PM

Ra! Ra! Ra! Indeed!! LOL, good one, Sinsull. Love it! Pink flamingos all over a snow covered lawn........oh dear. Has a much better ring to it than "Taranis,Taranis,Taranis"........oh dear,

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Dave Wynn
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 07:51 PM

Did someone (more clever than I) say "if Christmas didn't exist then it would have to be invented"...as for me..I love all those trees...endless opportunity for a dog about town.

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 08:11 PM

Please note the fine print in one of Sorcha's messages above:

She's hesitant to do decorations because she doesn't want to clean house.

I, a Christian, have exactly the same problem. Doesn't have a darn thing to do with religion.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: GUEST,LD
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 08:14 PM

Spot the Dog: Another one is:

Roses are red

Violets are bluish

If it wasn't for Christmas

We'ed all be Jewish

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Gypsy
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 09:01 PM

Sorcha, you don't wanna GO to a Solstice party, you wanna START one! Living in the northwest nowhere (Yes Joe, i can identify with your feelings about fog...and i'm FROM Sacramento! It's even worse here!) i have found, if i create the event, they will come. Especially in the winter if you are stranded, and not going to the great mecca (talk about mixing metaphors) of Mexico. Be a great time to have a celebration that doesn't involve money, just emotion.

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 09:05 PM

HAVE a PARTY??!! Then I would REALLY have to clean--even under the beds............(Joe, you are sneaky, *BG*, and nope, has nothing to do with religion, unless our religion worships dust bunnies.......could we do that, you think?)

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 09:13 PM

I work in a library, and we, at least, try to call each of the holidays that are celebrated in our area by their correct names. It is a problem though, because we tend to do lots of Christmas decorations (all three of our LAs are Catholic, and the branch has been decorated for the past 40 years.) We always try to also have a menorah, and in the past decade have added a kinara for Kwanzaa and at least a display. This year, I've got books out for Diwali and Ramadan/Id-el-Fitr, but haven't yet acquired appropriate decorations (if there are any for Ramadan, please let me know!)

I'd love to have books on the pagan Solstice Celebrations for children, but haven't seen any come through our purchasing order that didn't look dead cheesy. (Well, alright, it was only one, and the binding fell apart in my hands...) So if any of you are willing to write one, go for it! Suggestions also would be good.

The trickiest part of the whole thing for me is my population of Jehovah's Witnesses. I'd love to have a display that acknowledges them, too.

Oh, well. I'll just keep trying.

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 09:18 PM

Sophocleese, I LOVE it and I have some original 1950's pink flamingos!! Only thing is, I won't put them out of doors as someone would probably do mischief to them. I do have them standing in two of my bigger houseplants and have always put red ribbons around their necks this time of year, so now I will add a bit more. Your banner idea reminds me of one of my favourite bumper stickers, "Isis, Isis, Ra, Ra, Ra!"

Many of you have made some really lovely suggestions. I esp. liked the one of blue and gold lights/decorations and the stars and moons, etc.

Just a word of warning, though: Mistletoe is deadly to pets so please be careful not to let the berries fall within reach of Kurious Kritters.:-)

One year for a school dance, we made cardboard stars and put tin foil around them; I think I will do that and put them in the window with lights. Also, I always have cranberries strung on the tree, so thanks for that suggestion, too.

GUEST,LD - hope none of our Jewish members were offended by your posting; I found it tasteless.

Sorcha, I knew you'd know what I was talking about; must be worse in the smaller towns, esp. if your SO is in such a public position.:-)

Thanks for for your understanding and suggestions.

katfinallyfeelingalittlefestive

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 09:26 PM

Yepper, kat, you got it in one........I hate to admit it, but I do "cop" out a lot,esp this time of year. And LOTS of holiday and house plants are poisonous, including poinsettas.

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 10:01 PM

Forgot to say that as far as I know, it has pretty much been accepted that "Yule" existed well before Christianity and that because of its longevity, there is stil dispute as to its etymology. For more info and a very Kewl Yule site with songs, history, even cards to send, please click here.

Also, there are some neat projects and suggestions for Yule at WitchVox. I esp. liked the Witches Ladder project.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 10:04 PM

Witches!! In Torrington??? I'd be burned, or at the least, shunned..........(*BG*) BTW, Kate is one too; a "born" one, and a better one than I will ever be....hard when you are only 16, no?

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Naemanson
Date: 06 Dec 00 - 10:56 PM

I have been reading down through the thread and appreciate the spirituality that leads us all to celebrate this time of year. But as I read through I had a self realization. I do not celebrate the time of the year, the long ago birth of a child, or anything else. I find that I am celebrating my family and its customs. I am helping to create a sense of family in the children and plant in them the customs that will define the season for them.

