This is our Yule tradition; it could be yours as well. Please bear in mind this is my family’s and kindred’s Yule tradition and is not official by way of the Asatru Folk Assembly. This is simply a fun tradition I wish to share and may be used in congruence with the official candle lighting ceremony of Yule as you see fit.
For many years, our Yule tradition has evolved. We have incorporated so much that it has become 12-day devotional time that is fun and purposeful. Most importantly it is fun and celebrates our devotion to our ancestors and our Gods during this time of year. The first night of celebration can be celebrated at your local Hof, or at a gathering place for your Kindred or at your individual home.
A note: We have recently incorporated in the last few years the candle lighting ceremony of the Asatru Folk Assembly, but we respectfully have moved some of the virtues honored to better fit and overlay our daily devotionals. We did this with respect because the candle lighting is full of goodness and we wanted to add that goodness to ours.
Dec. 20th - Mother’s Night: Before this night even takes place, you will need some things. Some of these things require some time to craft so that they can be used on this night.
Mistletoe with a piece of ribbon for each piece
A Yule log (usually a section of the May pole from the previous year, small holes are drilled in it to facilitate small birthday candles). It is decorated with Holly and Red Ribbon.
Holly Wreaths (usually brought by the folk to be blessed and hung upon their doors for Yule)
Outdoor firepit (For the Need Fire)
Friction fire-starting kit:
Ash (from the hearth)
Cotton ball
2 flat blocks of wood
Torch (to transfer the flame from the outdoor Need Fire to the fireplace where the Yule log is. If you don’t have a hearth, then you will bring the Yule log to the Fire pit.)
A Straw Yule Goat (handmade or bought is fine)
Seven-day Candle (these can be purchased or can be handmade)
Dry spaghetti (to transfer the flame from the Yule log to the candle and throughout the 12 days)
Sunwheels (handmade of preferred material. We have used metal wrapped in cloth, wood, straw, and even paper)
Twine
Small birthday candles
Blót utensils to conduct ceremony
On the day of the 20th, the house should be prepped for a gathering and the firepit loaded with tinder and logs for the Need Fire, the fire kit should stand ready, make sure the cotton is dry. The Harrow (Alter) should be set before the Hearth with all your tools and the mistletoe, Yule Log, and Yule Goat placed upon it as well.
The intent of Mother’s Night is to honor Frigg and all the Maidens of Fensalir and mourn the death and celebrate the eventual return of the God of the Folk Soul, Baldr. It is also the beckoning of the Yule Wight (akin to modern day Santa Claus, the lighting of the Yule log beckons him from the hearth inglenook to which he will ride the Yule Goat to get the Gifts of the Ancestors....but we will cover more of this on Ancestors night). The ceremony begins the 12 Days of Yule, and most of the Folk gathered will be continuing the rest of the Holiday at their own homes.
Conduct your Blót as befitting your tradition. Usually after drinking from the horn but before the blessings of the Hlaut bowl are given, the items you have will be used. The Need Fire is started by the Menfolk while the tables are set by the Children and the Womenfolk prep the food to be ready for plating. Once the Need Fire is lit, the Menfolk bear a torch into the home and hand it to a high standing woman who lights the Hearth fire with the torch. (The Yule log is not in the fireplace just yet). So, the Folk gather around the Harrow. The leader of the ceremony passes out birthday candles. Then every person walks up to the hearth fire and lights their candle and says the name of someone who is alive, and of kin, that couldn’t be with the gathered Folk. Each person does this until the Yule log is adorned with candles. Then all the Folk touch the Yule log and a thankful prayer is uttered over it. Then the log is lifted and placed into the fire (if you do not have a hearth fire the log is carried to the Fire pit and burned there). Once the Yule log is lit and burning, Folk can light there Seven-day candles from the Yule log throughout the night before they leave. Some words are spoken upon the lighting of the Yule log.
Example*
Oh holy light, from our hearts to the hearth, shine bright!
Let the glow of our love guide you home, this dark night!
