Happy yule, y'all

The longest night of the year yields way to a period of rebirth.

Astronomically speaking, the winter solstice is the day on which either of Earth’s poles is tilted farthest away from the sun. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, that makes today, December 21, the shortest day and tonight the longest night of the year.

For ancient Persians, this was a particularly holy night. As followers of the Zoroastrian religion, they believed God (Ahura Mazda) was in constant conflict with his evil opposer Ahriman. Ahura Mazda was associated with light and warmth, while Ahriman represented darkness. On the longest night of the year, Ahriman’s forces were believed to be at their peak.

To stave off danger, friends and relatives stayed awake throughout the night. They gathered around a fire, sharing pomegranates, watermelons, and any remaining summer fruits. They recited stories and poems to keep each other alert. In this way, they stayed vigilant for the return of the sun to the sky. When daylight broke and danger had been averted, a new period was ushered in — a season of hope and goodwill, with each day growing longer and warmer.

This commemoration is known as ‘Yalda,’ a word believed to mean ‘birth.’

It’s not hard to imagine the word ‘yule,’ now associated with the Christmas season, has its roots in the Persian ‘yalda.’

“Yule (also called Jul, jól or joulu),” Wikipedia explains, “is a winter festival historically observed by the Germanic peoples that was incorporated into Christmas during the Christianisation of the Germanic peoples.”

Scholars have connected the original celebrations of Yule to the Wild Hunt, the god Odin, and the heathen Anglo-Saxon Mōdraniht ("Mothers' Night"). The term Yule and cognates are still used in English and the Scandinavian languages as well as in Finnish and Estonian to describe Christmas and other festivals occurring during the winter holiday season. Furthermore, some present-day Christmas customs and traditions such as the Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, Yule singing, and others may have connections to older pagan Yule traditions.

Whether you celebrate the birth of a new sun or the Son of God, this is a time to reflect and give thanks. Tonight, consider the challenges and triumphs of the past year. Be grateful for what we have gained and pray for what we have lost.

And remember that out of the darkest night springs a new spark of hope.

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As this is our last post before Christmas, we wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a blessed holiday. We also want to thank all our readers and supporters. Your comments, reposts, likes, and shares keep us going and help us reach a growing audience. Special thanks to everyone who has recommended Collapse Life, including the intrepid Dr. Pierre Kory who shared a recommendation with readers of Pierre Kory’s Medical Musings.

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