As I said above I am undeclared in spiritual matters. Still it is the Christian carols that carry the festive feeling of the season into my heart. I tell my children the myth of the birth in a stable under the shining star because it is a tale of hope.

That is what we all are doig at this time of year. We are supplying our customs, new and old, to the next generation. And through that passing of the torch we are ensuring that our families are remembered fondly by our future generations. We are becoming part of "...we always do it that way..."

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: GUEST,Becky
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 01:23 PM

I find myself struggling for meaning in Solstice since I'm a (somewhat reluctantly) transplanted Northerner here in the Desert Southwest (and a "Quaker-influence Unitarian of uncommitted spirituality but with an inclination toward my Anglo-Saxon musical and spiritual roots"). If I think about Solstice here too hard, I realize I get sad: I'm thinking, "No, no, don't bring back the summer!" Maybe I should just be celebrating the depths of the winter?? Obviously it leads to confict in selecting solstice symbolism for celebrating! Any bright ideas? ;-)

I do appreciate Naemanson's thought: "I find that I am celebrating my family and its customs. I am helping to create a sense of family in the children and plant in them the customs that will define the season for them."

~ Becky in Tucson, Arizona

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 01:33 PM

Just give me lots and lots of mistletoe. I'm not really fussed about why I'm celebrating I just enjoy all the kissing.

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 01:38 PM

^ ^ ^ ^
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 01:49 PM

Good warning about mistletoe, but it's deadly to mammals, not just pets - guard your Kurious Kiddies, too! I don't think it will kill lizards... or maybe they just have better taste...

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: GUEST,Rosebrook
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 02:02 PM

My working environment is so totally gawdy this year. Many of my co-workers decorated their work stations with stings of blinking lights highlighted with silver garland...dancing santas....wreaths.....ribbons everywhere...little decorated trees.

I downloaded a string of blinking Stars of David and a screen saver with falling snow landing on, and growing on the words, "Happy Chanukah".

This time of year brings out lonely feelings for a lot of people, for a lot of different reasons.

Rose

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 03:37 PM

It does, Rose, thanks for bringing that up. I had started this thread partly to get myself *in gear*. I found myself driving around town, totally dismayed at all of the lights, gaudy decorations and blatant use of the season for consumerism, so much so that I sounded like Scrooge. I thought if I could get myself in the mood to make a difference in my own space it might help me cope with what I see. Sounds as though you did the same thing with your screensaver etc.

RANT ON/It has really been getting to me when I go out & people ask if I am ready for Christmas. I alternate between telling them I am Budhhist, Pagan, or Wicca; or yes, that all of my homemade gifts are ready to go. At least those usually stop the converstaion.

For some reason this year the consumerism has really gotten to me. I almost cannot stand to go out past any of the big shops and mall because all I see is a bunch of automatons throwing away their money on cheap, meaningless trinkets, or expensive meaningless baubles, totally buying into all of the adverts and programming of Madison Avenue. It's as though they none of them have a brain or heart. Maybe if I still had young kids in the house I'd feel differently, but even then I see so many parents go overboard, I wonder what in the world ther kids will have to look forward to in the future; is there ever an end to bigger and better? (Hmmm, think I just found my op/ed column for the week.**BG**) /RANT OFF

Naes and Becky, I really do agree with what you expressed and I do practise that. Thanks for putting it so well. Becky, maybe hanging stars and snowflakes would help? I have an aunt who moved there from one of the most beautiful places in Colorado and I have no idea how she copes with the summers, I couldn't. Sorry, that doesn't help much, I know.

Thanks

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: MMario
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 04:07 PM

well - I'm depending on the 'cat to help me keep a sense of balance this year. Since my weekends are being taken up with street theatre that is paid for by a chamber of commerce we have had to do a few bits we really would rather not...such as ending the opening every day and the carol sing with "Let's go SHOPPING!". {as the town crier last weekend I had to keep annoncing that "there's a sale going on NOW at ..." yeuch!} Thank goodness that the joy the little kids get from our performances does outweigh the disgust of the commercialism. But after a couple of weekends it's gonna be pretty hard not to "bah-humbug!"

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Gypsy
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 06:54 PM

Ah Lassie, you don't clean before a party, you do it afterwards! Or at least, that is the way we operate. Of course, when the whole thing is illuminated by candlelight, no one can see the dust. (gypsy who has 3 dogs and a 300 foot mud driveway.)

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Dec 00 - 06:40 AM

Bassen kindly sent me the following and has given me permission to post it for you all to enjoy. I find it fascinating and really appreciate the opportunity to share it; now, to find some oat sheaves!*bg* kat

(Sorry if some of the html coding for correct Norwegian spelling doesn't come through. I copied and pasted from the PM, so am not sure it will show properly.)

