Yule – a short history

Today, we often think of “Yule” as synonymous with “Christmas,” and in a way, that’s true.

However, today’s Pagans celebrate Yule as the pre-Christian holiday, when the Sun appears to be reborn.

Winter Solstice

Traditionally, Yule is celebrated around December 22nd at the Winter Solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is celebrated on June 22nd.

The word “solstice” means “standing still of the Sun.” In winter, it marks the time when light starts returning and the days become longer again.

We know that the Solstice was significant in Pagan beliefs. The midwinter Sun’s movements were marked by monuments such as

• Newgrange (Ireland)
• Mae Howe (Orkney)
• Dorset’s seven-mile monument (England)
• One entrance at the Cumberland Circle (England)
• Stonehenge (England)

In the year 730, the religious historian, Bede, wrote that the most important annual (Pagan) festival in England was Modranicht. In English, that means “Mother Night,” and it was celebrated on the 24th of December according to the Roman calendar.

Although Bede’s research seems shaky, the solstice was significant in England from earliest times.

In 877, Alfred the Great passed a law that no servant had to work during the 12 days of celebration following Midwinter. (And this relates to the “12 Days of Christmas” tradition.)

But, how did December 25th become Christmas? How does this link to the Pagan midwinter festivals?

Christmas and December 25th

Most Bible scholars agree that there is little historical evidence that Christ’s birthdate was on December 25th. In fact, no actual date was suggested in the Bible.

The first time that Christ’s birth was celebated in December, was in the year 354. That’s when Philocalus put the date on his calendar in Rome. The Romans hoped to combine various religions’ holidays, so everyone was celebrating at the same time.

The Roman Holidays

In Rome, the first Pagan festival of this season was Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the god of fertility and agriculture. Celebrations were held in late December, when “his” astrological sign, Capricorn, rose in the sky.

This Roman festival preceded an even larger New Year’s celebration called Kalendae on January first.

Several other Roman religions also celebrated the birth of the Sun-god around the end of December.

Sol Invictus, a prominent tradition in Rome, celebrated the birth of God on Natalis Invictus just as the cult of Mithra/s did, on or close to the Winter Solstice.

So, Constantine–wearing his sun god costume to many decision-making meetings–moved Christmas from January 6th to December 25th.

(This is one reason why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th in the Roman Catholic Church, but not the Greek Orthodox.)

By making one general holiday on December 25th, the Romans hoped to unify the various religions in one grand celebration. Constantine took this effort one step further, when he made Christianity the official religion of Rome.

However, no decrees could fully banish Pagan beliefs and practices. The links between Christmas and midwinter/Solstice festivals have continued through the centuries.

The name, Christmas?

The English name, Christmas, didn’t appear until the year 1083 when it was recorded as Cristes Maessan.

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