What is Viking Christmas Called?
Viking Christmas, commonly known as Yule, comes from an old Norse word Jol which was always connected to God Odin’s attributes. For example, Prose Edda provides us with the title jólfaðr, meaning Yule father, and having known that Yule was Odin’s holiday, it is obvious where its name originates. Most modern linguists and historians now agree that the French word ‘Joli’ and the English word ‘Jolly’ probably derived from the old Norse word Jol.
Is Yule Norse?
Celebrating the Winter solstice has been connected to many different cultures at different moments in history. As there is almost no chance that some of these cultures could come in touch with one another, we can probably say that celebrating this holiday is an archetypical and innate human need.
The ancient Greeks had a Kronia celebration, a festival dedicated to the titan Cronus, during which everyone would sing, dance, and feast. Similarly, the ancient Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a celebration dedicated to the god Saturn that was usually held in the second half of December. All the traditions connected to these two ancient holidays are not much different than the ones that revolved around the germanic celebration of Yule.
Because of all this, the true answer to the question: ‘Is Yule Norse?’ is somewhere in between. Yule was indeed a Norse holiday when Vikings welcomed the return of the Sun and showed gratefulness to their Gods, but its origin probably wasn’t in Scandinavia.
What Religion is Yule?
Although Yule is still celebrated today in Heathenry and other neo-pagan religions, it is fair to say that its existence is mostly connected to the old Viking faith. Most historians go even further and say that the figure of an old grey man who delivers gifts worldwide, commonly known as Santa Claus has little to do with Christianity and was the product of Norse religion. One of the Viking traditions that occurred during Yule, called Old Man Winter, was probably where this legend was born.
In every Viking settlement, several older men visited different households in their neighborhood during Yule. This older man most likely represented god Odin, and it was a great honor for every Viking to invite him in and feast with him.
GET ITEMS RELATED TO YULE
1. Viking Gnome Boy and Girl Ornament - Viking Christmas Gift
get order here: Viking Gnome Boy and Girl Ornament - Viking Christmas Gift
Gnomes are known as symbols of good luck. Originally, gnomes were thought to provide protection, especially of buried treasure and minerals in the ground. They are still used today to watch over crops and livestock, often tucked into the rafters of a barn or placed in the garden.
2. Viking Gnome and Reindeer Christmas Stocking - Viking Christmas Gift
This embroidered hand-made stocking is sure to become a treasured holiday decoration for your favorite viking or shieldmaiden
6. Cute Viking Reindeer Christmas Ornament - Viking Christmas Gift
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