Since you mentioned the root meaning of Yule, I thought I'd give you a little info from my neck of the woods. The word for Christmas in Norwegian is "jul" pronounced "yool" more or less the same as Yule, and it's the same word. It was originally the name of the old norse midwinter feast which was celebrated with a "blót" (food orgy, horse meat, blood, beer in large quantities etc) on midwinter eve (January 12). The feast was moved to 25 December by king Haakon the Good. (King of Norway around 950 AD, the first to try to Christianize the Norwegians, having been converted to Christianity as a ward of the court of king Adalstein in England. He was forced to "deconvert" by the various chieftains who forced him to eat horsemeat at a Yule feast. (Christianity wasn't firmly established for another 100 years.)

The anglosaxon word for the midwinter feast was geoh(h)ol or géol which evolved into "Yule". The anglo saxon names for december and january were se ærra geola (before yule) and se æfterra geola (after yule). The germanic roots of the word can possibly be connected to the latin jocus (joke). In that case the word Yule would indicate a feast in the form of a saturnalia. From the germanic root are derived the english "jolly", the french "joli" and the italian "giulivo".

In Norway I'm saddened to see the commercialized version of Halloween being introduced as a new marketing strategy. We do have a strong, and originally pagan, tradition of dressing up, going from house to house demanding "protection money" which however has nothing to do with all hallows eve. This tradition is called "julebukk" which means Yule goat or more precisely Yule billygoat. Some places the leader of the pack often carried the stuffed head of a goat on a pole as a scepter, other places everybody added a tale to their costumes, no matter what they disguised themselves as. This tradition can be connected to the preChristian belief that all the gods, good and evil, were afoot on the night before the Midwinterfeast. The older country traditions around Christmas entail preparation and protection from this "åsgårdsrei" as it was called, the norse gods beings called collectively "åser" or "æser". On the day of Christmas eve, every member of the household would bathe, the house would be washed, then the animals in the barn would be seen to. On leaving the barn a cross would be painted over or on the barn door with tar. Likewise, inside the home, a knife or an axe would be planted in the wood over the door to keep out all supernatural beings. (They can't stand cold steel in Nordic tradition). In our region they would always prepare a bed of loose straw on the floor and sleep there instead of in their beds the night of Christmas Eve.

The period after Yule itself is called "romjul" in Norwegian. Jul lasted traditionally until the 13th day or the 20th day of "jul" as we say, January 6 or 13. Now we call the period between the 25th and january 1st "romjul" This is the period that people tradtionally went "julebukk", a tradition that once was very strong but now is almost gone (disappeared in the last 20-30 years). The parallels to "wassailing" are many and and both wassailing and "julebukk" are probably part of a common Germanic pagan tradition.

One of the pagan symbols that is still very much alive is hanging up sheaves of oats for the birds. These are now produced specifically for Christmas as grain is no longer cut and dried in sheaves (sickle cut and hung to dry). These sheaves were originally either the first or the last cut during the harvest and were prepared and stored specifically for Jul. The sheaf is shoved down on the pointed end of a pole, then raised and fastened to some part of the house. Holly is also used as decoration, this is also originally a pagan tradition, I think. Holly was at least considered holy in Viking times, it stays green during the winter, symbolizing the recurring spring. Also very important in a culture where hell is a land of eternal frost and snow, and the End of the World is the "Fimbulwinter", not fire and so forth. Hope this gives you a slightly different slant on your Yule. I must agree with Naemanson's take, Jul for me is a celebration of the family. But for all of us who live so far north that winter days are short and dark (4 to 5 hours of sunlight for us), Jul is also midwinter, when "sola snur" "the sun turns back" as we say in Norwegian, the older I get, the more I celebrate that.

God Jul!

Bassen

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Dec 00 - 01:15 AM

WOW! What an intersting message, kat! Who is this Bassen person? My (band/group/club/friends) decided to put off our Christmas party until January--I am lobbying for Jan 6--Old Christmas, the Epiphiany, Orthodox Christmas, etc. I have not really celebrated the Beginning of the Light for a really long time.......

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Dec 00 - 09:21 AM

Sorcha, Bassen is a Mudcatter living in Norway. I think I will extract the message and put it in its own thread with a link to his museum. It is really neat, although the English version is not up, yet. Hope you prevail with your dates.:-)

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Decorating for Yuletide?
From: Micca
Date: 09 Dec 00 - 05:47 PM

As is my custom around the 7th of December, mistletoe goes up over the 2 entrances to the house...It will come down in early January and carefuly packed to be burned in the Beltane fires of Mayeve (30th April) with proper ceremony..