Gleðilig jól! Vér biðjum yðr heill ok sæll um jólahátíðina!
(Old Norse, reconstructed)
Sæll, Viking! Sæll, Valkyrie!
At Yule, people rejoice at the return of the sun. During this time, sacrifices were made in honour of the gods, especially Odin and Thor.
Fires were lit and alcoholic beverages were served. First, cattle and pigs were sacrificed for the gods, and then the people themselves feasted on large and extensive festive meals.
The Yule tree was decorated with green branches and shrubs to honour life, and on Yule Eve, people gave speeches and wished for good fortune in the coming winter.
At Yule, everyone is joyful and remembers that life and light will conquer darkness. There are a few interesting facts about Yule:
The Yule log was a massive piece of wood that was burned in the fireplace. The longer it burned, the more luck it brought. Fun fact: Some families kept the remains of the Yule log to use as protection against lightning strikes the following year!
The Yule goat (a billy goat, often depicted in straw) was originally a mythical creature that tested whether households had prepared enough for the Yule festival. Fun fact: The famous Yule goat of Gävle, a giant straw goat in Sweden, is burned down by pranksters almost every year!
In Yule, gifts were distributed more as a sign of hospitality. They were often practical things like bread, meat or furs. Fun fact: the tradition of giving gifts was later combined with puzzles or fun challenges – ‘presents with a brain teaser’, so to speak, the forerunners of modern secret Santa!
During the cold season, games were held during the Yule festival to strengthen the community. There were competitions such as tug-of-war, ice skating races and even fighting games. Fun fact: losing was often part of the fun – the losers had to serve the banquet for the amusement of the others!
If you don't feel the urge to serve the food during the holidays, we recommend going for a game! We highly recommend the Permafrost demo! Or any other game. Follow the link below.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3197110/Permafrost_Demo/
