As a miscellaneous item, it can be placed on either the ground or on top of a tabletop. Sponge cake, which often constitutes the base of the log, is one of the oldest cakes still made today. The burni ng a Y ule Log likely started thousan d s of years ago, most li kely in No rthern Europe as a winter festival. - www.whychristmas.com, St. Nicholas, Santa Claus & Father Christmas. Yule Log The Yule log originated as a Nordic tradition before medieval times and spread throughout Europe. The Yule log cake (or bûche de Noël for French speakers) is an elaborate creation consisting of a rolled, filled sponge cake, frosted with chocolate buttercream to look like tree bark and festooned with meringue mushrooms, marzipan holly sprigs, spun sugar cobwebs and any other sort of edible decoration. Although little is known today about the specifics of what they did, many traditions persist. Once burned, the log’s ashes were valuable treasures said to have medicinal benefits and to guard against evil. The tradition originated in Scandinavia, then spread to the Celtic Brits and Gaelic Europeans, who believed that burning a yule log would bring good luck. Yule is the name of the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe, such as Germany. The Norsemen believed that the sun was a giant wheel of fire which rolled away from the earth, and then began rolling back again on the winter solstice. In Devon and Somerset in the UK, some people have a very large bunch of Ash twigs instead of the log. Revolving around harvest and livestock, this was a time of honoring the sun and thankfulness for the bounty that is sustaining the family through the cold. Yule is the name of the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe, such as Germany. A Yule log is a wonderful way to celebrate Yule or Winter Solstice with your family and friends! In the … But if you get rid of the cinders on Christmas day, it is considered to be very unlucky. The log is dried out and then the bark is taken off it before it comes into the house to be burnt. While the event was online due to the pandemic, the 102nd Yule Log Ceremony retained the spirit of the celebration virtually. But if you throw the ashes out on Christmas day it was supposedly very unlucky! Christmas Yule Log The custom of burning the Yule Log goes back to, and before, medieval times. Traditional customs such as the Yule log, the decorated tree, and wassailing can all be traced back to Norse origins. In ancient Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated at the Feast of Saturnalia, to honor Saturn, the god of agricultural bounty. © 2021 A&E Television Networks, LLC. It symbolized the shifting of darkness to light. The yule log has its roots (and often simply was a root) in Norse mythology, and from there it was all up and up. The Yule Log is a tradition possibly of Germanic or Nordic origin. Yule Log History . Where it was tradition to light a 'Yule log' on Christmas Eve and keep it burning continuously throughout the 12 nights of Christmas until Twelfth Night. In some parts of The Netherlands, this was also done, but the log had to be stored under a bed! A holiday celebration that began in Norway, on the night of the winter solstice it was common to hoist a giant log onto the hearth to celebrate the return of the sun each year. The History of the Yule Log. The ashes of Yule logs were meant to be very good for plants. It comes in 5 variations. Also in the UK, barrel makers (or Coopers as barrel makers were traditionally called) gave their customers old logs that they could not use for making barrels for Yule logs. My Great Grandfather did own a walking stick factory though!). It was considered important that the re-lighting process was carried out by someone with clean hands. Yule Log is a Misc. In Christianity, Protestants might claim that Martin Luther invented the custom, and Catholics might grant St. Boniface the honor, but the custom can demonstrably be traced back through the Roman Saturnalia all the way to ancient Egypt. The Yule Log was a huge ratings success, and turning viewers’ TVs into makeshift fireplaces also turned out to be a win-win: New Yorkers in apartments without fireplaces could feel … History of the Yule Log December 9, 2019 December 9, 2019 renegade 1 Comment. In some parts of Ireland, people have a large candle instead of a log and this is only lit on New Year's Eve and Twelfth Night. The history of the Yule log cake stretches all the way back to Europe’s Iron Age, before the medieval era. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. In Provence (in France), it is traditional that the whole family helps to cut the log down and that a little bit is burnt each night. It is a symbol of prosperity and luck. The Yule Lo g, like many Christmas tradition s, originated as a pagan ritual and was late r adopted by Christian religions.. It is a tradition that has been traced way back before the Medieval times to the nomadic tradition. And what proper bakery would go through a holiday season without a giant, delicate Yule log in the front case? Yule Symbology There is much to the symbology of Yule. The log would be lit from the remains of the previous year's log which had been carefully stored away and slowly fed into the fire through the Twelve Days of Christmas. Yule is the old name of the Winter Solstice festivals across Europe. They are made of a chocolate sponge roll layered with cream. