AN INKLING: 'Yule' be of good cheer

Jan. 4—To begin our Yuletide celebration, my family and I observed winter solstice on Dec. 21, with a small feast of pork roast to accompany the plaited Yule breads, pumpkin dip, wassail and mulled cider I made, followed by telling of legends and history that created the holiday as we know it today.

Winter solstice is the longest night of the year, marking the official beginning of winter and the initiation of the Earth's rotation toward the sun in preparation for the coming new season of rebirth and growth.

The present-day holiday traditions we practice predate Christianity and are steeped in history, spirituality and symbolism, most of which stem from the pagan practices and observance of ancient tribes. Many North and South American Native Nations also observed Winter Solstice, holding ceremonies, rituals, community dances, games and events to celebrate the return of the sun. However, most of the traditions we associate with Christmas are derived from the antiquated practices of the Germanic, Nordic and Celtic tribes.

The British Isles were inhabited by the indigenous tribes of Celtic peoples (Gaels, Britons and Picts). Under the Emperor Claudius in CE 43, and estimated decade after the crucifixion of Jesus, the Romans invaded and conquered the islands. Because the Romans referred to the indigenous Celtic people as "Britons," they called the islands Britannia. The province of Britannia was the outermost post of the Roman Empire in the west, and remained so for over three-and-a-half centuries. At that time, Rome still practiced its ancient polytheism, worshipping the Roman pantheon, including Jupiter, Mars, Romulus, Remus and Diane, influencing local pagan religion and rituals.

In 380 CE, Christianity became the official religion of Rome. With the Roman Empire receding in the west, Rome withdrew its occupation from the Briitsh Isles about 410 CE.

The pagan Germanic tribes (Angles, Jutes, Frisians and Saxons) migrated across the North Sea and English Channel, and began to invade and settle the British Isles from 449 CE. The parallels in the cultures and polytheistic religions of these tribes, their rituals and unique observances of Yuletide began to merge with the native Britons, as did their legends, languages and traditions. It was this cultural convergence that birthed what would become the English language.

Over time, the Germanic tribes, especially the dominant Anglos and Saxons, evolved into Anglo-Saxon and eventually just Saxon, who ruled the seven kingdoms of Britain from their incursion to the Norman Conquest in 1066 CE.

As Christianity spread across Europe, so too were the observances of the religions of the day absorbed and repurposed into the Christian church. Monastaries were built to continue to bring Christianity westward to the British Isles.

Beginning in 793 CE, successful Viking raids by the Danes on Christian monastaries on the British Isles spawned the beginning of the Nordic invasion by the Great Heathen Army in 865 CE. Danes invaded the island and established Danelaw territory, from London to East Anglia, through the Midlands and up to the north of England.

The stronghold of the Danes, their political standing, established trade, continued raides, warring and influence further integrated into the exisiting Celtic and Germanic cultures. They became so closely integrated that no one of these cultural influences can be credited with the origin of Yuletide practices.

One of the many stories in Yuletide culture is the legend of the Oak King and the Holly King. As with all legends, differing iterations were handed down from generation to generation. As the story goes, it was a time before seasons were created that the Oak King and the Holly King appear as brothers, giants or gods engaged in an eternal battle to rule; the Oak King to rule light and growth and the Holly King darkness and slumber.

In my favorite version of the legend, the Holly King was overtaken by his brother the Oak King, and fled. The Oak King, the animals and the people were happy to live in the light, growth and life under the Oak King's rule. But, it was too much of a good thing, and was no longer appreciated. The Oak King ruled for so long that he, the animals and the people grew weary of the light and were exhausted by the constant growing season.

Heavy with tiredness, the Oak King sought out his brother and asked him to rule for a time to give them reprieve and respite to recover. The Holly King obliged. The days became darker and the land was blanketed in the cold, tucking the overtaxed Oak King, jaded humans and fatigued fauna and flora into bed. After a time of recovery, the Holly King beckoned the Oak King's return to awaken the land.

Thereafter, the Oak King and the Holly King took turns ruling and that is how the seasons were created. The winter solstice was regarded as the rebirth of the Oak King as the land returned toward the light for him to resume the throne at the spring equinox. As well, summer solstice was the rebirth of the Holly King who would resume the throne at the autumn equinox.

Symbolic Yuletide rituals have been handed down through the ages. Yuletide itself is 12 days of celebration, with libations, feasts, dancing, music and other traditions, from winter solstice to Jan. 2, the origin of which the 12 days of Christmas was derived. The ancient ones would cut an entire tree down and bring it into the house to burn in the fireplace. If the Yule log didn't burn for 12 days, the next year's harvest would not be bountiful. The remaining piece of the previous year's Yule log was burned first at the next Yuletide to insure a blessed year.

Commemorative of the Holly King, we still decorate with evergreens and holly. We decorate trees with bauble ornaments, star tree toppers and light it with twinkle lights because the ancient ones would light evergreen trees with candles and lanterns, and hang bright ornaments of celestial objects like suns, moons and stars on it to represent the return of the light.

During the Holly King's rule, mistletoe represented new growth in anticipation of the Oak King's return. The first depictions of the the Holly King were the first images of who we came to know as Santa Claus.

Wassail, another Yuletide tradition, is an Old English term "wes hál" and Middle English term "wæs hæil," derived from the Old Norse toast "ves heill," meaning "be well." Traditionally, Wassail was an alcoholic drink of hot mulled cider, wine or ale with spices, sugar and fruits, and on the Twelfth Night of Yule, pagans would go wassailing, like a progressive dinner party. A precursor to caroling, practitioners drank wassail and visited others door-to-door offering a wassail toast and song or dance in exchange for gifts. Other practitioners drank wassail as they went to bless the orchards for the good harvest to come.

We are now coming back to the sun, to the light. As with any season, there's a time for them to begin and a time for them to end. I am in the winter of my time with the Crossville Chronicle, and this New Year brings a new season for me. I will be a community development planner at Upper Cumberland Development District.

I reflect on the legend of the Oak King and the Holly King creating the seasons. Each season makes us appreciate the next.

A new season awaits.