Jól (Yule): The Norse Winter Holiday
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ย. 2024
- Vikings and other early Germanic peoples celebrated a holiday called Jól (in Old Norse) or Yule (in English). This video looks at the real surviving evidence for what actually happened at Yule celebrations in Viking times, featuring a guest fly-by by Muninn in the first few seconds. Gleðileg jól!
Jackson Crawford, Ph.D.: Sharing real expertise in Norse language and myth with people hungry to learn, free of both ivory tower elitism and the agendas of self-appointed gurus. Visit JacksonWCrawford.com (includes bio and linked list of all videos).
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Legally binding drunken oaths... what could go wrong?
Kevin Smith everything 😂
Notice that a Christian was the one who was behind this. Interesting.
That is true commitment to creativity and revolutionizing breakthroughs.
Hold my beer.
DONT WORRY she says
Just discovered your channel and THANK YOU! As a Swedish Ethnologist I am getting frustrated every year with people trying to claim that this and that is "Pagan viking traditions" and they sometimes doesn't take my word for it. Now I can point them towards your channel and say "See! It is not just me that says this. Other people with even more education in this is saying the same."
So thank you, thank you, for spreading knowledge about what we actually know about the Norse people. 😊
WTF is an "ethnologist"? Sounds made up. Or code for something else.
@@squirlmy Ethnologists are a branch of anthropology that analyzes and compares human cultures, as in social structure, language, religion, and technology; cultural anthropology.
I wish your channel becomes the leading source for Norse mythology on TH-cam, it certainly is the best. Most won't cite their sources properly like you do.
Yet it's not. It doesn't last 3 days it lasts 12. And yule is celibrated on the 22nd of June in the southern hemesphere which he didn't mention.
Deprimat He is talking about the Norse specifically, why would he mention the Southern Hemisphere? Also customs differ, while Yule today may be 12 days long, again, he’s talking specifically about the Norse holiday Jól, which may have been celebrated differently.
@@katate13 It was a variety of different days depending on the time period or region and could stretch into early february. And agreed, Yule is a very Northern hemisphere tradition, I don't know why he should need to mention it since anyone should be able to figure out that if they are in the southern hemisphere it is going to be in June. Southern hemisphere Solstice traditions such as the Inca sun festival are not particularly similar to Yule and are covered in many other videos.
It's the leading one amongst the ones I know... because I only know this one.
@@faarsight that's one way to look at it
Seeing a female troll or witch riding a wolf using snakes for reins... Sounds like Hethinn encountered my second ex-wife.
Now we know where all that Jol alcohol comes in.
Get pulled over for not drinking enough 😄
Happy Yule, you lovely man!
I hope it's more joyous than your Thanksgiving.
Here you go ill get you started! 4 gallons of mead!
The 'american thanksgiving' is not joyous lol. "Thanksgiving" was really a massacre of native americans, nothing to be thankful about.
@@NatureLover-ji4gl Well abraham Lincoln made thanksgiving a national holiday... and it had nothing to do with Indians and pilgrims.
@@EasytheGoon LOL. Convienient. What point are you trying to make.
@@NatureLover-ji4gl thanksgiving is thanksgiving. There's no non-american version. Also the point he made was that your point was invalid.
So glad the good doctor is able to film all his vids in somewhere so beautiful. That office was so drab and depressing.
In modern Iceland we also celebrate Christmas over three days, we start at 6pm or 18.00 as we call it on dec.24th and feast until dec 26th. We then celebrate the 13th and final day of Christmas on jan 6th.
Same in Norway
Also in Slovakia 🇸🇰
Also in Sweden.
Quite similar in Austria too.
Denmark too, it’s called Julefrokost 😂
Wow, it was illeagle NOT to drink on holidays...
Wow
I'm sure after drinking all that alcohol during Jól, plenty of people saw trolls riding wolves while using snakes for reins. And I'm sure they were the prettiest darn trolls they ever did see. God Jul to all, bring over another flagon, and pass the horsemeat! ;)
What if you swore to never get blackout drunk during Jól again? Would you be punished for not drinking enough, or left alone because it's part of an extremely sacred oath?
Oaths didn't suspend the law. If your oath compelled you to break the law, then break it you must, whether you subsequently stuck around for the punishment or made a run for it is essentially the difference between being the ancestor of a Norwegian or of an Icelander.
So what you are saying is that Icelanders are all descendants of criminals?
Like all Australians that moved there after 26 January 1788? :-)
Some of the exiled criminals brought their extended kin along, so likely not all. But don't tell them that.
I will not, if you won't. :-)
I've read that people still practicing the old ways also fled to Iceland as Christianity became increasingly prevalent on the mainland.
In the Scandinavian countries we have a tradition of having a Julebord/Julbord/Julefrokost in the days before Christmas. This is a kind of feast or banquet where traditional Christmas food and alcoholic beverages are served. Many Julebord are characterized by large amounts of food and drink, both traditional and new, hot and cold dishes. There is often lively partying and the party can sometimes be too much of a good thing with far too much drunkenness (ie people drink too much beer and aquavit).
