Yule Log

Yuletide for Christmastime is a word which has its origins in the ritual of the Yule Log, which in olden days was a vast oak log used as the base for holiday fires. Bringing in the Yule Log was as traditional as putting up a Christmas Tree is today. Yule, Anglo Saxon Middle English for "Cry Aloud", was celebrated after the passing of the winter solstice when it became clear that the nights were becoming shorter and the days longer.

The Yule Log was common is households in Europe until the 19th century. A large piece of oak was placed in the main hearth of the house and other smaller pieces of wood were stacked up on top of it. The smaller bits of wood would burn quite quickly and be replenished, but the Yule Log would only burn slowly and take up to 12 days to finally disintegrate into ash.

Today, people make cakes in the shape of Yule Logs (but the don’t burn very well - smile!).

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