Well can yoo believe it ~ it’s December already?! There’s not much to do in the garden at the moment ~ so over the weeks leading up to Christmas, I’m going to tell yoo all about the English traditions that utilize things from the local countryside, or maybe even your own garden, to mark the festive season.
This week I’m going to tell yoo a bit about Yule! Many of you will send or receive Christmas cards with Yuletide greetings on them. And maybe you’ll even burn a Yule log in your hearth ~ or eat chocolate Yule log ~ but do you know why?
Yule, is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half; it is known as winter Solstice Night (21st December) and is the longest night of the year! Much celebration was had in the past on Solstice Night, as our ancestors awaited the rebirth of the Oak King, the Sun King, the Giver of Life that warmed the frozen Earth and enabled seeds to grow that were protected through the fall and winter by hibernating in the ground. They lit bonfires in the fields, and crops and trees were “wassailed” with toasts of spiced cider. Starting the very next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day, beckoning in Spring and Summer. So although it seems wintery and dark ~ we are nearly at the turning point of the year!
And of course nothing symbolizes holiday coziness better than the yule log, the centerpiece of any fireside gathering. The tradition of yule logs has its roots in pagan rituals. In fact, the word “yule” is old English for the festivals known to take place in December and January. Northern Europeans, like Vikings, celebrated the Festival of Yule to honor the winter solstice by journeying into the woods in search of a hearty oak tree. The event was a family affair, with family members venturing out in search of a choice cut of wood. They would return with the most robust log they could find and burn it in deference to various gods as well as in celebration of life and prosperity. English Christmas traditions called for the yule log to burn as a sign of goodwill through all 12 days of Christmas, during which time family members would refrain from labor to celebrate the season.
While a proper yule log isn’t a common sight in 21st-century fireplaces, it can still be found in holiday kitchens — in the form of a dessert. It is a sponge cake replica of a yule log often covered in chocolate and frosted in a wood-grain pattern, then decorated with a sprig of holly. Mom always has a chocolate Yule log on the Christmas table.
So with all this in mind, I went in search of a Yule log from the garden …
A Yule log should be Oak ~ so if yoo haven’t got an Oak Tree, yoo’ll hafta go further afield …
When yoo find one … you’ve got to be able to burn it in the hearth ~ so make sure it’s not too BIG!
Or if yoo haven’t got a hearth, get your mom to make one of these instead ~ and make sure she puts plenty of butter in the butter icing! Yummy! :
Once yoo’ve found yoor Yule log, take a rest … yoo’ve earned it! Or find yoorself a nice BIG leaf to play wiv!
Love Alfie Marshall xx
Proud Vice President of the:
PS: Don’t forget to visit my mentor Jonesie (President of the Society of Feline Gardeners) to see wot she’s all been up to in the garden this week! There’s a Mr Linky on Jonesie’s bloggie so you visit all the other feline gardeners who’ve done a post this week.
