The Norse Origins of Christmas Traditions

Scandinavia has a rich cultural heritage and Norse Mythology, which was once simply their religious belief system, has continually fascinated and influenced others for centuries. The Norse beliefs and traditions also influenced many of the Christmas traditions we celebrate today. The word Yuletide, which is now used as a synonym for Christmas, is a word from the Norse pagan winter festival of Yule with the word ‘tide’ meaning a period of time. Yuletide has been celebrated for centuries by the ancient Germanic people (including the Vikings) and similar festivals were also celebrated by the Celts. Yule was celebrated between December 20th and 25th, the Winter Solstice, and the shortest day of the year and it was believed that, during that time, the new sun god for the next year was born. Vikings and Scandinavians in general decorated evergreen trees with carvings of the gods, runes, clothing, and food. These items were thought to ward off evil spirits and encourage brighter ones to visit the home