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. It was originally a Nordic tradition. With the advent of Christianity, the Yule log tradition continued, albeit on a smaller scale. Marzipan and meringue decorations, two of the most popular choices for Yule logs, appeared on many a medieval table. Toasting The Log. Some people like to add extra decorations such as marzipan mushrooms! It began as part of the winter solstice festivities. © Copyright 2000 - 2021 James Cooper | About the site | Cookies & Privacy | Site Map | Other Links | Support | Website logistics by LetterBlock | Proud Affiliate of the Merry Network, whychristmas?com answers your Christmas questions! Enjoy your bûche de Noël, and think of the hundreds of years of history behind it. Burning a log in celebration of Yule started well before medieval times. Pagan Yule Log Meaning, History, and Traditions. It was originally a Nordic tradition. In pre-Christian Scandinavia, the Feast of Juul, or Yule, lasted for 12 days celebrating the rebirth of the sun and giving rise to the custom of burning a Yule log. Some groups claimed the ashes would protect the bearer from lightning—an important quality at a time when houses (and most of the contents in them) were made of wood. In some eastern European countries, the log was cut down on Christmas Eve morning and lit that evening. It was originally a Nordic tradition. The largest end of the log would be placed into the fire hearth while the rest of the tree stuck out into the room! The rest is history. In Cornwall (in the UK), the log is called 'The Mock'. In England, Oak is traditional; in Scotland, it is Birch; while in France, it's Cherry. To cleanse the air of the previous year’s events and to usher in the spring, families would burn logs decorated with holly, pinecones or ivy. It sells for 1,200 . Main Points About History of Yule Log. The Yule Log special was first broadcast in 1966. The History of the Yule Log. It became a symbol of Christmas, morphed into a … All Rights Reserved. Back then, Celtic Brits and Gaelic Europeans would gather to welcome the winter solstice at December’s end. Yule was the darkest time of the year. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! The Yule (Juul) Log tradition started in Norway to honor the god Thor. It's traditionally eaten in France and Belgium, where they are known as 'Kerststronk' in Flemish. The Yule Log we know and love today was not always a delicious frosted cake or beautifully decorated centrepiece. It is believed, if the tradition is followed with sincerity and devotion, it would bring good health, wealth and productivity in the year ahead. The custom of burning the Yule Log goes back to, and before, medieval times. Each region has variations on the theme, but essentially a tree (or log) is cut down and brought into the house to be fuel for the fire during the 12 days (or 12 hours) before of Christmas. It was considered to be of misfortune if you buy a Yule log. The Yule Log was originally an entire tree, that was carefully chosen and brought into the house with great ceremony. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Yule is the name of the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe, such as Germany. Those small hearths, however, were perfect for baking cakes. The earliest known Yule log was either a huge log or possibly an entire tree. Yule Log Tradition: As the tradition goes, the Yule Log was carefully chosen and was cut and dragged home by oxen or horses, while people walked along with it and sang songs and rejoiced at the commencement of celebrations. Also, in France, the log is sprinkled with wine, before it is burnt, so that it smells nice when it is lit. A Yule log or bûche de Noël is a traditional Christmas cake, often served as a dessert near Christmas, especially in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and several former French colonies such as Canada, Vietnam, and Lebanon. Some historical reports say ale and cider were involved. It was ceremoniously chosen, cut, brought into the house, and placed with one end placed in the fireplace. A Yule Log (also called chocolate roulade or bûche de Noël) is a chocolatey dessert made from a rolled-up sponge filled with cream and frosted with chocolate buttercream decorated to replicate tree bark. The custom of the Yule Log spread all over Europe and different kids of wood are used in different countries. Nowadays, few people make Yule logs at home, but that doesn’t mean you should pass up a slice in favor of apple pie or a second helping of mashed potatoes. Family, friends, and neighbors would come together to celebrate the Winter Solstice. In Spain and Italy the crib is often the focus of the festival in the home as well as the church. We don’t know who exactly made the first Yule log cake, but judging from the individual ingredients it could have been as early as the 1600s. By Clement A. item introduced in the 1.6.0 winter update in New Horizons. It can be obtained from Nook Shopping or as a gift from Nintendo. The traddition of the