The festive season traditionally ends on 5 January, when the Yule Log is burned for the last time. This custom dates from the pre-Christian midwinter festival starting at the solstice, 25 December in the old Julian calendar, when Romans celebrated Sol Invictus, the Unconquered Sun.
Solstice comes from the Latin solstitium, “sun stands still” when the sun was thought to remain stationary for twelve days. During this time a huge log was brought into the house and slowly burned as a symbolic substitute. Ghost stories were told, the circle of the firelight keeping back the dark and repelling evil spirits.
“Yule candles” were traditionally given at midwinter for similar reasons, later becoming Christmas candles.
The Yule Log, or Yule Clog, itself dates back to at least 1184 in England, and occurs across Northern Europe with regional variations. The accepted English yule log is oak, whereas in Scotland birch is traditional and in France cherry is preferred. At the end of the twelve days, a piece of the yule log was preserved to light next year’s fire, symbolising the continuation of the solar cycle.
These days the commonest type of yule log is a chocolate alternative to Christmas pudding, a surprising evolution of a pagan custom to honour the darkest days of the sun.
