Tuesday 27 November 2018

Yule Log 2018.



I think I mentioned last year (and probably many times prior to that), that tradition dictates we should not go in search of a Yule Log, but to let the Yule Log find us!

The above log (it looks like a piece of Oak) has been looking up at me from in amongst some rubbish for the past six months or so, so I had a word with it, and it allowed me to bring it home.

I have placed it behind the woodburner to dry off thoroughly, then later it will be dressed with ribbons, holly and ivy, and a few baubles ready for its big day.

A Yule Log must be placed on the fire on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas morning if one finds nothing but ashes, it will be a good omen for the year ahead.

It worked last year, so I shall expect the same this year. Four weeks to go!



27 comments:

  1. Hope it burns away merrily. We won't be doing that here as things have warmed up again.

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    1. I've put it behind the woodburner, so it should dry-out before the big day.

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  2. I have been thinking about you and your Yule log. I'm still waiting to trip over ours..
    Great tradition

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    1. I've noticed several looking up at me this year, but this one was almost pleading to come home. It's just the right size too.

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  3. I am going to have to replace my woodburner. The casing has now split. It is old and no longer made so will be hunting for a new style one for a 17th century house. Modern meets old.

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    1. Local alien (above) recently showed a very simple woodburner with the fire below and a small oven above. If you weren't cooking with it, you could simply leave the oven door open. The simpler stoves are the best.

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    2. Funny, I just looked at one like that on line. Will have another look. I agree, the simpler the better.

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  4. Your log looks just the job. I've only a few bits of some pine cones. Difficult to shove a log into our ancient appliance. The way in for the fuel is quite small and is in the top.

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    1. It was a bit damp when I fished it out from the brambles, but it's already looking much better.

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  5. It's nice that you are keeping the old pagan traditions alive. Unfortunately, I don't have a real fire. I shall have to burn a cinnamon stick instead.

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    1. A Yule Cinnamon Stick sounds good to me; one doesn't have to be too precise about such things.

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  6. That's a really nice tradition.

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    1. Christmas time is filled with traditions. The tree, Mistletoe, exchanging gifts, etc. The Yule Log is just one more; and a very good one too.

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  7. A lovely old custom. I shall have to follow Andi's idea and burn a yule cinnamon stick.

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  8. We don’t have a custom like that but it sounds lovely. I have a gas fireplace so it would not work in my house.

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    1. Many people buy Yule Log CAKE these days. They go much better with central heating.

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    2. Good one, Cro. My granddaughter made a pumpkin cake log for Thanksgiving last week and I bet I can convince her to make a Yule log confectionary for Christmas.

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  9. Gas here too... used to be wood burning, but not anymore. I think a Yule cinnamon stick would work... and we can just toss it in the gas burning fire on Christmas Eve!

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    1. That sounds OK. And go for the Cake too; why not!

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  10. Sorry - bad spelling mistake. I will try again. I thought a Yule Log was one which could be put on the fire at Yule and left to burn all over the season by being long enough to push on the fire a bit at a time.

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    1. As with so many things, traditions can be different wherever you live; this is the Surrey version that I was brought up with. In many old illustrations of 'bringing home the Yule Log', the logs are huge, so they would certainly have kept burning for several days.

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  11. What a lovely tradition.....hope it's just ashes.

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    1. Me too Libby. I hear you met with Rachel recently; what larks!

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  12. I didn't realise this was what the Yule log was about. Not being winter here, the do see Yule log cakes in our local French-owned patisseries, but it never occurred to me they were based on a real log. Will have to try the cinnamon stick this year!

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    1. That's three votes for Cinnamon yule logs. This could become a trend.

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  13. I've never given any thought whatsoever to the significance of a Yule Log so I now consider myself better educated. However as I have no fire I will have to forego knowing what my future year will be like.

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