Re: MERRY YULE W.A.S.Ps!
wis...@yahoo.com
<bbbbbdfg...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice occurs on December 21,
>2008 at 7:04 AM EST and 12:04 UT (Universal Time).
>
>For thousands of years, people all over the Planet Earth have
>celebrated the Winter Solstice, the time when the Sun returns after
>the winter's cold and darkness.
>
>In pre-Christian Northern Europe this festival was called Yule. The
>celebration of Yule in Scandinavia predates the Christian holiday by
>thousands of years
>
>Winter Solstice, the time of the year when the days get longer and the
>sun begins to return was truly a cause for celebration among our
>ancestors in Scandinavia. Their Midwinter Feast lasted at least twelve
>days (12 day of Christmas).
>
>Most Christmas traditions are rooted deep in ancient Yule rituals,
>many coming from the Vikings. Historic evidence indicates that Jesus
>was not born on December 25, but in the Spring. Why is then Christmas
>celebrated on December 25? A common theory is that the Christian
>church designated this date as the day of Christ's birth to coincide
>with the Nordic Midvinter Solstice celebrations, as well as with a
>Roman midwinder fest called Saturnalia, in order to "facilitate" the
>conversion of "heathens" to Christianity.
>
>At Midwinter, or Solstice, the Vikings honored their Asa Gods with
>religious rituals and feasting. They sacrificed a wild boar to Frey,
>the God of fertility and farming, to assure a good growing season in
>the coming year. The meat was then cooked and eaten at the feast. This
>is the origin of today's Christmas ham in Scandinavia.
>
>During the festivities they burned a giant Sunwheel, which was put on
>fire and rolled down a hill to entice the Sun to return. According to
>one theory, this is the origin of the Christmas wreath.
>
>Another Viking tradition was the Yulelog, a large oak log decorated
>with sprigs of fir, holly or yew. They carved runes on it, asking the
>Gods to protect them from misfortune. A piece of the log was saved to
>protect the home during the coming year and light next year's fire.
>Today, most know the Yulelog as a cake or cheese log rolled in nuts.
>
>Even the Christmas tree goes back to pre-Christian times. The Vikings
>decorated evergreen trees with pieces of food and clothes, small
>statues of the Gods, carved runes, etc., to entice the tree spirits to
>come back in the spring.
>
>Ancient myths surround the Mistletoe. The Vikings believed it could
>resurrect the dead, a belief based on a legend about the resurrection
>of Balder, God of Light and Goodness, who was killed by a mistletoe
>arrow but resurrected when tears of his mother Frigga turned the red
>mistletoe berries white.
>
>The Yule Goat, is one of the oldest Scandinavian Christmas symbols.
>Its origin is the legend about the Thunder-god Thor who rode in the
>sky in a wagon pulled by two goats. An old custom was for young people
>to dress up in goat skins and go from house to house and sing and
>perform simple plays. They were rewarded with food and drink. The Yule
>Goat at one time also brought Yule gifts. This character was later
>replaced with "jultomten" (Santa Claus).
>
>Our pre-Christian ancestors would dress up someone to represent Old
>Man Winter, who was welcomed into homes to join the festivities.
>Dressed in a hooded fur coat, Father Christmas traveled either by foot
>or on a giant white horse. Some think that this horse may have been
>Odin's horse Sleipnir and that Father Christmas was originally Odin,
>who was often depicted with a long beard. When the Vikings conquered
>Britain in the 8th and 9th centuries, he was introduced there and
>became the English Father Christmas.
>
>Today, Viking Yule is celebrated in reconstructed Viking Villages such
>as Foteviken in Skåne and Jörvik in England, where visitors in
>December can make Christmas decorations with the Vikings, listen to
>Viking legends and hang their wishes in Odin's Yule Tree. Viking Yule
>is also celebrated by Asatruers, who revive the old Nordic religion,
>called Asatru.
>
>Of course, our Scandinavian forefathers were not alone in celebrating
>the Winter Solstice. All over the world, and throughout history,
>people have celebrated the sun's return after the winter with a wide
>diversity of rituals and traditions. And still are.
>
>http://skandland.com/vikxmas.htm
>
>I love my white ancestry!
>
>Wassail comrades! Happy Winter Solstice to all!
All hail our Folk!
ted