We call you gifting spirit to show us Frith, with hearts delight!
To share our prayers with our fore kin, Oh jolly Yule Wight! This lighting of the Yule log is twofold. Firstly, it holds the light of the Folk within it and is to be carried for the 12 days, and secondly, it calls the Yule Wight to carry prayers to the ancestors and for bountiful return with gifts from the ancestors to the children.
After this the Blessings are given out from the bowl, the Holly wreathes are also blessed and the mistletoe and the Folk then gather to feast. Usually during the Feast one person will read an excerpt or the entirety of Baldr’s Dream from the book Northern Path by Douglas Dag Rossman (or perhaps simply Baldrs draumar from the Poetic Edda).
At some point, the Folk before they leave will take their seven-day candle and use a dry spaghetti to transfer the flame to their candle and then carry this home with them. For safety, the candle should be placed in the hearth at the individual's home in a pot with a small amount of water at the bottom. If the candle gets low transfer the flame to a new candle. If the flame goes out, one of the Folk should carry a flame from their fire to the kinsman and relight their flame. This is symbolic of our community helping one another out in the darkest of times.
If you cannot travel with a Seven-day candle, then taking a coal box and lighting a coal is also allowable. Also taking ash from the Yule fire and lighting your own from that ash is acceptable but is difficult unless you know how to make a Need Fire from ash. It is also recommended that if you are far away from other Kinfolk to take enough ash to restart your flame if no one can come and rekindle your light.
Hang your wreath upon the door to protect your home from the baleful winter and the riders of the Wild Hunt and on the inner threshold of the front door hang your mistletoe and give appropriate greeting under it. Men greeting men and women greeting women in kinship should hug, men greeting women may kiss the lady’s cheek or hand (whichever is appropriate) and hug, and men and women greeting children with a hug and a kiss upon the forehead is appropriate. This showing of affection is to honor mistletoe and to forgive it for slighting the Æsir unknowingly.
Thus begins the Yule.
Dec 21st Sunna’s Day: After the conclusion of Mother’s Night, all kinfolk go home and place their candles or take a coal or ash and start their fires to light their candles in the following morning the following day. The family gather as the Sun takes stead and they place Sunwheels upon the fire. Sometimes the sunwheels are placed on twine and spun about or are placed on rods and spun while they are alight. Sunna is hailed, Dellingr is hailed, Ostara is hailed, and Dagr is hailed for the return of the Sun begins and the dark night is usurped to the glowing light.
Dec 22nd Nertha’s Night: Nerthus, Eartha, Erce, Heartha, Jörð—she is honoured on the third day of Yule. The house is cleaned, and the kitchen and the Hearth are cleaned from the festivities. Stockings are hung, and the hearth is decorated. If the Yule tree is not up yet, it is put up on this day and decorated in preparation for the Yule Wight and his return with presents from the Ancestors. That night, Blót is held in honor of the Earthmother, and a candle is lit from the Yule candle and the day's virtue is meditated upon.
Dec 23rd Máni’s Day: On the 4th day of Yule, the calendar for the up-and-coming year’s holidays are marked and planning begins. Making invitations and posts. Marking down other events and birthdays are also done. We also set our calendar called "The Iron Mark" which is a 364 Metonic Solar/Lunar calendar with an intercalendary day 0 which is on Mother’s Night. So, all of the weeks remain but the lunar cycles are noted for months and placed upon the 52-week scale to harken the proper timing of celebrations. A Blót to Máni is held that night in honor of the luck-giver and time-keeper and thanks is given to him for placing us on the correct timing for holy tides. A candle is lit from the Yule candle flame in the name of Moderation and this virtue is meditated upon
Dec 24th Ancestor’s Night: So, in the morning the Yule Wight inglenook spirit has placed the wrapped gifts from the Ancestors under the Yule tree. He has eaten his offering and filled the stockings of the family with appropriate gifts or ash and burnt wood to naughty children if they are so deserving for their ill behaviour. Ancestors' gifts have their individual names upon them and usually contain gifts of utility and care that ensure the next generations comfort. Blankets, clothing, socks, boots and the like are often what the Ancestors give. The Yule Wight is a spirit of gifting and having fulfilled his duty is pleased by giving so the family then brings their own gifts down that they intend to gift to their siblings and parents and vice versa and place them under the tree. They are left there for the day to be opened after Blót to the Ancestors and the Yule Wight. Generally, his Yule Goat is laid to rest (The Straw Bokken) and is burned during the Blót. Following this, the family gathers, and the pictures of the honored ancestors are brought in, and their gifts are dispensed out. As each child opens a gift from their Ancestor, they are talked about and told stories of their lives. Once all the Ancestors gifts are given out and opened the gift exchange begins, and each family member gives their gifts to the other family members, and they are opened.
