What's the Difference Between Yule and Christmas?

Yule is one of the oldest winter solstice festivals in the world. Although commonly associated with Christmas, the celebration of Yule goes back much further, having originated in Scandinavia thousands of years ago. It is generally believed that Yule began as a Norse festival called jol and was associated with themes of light, fire, and feasting. However, it’s unclear exactly how and why the festival was celebrated. Some historians believe that Yule was a sort of Norse Day of the Dead, while others believe it was simply a new year festival intended to set the tone for the coming months. According to the saga of King Haakon Haraldsson, a 10th-century ruler of Norway, the Norse Yule celebration was merged with that of Christian Christmas during his reign. From that point, Christmas overtook Yule, although many Yule traditions and symbols remained. For example, the Yule log was a large log burned for the entirety of the festival. A popular modern take on the Yule log is a special cake designed to look like a log. Another remaining tradition is that of the Yule goat. In Sweden, it is considered to be a companion or counterpart to Santa Claus. Many Swedish towns and cities commemorate the Yule goat by constructing large goats out of straw. Today, Yule is celebrated by Neo-Pagans, many of whom recreate the traditions of old by burning a Yule log and feasting.