But beware! If you DON'T drink and eat enough to release enough holy energy to the Gods to work with, they are unable to get the Sun up again to form the spring. And then we will have the 3-year Fimbul-winter and then the Ragnarrökk - the end of the World.
Are you REALLY willing to take that chance? That responsability?
Personally I prefer to do my civic duty and save the World! The hang overs are dirty jobs. But some-one's got to do it.
God jul from Sweden Dr Jackson!
Gleðilig jól úr Føroyum :)
Beautiful aesthetics. God Jul fra Noreg
I'm so sad about the warm winter!
It's even warmer this winter. You've got serious reasons to be sad!
woman(hel) riding a wolf(fenrir) with snake a snake as reigns (jormungandr), thats all of lokis offspring lol
Not all, just most.
All from one mother I believe
All three are offspring of Loke. Great observation.
The majestik møøse!
Morten Middelthon has been sacked.
A moose once bit my sister...
Great as always thanks so much for doing all the videos.
Good holidays all, and thanks for the video Dr.
It warms my heart to know Colorado teaches the ways of my ancestors.
God Jul och Gott Nytt År!
Love all the info ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO
In the work "Jul, Disting och förkyrklig tideräkning" a swedish university worker states that Jol was most likely celebrated somewhere between 5th of january and 2nd of february, depending on the closest full moon of the 2nd joltungel month. Was most holidays held on a certain moon phase as he claims, whats your take?
Happy holidays, Dr Crawford!
Almost summer solstice here in upside down world.....I always have to wait 6 months for these types of videos to be relevant :/ . I always appreciate them though, thanks.
Aside from your content, I would cast you as cowboy/sheriff in a heart beat. That grim face you do - gold.
Glædelig jul og god nytår til alle
God jul och ett gott nytt år
I love Dr Crawford, but he makes one major error: Jol was not celebrated at the winter solstice; "midwinter" was the first full moon in January. King Haakon of Norway (10th c) , a christian, moved Jol from January to December t conicide with christmas. This is well-established (refer to Dr Andreas Nordberg, Uppsala, Sweden) Otherwise, a fine job.
Outstanding as always. Thanks Doc!
Vel overstått julefeiring, Jackson !
Og godt nyttår !
God Jul Jackson!
Thank you so much for doing these videos, I so enjoy listening to them, much appreciated. Hugs & sunshine 🌞 N
Thank you young man. I purchased your book for my husband for Christmas. He likes Norse anything, I'm a language major and have a budding linguist 15 yo. We live in Athens-Clarke. Do you ever come back here? I would love to see you speak.
Love your teachings, thank you!
Oh! I am so excited to have found your channel
Just got one of your books for Christmas. Very excited to read it
In Finnish it's called "Joulu".
I raise my horn and tip my hat to you. Hope you enjoy the holidays and season. Do your best to drink your share of the Jo’l Meade and ales. Thanks for sharing your passion.
Thank you, Dr. Crawford. May your holiday season be bright and your oaths not too onerous!
God jul och ett gott nytt år
I too have used the "I was cursed by a witch on the way to the party" defense.
Always with the best videos!
Any idea whether the Iranian feast of Yalda (the longest night at Winter solstice where they welcome the return of the light) is related to Yule? Maybe an old Indo-European tradition?
We sure took Jòl oaths seriously back in the times here.. Still seems like a good amount of motivation to reach your goals though.
Glædelig jul til dig også Jackson
And a blessed Christmas to all.
Great video. I enjoyed the moose, the jokes and the subject ;) Would this have been mead they were drinking? If so, one would have to drink a lot of mead to in order to reach the proper level of inebriation for Yule! I see modern day Christmas as a confluence between Saturnalia, Yule (and other pre-Christian religions) and Christianity. In some ways, there continues to be a somewhat tenuous balance between being civilized and raucous. Holiday movies like Office Holiday Party echo and continue to celebrate humanity's relationship with Yule/Saturnalia.
Glædelig jul :)
I'm making a story loosely following Norse mythology, this was a great source of content! Thank you Crawford
Then you should know that the drinking (and subsequent eating) was mandatory because they believe that if enough 'energy' was not sacrificed to the Gods - thought the 'holy stupor' of drinking, and releasing the energy in THE cooked flesh to the Gods through heavy eating - the Gods (NOT being all-mighty like White-Chris) would not have enough energy to make the Sun come up again in the spring.
That is if YOU did NOT eat and drink enough in the absolutely, 'astronomically' critical 3 yuledays, the Gods could not raise the Sun. Thus 3 years of Fimbul winter would ensue, as a precursor to the enevitable Ragnarok itself. AND IT WOULD BE YOUR FAULT THAT THE WORLD ENDED!