Dec 25th Týr’s Day: Týr, Teus, Tiw, Tio—he is honoured on this night of Yule. A Blót is held in his honor. Generally weapons of self-defense and protection are cleaned and blessed on this night. The Binding of Fenris is read from Douglas Dag Rossman’s Northern Path. Thanks is given to the Pole star and the maintenance of order and delegations of Victory.
Dec 26th Einherjar’s Night: On this night, all the ancestors that have passed in foreign wars or heroes of past wars or national heroes, those that went above and beyond their call of duty, are celebrated on this day. The family is encouraged to find historical figures, and each give a brief class on who they are honouring for that year
Dec 27th Óðinn’s Day: Óðinn, Odin, Odinn, Woden, Wotan—the furious drighten is hailed on this night as this is the last night of the Wild Hunt (which began during Winter’s Finding). Usually after Blót, all manner of auspices and divination are done on this day. Runes, cards, dice, pewter drops, wax, and tea leaves are all done on this night. Also, apples are placed out for the Riders of Wild Hunt and the Lord of the Shadowed Hosts and his horse, Sleipnir.
Dec 28th Ullr’s Night: Ullr, Wuldor, Ollerus—the Glorious Hunter is honoured on this night and general marks the end of the hunting season for the Folk (which began at Winter Finding). All hunting weapons and gear are serviced cleaned and blessed on this day and put away. Thanks are given to Ullr, and Blót is held to him in thanks for the fruitful harvest of animals of the season.
Dec 29th Þórr’s Day: Þórr, Thunor, Thorr, Donner—the Friend of Man is honored on this day, usually a quite jubilant celebration, as this is also the night of Yule that the Folk pitch their yeast into brews intended for the next year. Þruðr, Thor’s Daughter is honored as she is the matron protector of good brewing. This night is celebrated with a large feast and a good sampling of brews (within moderation) and a Blót to Þórr is done. A candle is lit in the name of the virtue Truth, and the rune Thurisaz is Galdured during that mediation.
Dec 30th Landwight’s Night: This is the day that the property is cleaned of debris and winter fall, and wood is chopped for the second half of the winter. The children usually hang biscuits, bread loaves, or pinecones smeared with peanut butter and birdseeds are hung from the trees for the animals and landwights are honored in a Blót, sometimes at outdoor shrines. Generally, all manner of chores are finished on this day in preparation for the final night of Yule.
Dec 31st Freyr’s Day: The Last Night of Yule is in dedication to Freyr, Fro-Ing, Frodi, the Fruitful Lord, and the Laughing Prince of Álfheim. This night is marked with a huge celebration of food and drink. A pig head is cooked on this night. After Blót, a Sumbl is held, and New Years' oaths are done upon that boar’s head. Gifts between kinsman are given out during Sumbel and honours and titles are given out by leaders. Freyr is honored during Blót and all the Gods during Sumbl. Then the final and official end of Yule is at night when a torch is lit with the Yule candle and a Boon-Fire is lit and once it is going bright and burning the Yule candle can finally be extinguished.
Witan Svan Herul
~ Most recently published in The Runestone, December 2024 ~