The holiday season is upon us. Although this is a joyous season it can also be fairly stressful. This year in particular there are many troubling issues to worry about and contend with. Consequently, there is more reason than ever to set a high priority on staying calm and being grateful for the many good things in our lives. Having simple family traditions or rituals is a good way to keep the holiday season meaningful, relaxing and pleasurable. One tradition that we have in our family is to make a Yule log and to use it in our holiday celebration. It has become an activity that everyone enjoys and looks forward to.

Many believe that the origin of the Yule Log came from northern Europe- started with the Druids paying homage to their sacred Oak. Christians later adapted the burning of the Yule log to represent the destruction of pagan beliefs and the acceptance of Christ as the light of the world. Others believe the first roots were probably in ancient Greece when the Greeks burned entire trees to ward off the mischievous deities. The Celts continued the custom in the form of the Yule Log similar to what we know today.

The log is a symbol of the Oak King and was typically decorated with evergreen branches to symbolize the Holly King. Burning of the log symbolizes the death of darkness and the birth of the sun in the newborn solar year. According to ancient custom, the log should burn continuously for twelve days and a small portion of the log should be set aside to kindle the next year’s fire. Obviously, this would have to be a very large log to burn for that length of time.

My husband considers the land where he hunts to be sacred and it is from here that he carefully selects an oak log for us to decorate. We put some candles on the log along with pine cones and some evergreen sprigs. Our Yule log is used as a centerpiece on our dining table. There are many ways to make and decorate a Yule log but this is how we make ours.

1) After you find a suitable piece of oak, cut it to your desired length- depending on your preference; somewhere between 12 and 18 inches.

2) You will want the Yule log to sit securely so the log must either be flattened on the bottom, fastened to another flat board or have some “feet” installed. I find it is relatively easy to use a wood plane and shave away some of the log on the bottom to provide a nice flat surface. Logs are never perfectly round or straight so before this step is performed it might be good to take the time to determine the best orientation of the log to know what will be the top and the bottom.

3) Our Yule log is also our table centerpiece so we bore holes in the top of the log and install several candles. Three-quarter inch diameter holes, an inch-plus deep is adequate for the standard size candles.

4) To affix the various adornments to the Yule log, we use a hot-melt glue gun although various other methods are perfectly acceptable. If you do put candles on your Yule log, make sure to either keep the decorations well away from the candles or never allow the candles to burn down to the point of creating a fire hazzard. As with any lighted candle- never leave them unattended.

We have decorated our Yule log with such items as pine cones and colorful leaves collected from our early autumn camping trips; winter berries and dogwood berries my husband collected while grouse hunting and sprigs of spruce branches and cones from his favorite deer stand. Whatever you use to decorate your Yule log, try to make the items significant to something in your life.

Before our Christmas eve dinner, someone from each of the family groups makes a wish for the new year and lights one of the candles. The lighted Yule log is used at all our meals between Christmas and New Years. After enjoying the Yule log throughout the Yule season, on new years day the family elder burns the log in the fireplace- while making a wish for the new year. This is our way of bringing closure to the holiday celebrations and it is also our offering for peace, good health and good will throughout the new year.

Behold the Solstice fire!
Behold the wonder of
the sun at midwinter!
Accept the blessing of the
old ones and take the
light back into your world in the
kindled fires of your heart!

Peace, happiness and tranquility to you and your family this Yule season.

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