Happy Yuletide Season!
I love this word. In this time of being afraid of offending people by simply wishing them good cheers with “Merry Christmas,” I can say happy/merry Yuletide. It still refers to this Christmas season and it’s not ambiguous as Happy Holidays.
This is a nice little piece to have on my blog as it addresses different cultures and traditions. Also, the origins come from a variety of places!
Society Today
Let me address something first, to me, when someone wishes me a Merry Christmas it just means best wishes to you. If someone told me Happy Hanukkah, I would think the same. Or Happy Ramadan. I do not take offense when I know they are just wishing me the best and it is not an attack on my religion.
But, that’s me, I don’t like thinking of myself as a victim and creating this “us vs them” attitude.
Origins of Yule
Back to Yuletide Season. Yule, pronounced “You’ll” is actually Germanic in origin and comes from the Viking traditional celebration of Oden.
His celebration was held in December and when the Christians wanted to convert these “pagans” they decided to also place Jesus’ birth the same day in order to say the two gods were actually the same.
Researchers of the bible actually place Jesus’ birth sometime in August.
Yuletide Season is also a celebration in December for the Wiccan religion.
You can look at “tide” as meaning season. The season of these celebrations.
There are actually people named Yule, as a surname. This comes from those who were born during this period of celebration. Just like how Smith is from Blacksmith and Copper from barrel maker, Yule also comes from a situation of birth/career.
Where to find Yule
In modern days, you can find Yule in Christmas songs such as Deck the Halls and A Christmas Song.
You might also see it in advertisements as “Yule love this.”
If there are any Harry Potter fans, in the 4th book/movie the big dance is called the Yule Ball.
Another Yule item is a Yule Log. This has now become a cake type dessert, but originally it was an actual piece of wood, a log that would be burnt in the fireplace for the Yule Celebrations.
Happy Yuletide!
That’s the story of this little known word. If you want to sound fancy during the Christmas season, throw out this older English word, Yuletide Season!
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Wow, who knew that Yule had origins in Viking traditions. Then again, what doesn’t! Thanks for the history lesson.
❤🤗
This is such an interesting topic! I never knew about Yule before, but this was quite fun to read! And I really like your idea and attitude towards different wishes, that you take it as ‘happy holidays to you’. I think that is something we should all embrace.
Thank you! ❤🤗
Very interesting!
Thank you!
Happy Yuletide!
Love this! What a great little history lesson, thank you for sharing this!
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I like that you chose this topic and I must say, you did a good job. It’s good for people to learn about history. Personally (not to attack anyone’s belief or thought) I see the aspect of substituting Oden for Christ in the bid to convert pagans as falsehood.
It shows they only used Christianity as a cover to still indulge in Wiccan activities. What’s worse are the carols of Christ being born on Christmas day. If he wasn’t born on that day (nobody really knows precisely when he was born) why would anyone sing he was born on that day? To know many people actually believe that lie.
Except of course, if we say it is okay to have a foundation based on falsehood in order to win souls to Christ. This I see as a contradiction. If Christ is regarded as the truth ( John 14:6), then he means no lie dwells in him neither can he condone a lie.
Romans 3:5-8 says:
But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)
6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?
7 Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”
8 Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!
I think people should be told the truth about Christ and all he stands for. It is left for those who want to accept to accept and if they aren’t interested, fine. No one needs to be cajouled or lied to. Sorry for the long post.
There are a lot of things that doesnt make sense for sure. Thank you for reading. I accept all thoughts!
There are still plenty of people that celebrate Yule around the world today. It is celebrated at the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. People light candles to and feast together. It is a time to set your intentions as the light grows in the darkness.
Yes of course. But from my experience, many people dont know it.
Interesting facts, learn something new. Thanks.
Thanks for reading!