Yule Log goes back to, before, medieval times.Its thought to have been originally a Nordic tradition. The History of the Yule Log. Yule Log History and the Swiss Roll (aka Jelly Roll) Through the years, cakes were baked in molds shaped and decorated to look like animals, such as Easter lambs and rabbits, and many other things, such as Yule Logs, to celebrate Christmas. This comes from a local legend that Joseph, Mary and Jesus were very cold when the shepherds found them on Christmas Night. Often, the log was so heavy, it had to be dragged back to the house by several big, strong men. It was originally a Nordic tradition. Later, the Yule log was replaced by the Yule tree but, instead of burning it, burning candles were placed on it. It dates back to at least 1615, when the first known recipe appeared in Gervaise Markham’s tome “The English Huswife.”. The custom of burning the Yule Log goes back to, and before, medieval times. This Yule log would burn continuously for the entire 12 days of Yule, as it was bad luck to have to relight the Yule log. The Yule log is a special log chosen and burnt in the heart on Christmas eve. The log itself is traditionally the largest, hardest log that can be gotten from the nearby forest with the intention that it will burn hotly and brightly through the longest night of the year. WPIX president Fred … Be it cookies and milk under the tree for Santa, candy canes or figgy puddings, it’s hard to think of a Christmas ritual that isn’t tied to food. The Yule log’s ashes are supposed to be very good for plants. Wine and salt were also often used to anoint the logs. It’s not exactly known when Yule Log symbolism came to be but it seems to have started in Germany and Scandinavia with the celebrations on the night of the Solstice. With Yule comes the iconic Yule Log. WhyChristmas says the Yule Log tradition originally started as burning an entire tree. Choosing and cutting the log was a ceremony in itself - often with singing and merriment to accompany. The history of the Yule log cake stretches all the way back to Europe’s Iron Age, before the medieval era. This is a fact, because the cinders from burnt wood contain a lot of 'potash', which helps plants grow and bloom. The History of the Yule Log. The History of Yule Log: Yule Log began in 1918 when the students, approaching their first winter holiday season, asked to illuminate a tree and burn a yule log in College Hall's foyer fireplace. Christmas Yule Log The custom of burning the Yule Log goes back to, and before, medieval times. The traditional Yule Log was specially chosen for its large proportions. (My surname is Cooper, but I don't make barrels! Miles From Christmas in Ritual and Tradition [1912] The peoples of Europe have various centres for their Christmas rejoicing. This sounds very dangerous, so please only try this out with some adult supervision!! Different chemicals can be sprinkled on the log like wine to make the log burn with different colored flames! Watching ‘Yule Logs’ on Screens: A Short, Crackling History The holiday tradition of the yule-log video started with 17 seconds of footage in 1966. Christmas is almost here, and ‘tis the season for rich food traditions. Parisian bakers popularized the cake in the 19th century, and different bakeries became known for their more elaborate decorations. If any of the log is left after Twelfth Night, it is kept safe in the house until the next Christmas to protect against lightning! ‘Tis the season for rich food traditions, including that of the Christmas Yule log. Origins and History of the Yule Log Sir James G. Frazer , the author of The Golden Bough (1890), believed that burning the Yule log originated in early Northern European beliefs from the 4th century, which drew a parallel between the oak tree and the god of thunder. The outside is covered with chocolate or chocolate icing and decorated to look like a bark-covered log. Despite its long affiliation with the Christian holiday of Christmas, the Yule log actually has its roots in pagan Norse mythology. A Chocolate Yule Log or 'bûche de Noël' is now a popular Christmas dessert or pudding. The Burning of the Yule Log. This is true, because the ash from burnt wood contains a lot of 'potash', which helps plant flowers. Yule is the name of the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe, such as Germany. People would feast to celebrate the days finally becoming longer, signaling the end of the winter season. Yule Log is a significant part of Christmas traditions.Yule log is a large log burned in the hearth of the house. The Celts of the British Isles celebrated midwinter as well. The Yule Log TV special, popularized by local NY station WPIX, has an interesting history. Yule Log. Nowadays, of course, most people have central heating so it is very difficult to burn a tree! The first direct reference to the Yule log can be found around the 17th century. So the shepherds got some bunches of twigs to burn to keep them warm. Families may have burned a log on Christmas Eve, but smaller hearths became the norm so huge logs were impractical. Delicate Yule log spread all over Europe and different bakeries became known for Christmas... 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