A History of the Yule Log

 Around this time of year, a delicious chocolate cake treat, decorated to look like a tree log, can be found on bakery shelves: the Bûche De Noël. Some holiday gift shops sell real logs, adorned with greenery, cranberries, pinecones, and cinnamon sticks, with three holes drilled in them to hold candles for those who like to celebrate the holiday with a nod to an old tradition. And television networks and streaming services air their individual versions of a program titled Yule Log, which is essentially a continuous video of a log burning brightly in a fireplace.  But what exactly does a Yule Log represent and what is its relevance to this holiday season?

The tradition of the Yule log is said to predate medieval times. The word “yule,” which means Christmas in Old English, is closely related to the Old Nordic word, “jōl,” which referred to a 12-day winter solstice festival. A large log or tree was ceremoniously chosen to be burned for twelve days at the end of December.  The Celts, a pagan group, noticed that the sun seemed to be motionless during this period and believed if the log was kept burning for the length of the festival, the sun would be encouraged to move once more, resulting in longer days again. If the fire died, bad luck would follow.  After the festival, ashes from the log were sometimes collected and kept to ward off evil spirits.

It wasn’t until centuries later that the Yule log was adopted by Christians.  For some, the lighting of the log symbolized the birth of Jesus, the light of the world. For others, it signified Jesus’s triumph over sin.  For still others, the modern-day Yule log sold in shops today is regarded to represent the three wise men. The candles on the log (the men) are lit every evening of the 12 days of Christmas, ending with January 6^th, the Christian holiday known as the Epiphany, or Three Kings’ Day.

Today the burning of the Yule log has become a secular tradition, but it remains a symbol hope with the birth of a new season, just as it has been for pagans and Christians alike throughout history.