Yule or Yuletide ("Yule time") is a religious festival observed by the historical Germanic peoples and some neighboring peoples, before later being absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The earliest references to Yule are by way of indigenous Germanic month names (??rra J??ola (Before Yule) or Jiuli and ??ftera J??ola (After Yule). Scholars have connected the celebration to the Wild Hunt, the god Odin, and the pagan Anglo-Saxon Modranicht.
Terms with an etymological equivalent to Yule are used in the Nordic countries for the Christian Christmas (with its religious rites), but also for other holidays of the season. Yule is also used to a lesser extent in English-speaking countries to refer to Christmas. Customs such as the Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, Yule singing, and others stem from Yule. A number of Neopagans have introduced their own rites.
As forms of Neopaganism can be quite different and have very different origins, these representations can vary considerably despite the shared name. Some celebrate in a way as close as possible to how they believe Ancient Germanic pagans observed the tradition, while others observe the holiday with rituals culled from numerous other unrelated sources.
In Germanic Neopagan sects, Yule is celebrated with gatherings that often involve a meal and gift giving. Further attempts at reconstruction of surviving accounts of historical celebrations are often made, a hallmark being variations of the traditional. Groups such as the Asatru Folk Assembly in the US recognize the celebration as lasting 12 days, beginning on the date of the winter solstice.
In the Heathen tradition of Urglaawe, the Yuletide begins at sundown on December 20 and ends at sundown on January 1. The Yuletide includes several observances that are part of the Urglaawe faith or the wider Deitsch culture. Belsnickeling, which is the original Deitsch tricks-or-treats, takes place on December 21 or 22. Visitations from men dressed as Belsnickel, who is the Urglaawe equivalent to the riddling and seeker aspects of the god Wudan, may occur throughtout the Yuletide. The Berchtaslaaf, or the Progression of the goddess Berchta, is celebrated on December 31 and includes Berchta's commanded meal of herring and gruel. The Yuletide ends on January 1 with the Feast of Frey. This traditional feast includes pork and sauerkraut, both of which are held as sacred to Frey.
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