The yule log has a long tradition, dating back to the way the ancient Vikings celebrated the winter solstice. Those living in the coldest regions of the world naturally celebrated the end of the shortest day of the year. The winter solstice marked the beginning of days becoming gradually longer, warmer, and brighter. As a part of the celebration, Vikings would cut a large log, drag it back to their village, and set it ablaze.
Later, Christians incorporated the yule log tradition into the Christmas Feast of Lights celebration. According to The Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas by Ace Collins, “…believers burned a log to symbolize the end of the world’s darkness and the coming of God’s child to bring eternal light and life to the world (193).”
Christian traditions surrounding the yule log were rather strict. Families were expected to cut down their own log, rather than purchase one. The log had to be enormous. Tradition required the yule log to burn for the entire twelve days of Christmas, from December 25th until January 6th. Families would cut the log and treat it with spices, rum, and wine. Then they would allow it to dry outside for an entire year before lighting it. On Christmas eve, the family would bring the yule log into their homes and wait for the church bells. The ringing of the bells on Christmas eve, signaled the beginning of the Christmas holiday. The lady of the house lit the yule log from a piece of the yule log from the previous year, which she had carefully saved.
“It was a tradition that warmed not just the home, but also the heart (198) .”
Ace Collins
Superstitions Surrounding the Lighting of the Yule Log
If the lady’s hands were unclean, it was a sign of disrespect. Therefore, she carefully washed her hands prior to lighting the log.
The yule log must light on the first attempt. If the lady of the family failed to light the log on the first attempt, “a great misfortune would soon befall a member of the family (Collins 196).”
Early Christians considered it bad luck if the yule log didn’t burn for the entire twelve days of Christmas.
“If the yule log went out or burned up too soon, the household was doomed to bad luck for the next year (197).”
Ace Collins
Changes in the Annual Yule Log Tradition
Over time, as the size of hearths shrank in size, the required time for the burning of the yule log shrank from twelve days to twelve hours.
According to Collins, it was probably the French who initially dramatically changed the yule log custom.
“By the eighteenth century, Frenchmen no longer burned the log. Instead it was presented to children as the source of their gifts. The piece of timber was brought into the home and covered with a cloth. The children were to beat it with sticks and demand gifts. When the cloth was removed and no gifts were revealed, the children were forced to go outside and confess their sins. When they returned, they found gifts packed around the log (197-98).”
Ace Collins
Eventually, the French replaced the burning of the log with the Bûche de Noël, or cake resembling a yule log, that was presented to the family at the Le Reveillon supper, which was held after the Christmas Eve midnight mass service.
Mrs. Groves’s Bûche de Noël Competition
Mrs. Candice Groves teaches French at Blytheville High School in Blytheville, Arkansas. Each December, her students learn about the yule log, or Bûche de Noël, tradition. In her class, students learn that we owe modern yule log cakes to the French Christmas tradition.
Students who participate in the competition quickly learn that baking a cake that resembles a log isn’t as easy as it appears. Some students scrapped their first attempts and try again.
Each year, Mrs. Groves recruits teachers to judge the competition. Using a scoring rubric, the judges score the cakes based upon appearance, authenticity, and taste. In the appearance category, cakes that most closely resemble a log score higher. In the authenticity category, cakes that include “edible extras resembling snow, mushrooms, berries, leaves, and so on (Alkayfee)” receive a higher score. Obviously, the taste category is all about how yummy the cake is.
2022 Winners Announced
Authenticity
1st place – Lillyana B.
2nd place – Lealand B.
Taste
1st place (tie) – Lealand B. & Emmaly A.
2nd place – Allexys L.
Appearance
1st place – Allexys L. (perfect 40/40)
2nd place – Lillyana B.
OVERALL (Highest Combined Scores)
1st place – Allexys L.
2nd place – Lealand B.
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What fun holiday traditions have you learned about in school? Do you have a favorite Yule Log recipe? Do you know any of the winners and want to leave them a note of congratulations?
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