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Tristyn Marouk
Williams
ENG 091
10 March 2015

Yule or Christmas?

Yule and Christmas: how similar and different are they really? Yule has had a
major impact on how and what others do to celebrate Christmas. If Yule were to never
exist, would there even be a Christmas to celebrate? Yule is the celebration of the winter
Solstice, while Christmas is supposed to be the birthday of Christ. Many of the traditions
celebrated in Christmas are derived from Yule, like the reason of celebration, the
decorations, colors used, and the depiction of Santa Claus and the Divine. Yet they have a
few differences as well, those being the idea of Santa, the people who follow each
holiday and the purpose of each holiday.
Roman Pagans originally celebrated Saturnalia. Its a weeklong celebration from
December 17th to December 25th. During that time the Roman courts were closed. There
would be no consequences for damaging property or injuring people during that week. In
the fourth century, Christians imported the Saturnalia festival, hoping to convert Pagans
into Christianity as it was on its way to becoming extinct. It became somewhat of a
competition, the Christians tried to overtake the Pagans festive time because it was
becoming more popular than the Christian religion. So Christians came up with an excuse
to celebrate during the same time which would be Jesus birthday, which was actually

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sometime during the fall. This is why Christmas is celebrated on the 25th, the last day of
the Solstice celebration and why both holidays incorporate the same decorations.
The Christmas holiday incorporates many of the same decorations and colors as
Yule. For example, Yule uses the traditional evergreen plants. These plants represent
the aspect of the Divine as well as never dying as they flourished in the winter. Other
plants include holly, ivy, rosemary and mistletoe. Mistletoe is known as the kissing
bush. It is said that two people placed under the mistletoe must kiss. This is seen in both
Yule and Christmas. Pagans and Christians both use lights and candles. Lights represent
the birth of a new god or Divine. Along with lights comes the use of glass ornaments.
Ornaments were designed to ward off evil spirits that were directed towards the family.
The idea of gifts is also seen in both holidays although that seems to be the only thing
Christmas has turned into, gift giving, whether it be from one individual to another or
delivered by Santa.
The figure of Santa Claus derives from the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas, whose
name is a dialectal pronunciation of Saint Nicholas. This figure got some of his
characteristics from the God Odin, including the long white beard. God Odin has his gray
horse and Santa has his reindeer. Santa was a jolly man, who rides in his sleigh to deliver
gifts to the children who were considered good while he ate their cookies. There is a
picture of God Odin created in 1886 by George Van Rosen and it is similar to Sinterklaas
picture on his horse made in 2009 named Slecht Weer Vandaag or Amerigo. The 13Century was a scrawny, priest looking character, with short hair and a slight mustache.
The original Saint Nick delivered gifts to the poor. As Christians adapted into the Pagans
ways the image of Saint Nicholas changed. He began to obtain some of the same

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characteristic God Odin had. The long white beard, the big bulky nose, and a hat, yet
Santa also became his own, as he was well groomed, had bushy eyebrows the same white
color as his beard and was plump. This is still the image most associated with Santa
Claus.
Although Saint Nick and God Odin have much in common they do have many
differences as well. For example, God Odin was believed to be a shape shifter and after
he died the people around him began a cult known as the Cult Of Odin, and they
regarded him as their special patron. The ceremony in his honor often included human
sacrifice by spear or fire. A myth is that Odin had to cut out an eye in order to drink from
a well of Mimir, another myth says he stabbed himself with the magical spear Gungnir
and hung from Yggderasil for nine days and nights in a living death. While the Santa
Claus most know today is seen on ads, in parades and shopping malls, he is used more as
a sales pitch than a God to worship. When a Santa is seen in these types of setting it is
only forming a stronger amount of credibility towards the view on how Santa looks. The
purpose of Santa is for companies to sell products. He is a salesman, since people today
place him on a pedestal, and this makes the children want to receive what he is selling as
a gift. Even though the depiction of Santa Claus and God Odin are similar, their history
and meaning between them are different. Similar to how the purpose of Santa and
celebrating Jesus are different. Why is Santa celebrated if the purpose of the day is to
celebrate the birthday of Jesus?
Christmas was started by the Christians and is celebrated by honoring the birth of
Jesus Christ, hence the word Christ in all three words associated. On the other hand, the
Pagan holiday Yule is acknowledged as the rebirth of light. It is when the sun is at a

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higher point, the days become longer and the nights shorter. Ancestors of Pagans
celebrated the Oak King or Sun King; he was the giver of life, who warmed up the earth.
On December 25th 354 A.D in Rome a scholar wrote, It was customary for Pagans to
celebrate the birth of the sun the doctors of the church perceived that the Christians had
a leaning towards this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity
should be solemnized on that day. For Christians it was about Jesus who died on the
cross for the sins of others. Without Jesus coming down and sacrificing himself for
others sins, its said that everyone would end up in hell. This is why Christians feel they
need to celebrate his birthday, even though it is not on his actual birth date. This makes
the people who celebrate each holiday different.
The people who celebrate Christmas and Yule have different religious
backgrounds or beliefs. A person who celebrates Yule is called a Pagan; they speak to the
Divine God Odin, worship the sun and light, and hold other beliefs other than the many
world religions. They believe in the reverence of nature - not a single founder. Although
Paganism is not a documented religion it is celebrated worldwide. The others who
celebrate Christmas are Christians or of the Catholic religion, meaning they believe in
God and Jesus Christ and follow the faith that is centered around the Bible. This is why
we have both Yule and Christmas to celebrate.
Yule had an extreme impact on Christmas. Christians used a lot of Pagan
traditions when making up Christmas. Christmas was a celebration of Jesus birthday and
love. Little did I know it is somewhat like an adopted copycat and a way for the Christian
religion to grow. Even though it does hold some of its own characteristics and traditions,
they could be seen as one and the same pertaining to its appearance, a few customs and

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timing. Yet if one were to dig a bit deeper down, it has more to do with the meaning, idea
and purpose.