H O U L
Th e Pa ga n ce l e brat io n of Win t e r S o l st i ce ( a lso kn own a s H o ul , o r Yul e ) i s o n e of t he o ld e st w inte r ce le brat io n s in t h e wo r ld . A n cie n t p e o pl e we re h un t e rs a n d sp e n t m o st of th eir time o utdo o rs . Th e se a so n s a n d w e a t he r p laye d a ve ry impo rtan t p a r t in t he ir li v e s. B eca u se of t his many an ci e n t p e o p l e ha d a g reat revere n ce fo r, an d ev e n wo rship p e d t he s un . At mid-win t e r t h e No rse m e n li t b o nfire s, to ld storie s an d d rank s w e et a l e . Fe e din g animal s of t h e fo re st ha s l o n g sin ce b e e n a pas t t ime pract i se d by t ho se w ho ce le brate t h e win t e r s o lst i ce . Ve n t u r in g in to th e forsts to fe e d wild a nim a ls a n d bird s i s th o u g ht to co nn e ct h uma n s w i t h n a t u re , a n d Th e Spirit.
The Celtic Pries ts would cu t th e mis tleto e t ha t g rew o n th e oa k tre e a nd g ive it a s a bl e ssin g . Oa k s were s e en a s s a cred a nd th e w in t e r f ruit of th e ros ehip wa s a s ym bol of life in t he d a rk winter m onth s . It wa s a l s o th e Druids wh o beg a n th e tra dition of t he y ule lo g . Th e Celts th o u g ht th a t th e s u n sto o d s till fo r twelve da ys in th e middle of w in t e r and du ring this tim e a lo g wa s lit to co n q u e r th e da rk nes s , ba nis h evil s pirits a nd b r in g lu ck for th e co ming yea r.