BURNING THE YULE LOG.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 11, 28 January 1905, Page 1 (Supplement)

BURNING THE YULE LOG.

The custom of burning a large log of wood, which is known as the yule log is very ancient in its origin. All through the middle ages every farmhouse, cottage, and castle in England burnt its yule log upon the hearth, the log being dragged in with much ceremony: At Yultide, when the great log flamed In chimneypiece, and laugh and jest went round.

The word “yule” itself seems to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon “Geol,” meaning December. Earlier still the yule or midwinter feast is seen in its most flourishing state among the Norsemen, who commemorated the liery Sun Wheel with a mighty feast. They believed that during the twelve nights from December 25 to January 6 they could trace the actual movements of their great Odin or Odhinn, the god of storms, and other deified beings on the earth. The yule log with its cheery blaze comes to us across the centuries as a dim memory of the fires lit to celebrate the setting out of the sun on his northward journey towards the light and warmth of summer.

A large candle known as the yule candle used also to light the Christmas Eve festivities. It was a bad omen if the candle burnt out before the evening was at an end.