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Article: YULE LOG SEARCH REVISITED AT MORTON ARBORETUM
- Article from:
- Sun Publications (IL)
- Article date:
- December 29, 2000
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There are many ways to celebrate the New Year. One of the oldest traditions is that of the yule log.
This custom came from the Norse and the Anglo-Saxons, who burned a huge oak log once a year to honor Thor, the god of thunder.
When these northern tribes embraced Christianity, they replaced their old winter celebrations, which were primarily about the return of the sun, with Juul (another name for Christmas, now known to us as yule).
Selecting and burning the yule log became symbolic of Christ coming as the light of the world.
Many European countries followed this tradition, choosing oak, pine or ash logs in England or birch in Scotland.
In the former Yugoslavia, they used oak ...