So WE should be eternaly grateful that they DID yule-drink (and still do in Scandinavian) , or the world might not have been here anymore. Just saying.
Dr Crawford, as a medievalist myself, I have been very much interested in the sagas and their reflections of Viking religion and beliefs. Maybe I don't remember this, but did you ever recommend a particular translation of the Norse sagas so far? Good video as usual.
God Jul Dr Jackson and all others out there!
Gledeleg jul frå Noreg!
God Jul :)
Merry christmas Dr. Crawford
I am celebrating this, this year. You are great!
Great video. Isnt he cute though?😅😍
Hi Jackson Crawford. In Hákon the Good's Saga, it seems that Hákon either moves or fixes the pagan Yule in order to celebrate it on the same date as the Christian Christmas (chapter 13). What do we know or assume about the placement of Yule before that? Was it fixed or variable? Maybe there is material for a video about pre-Julian calendar systems? Glædelig jul fra Danmark.
If it was the 3 days after Solstice, then it would have been celebrated before Christmas, which may result in headaches for any ruler over two tense religious groups. Do it all at once where it becomes a grand festival.
Which basically makes it the original Winterfest.
Troels Peter Roland read Andreas Nordbergs book, most Norse holidays were celebrated on full moons. Winter nights started the beginning of winter. Full moon of Oct. Midwinter (Jul) was the first full moon after the new moon after the solstice. Could be anytime in January to Feb. easy way to remember is its 3 full moons after winter nights.
Due to the drift of the Julian Calendar, by the time of Hakon the Good the winter solstice was a week and a half before Christmas on December 16. Hakon the Good, according to Snorri but no one else confirms it, moved Yule celebrations to Christmas. That means he moved it ahead by a week and a half.
@@richardceely9770 The problem with that line of arguments is that Hakon the Good had no authority over the rest of the Norse world (Denmark and Sweden were independent kingdoms from Norway, and Iceland had been settled the previous century and was an independent Commonwealth until the 13th century). All these other Norse countries celebrate Yule/Midwinter at the winter solstice, just like Norway does. If Hakon the Good did indeed change Yule from mid January to Christmas, it would have been for Norway only and the other Norse countries would still be celebrating it in January. No, Hakon the Good moved Yule from the winter solstice (December 15/16 in the tenth century due to the drift of the Julian calendar) to Christmas, a week and a half later.
'I'm an Old Norse expert...' SUBSCRIBEDDDDDDDD
And blessings on you! Thank you!
There's an old Scottish myth that says you want a dark haired stranger to be the first across your doorway in the 'new year', is there any basis for that in Norse history? BTW, bought both of your new Edda books, very satisfied...though a bit disappointed in Tolkien now.
I know a Scot, was a good looking lad, fine black hair, dragged from house to house. Poor sod lol
Fact: Yule was Not celebrated on the the Winter Solstice. It was celebrated on the the Full Moon following the first New Moon After the Winter Solstice. King Haakon changed the celebrated day to the Winter Solstice so pagans would have to celebrate the same day as Christians. Christmas was celebrated on the Winter Soltice according to the old Julian calander, this was changed to the 24/25 with the Gregorian Callender. Yule was a 3 day holiday, not 12.
Informative video and Happy Yule. Since I live in a major city, wild boars are hard to come by. However, I have a wild boar bar from epic provisions, that I can swear my oaths on. :)
And I’m not doing the horse meat.
Moose- the Vikingr of the deer family. Do they figure in any of the sagas?
I had a black bull get comfortable enough with me, after I got him agitated enough to stand and threaten so i could admire his enormous rack and he determined I was someone neither to fight or f., that he turned his back to me, sat his huge awkward haunch and disappeared ninja style, his giant rack perfectly camouflaged in a few feet of yellow weeds. I don't recommend it but love makes us do crazy things even when unrequited.
Tlotus Well if you think about it there is a moose parallel to berserkers. There is a parasite,no longer remember the name,which is easily transferred from deer to moose. Does not bother the deer too much,but the brain damage to the moose either makes them go blind or causes serious aggression in a late infection stage animal. Because of this ,deer and moose populations rarely overlap much. I think of a particularly angry moose behaving with extra random acts of violence as having some berserker traits. Tie a spear to his antlers and watch him attack a shield wall. Who knows maybe the Vikings in Lance aux Meadows decided to leave due to berserk moose. I am stretching it ,but my parents in North East BC suffered serious damage to their car during moose mating season. Certainly a random act of violence due to an especially horny moose. Add parasitism,and watch out !
@Mississippi Ditch Fisher Well the key word there is docile. I did not mention it was a 1953 Olds,the car was a write off,the moose walked away. Possibly mortally injured or not,but it walked away. That high centre of gravity makes for odd encounters. For an ah-shucks docile moment,go to YT header of 'When Your Bear Had a Hard Day' . Look at the size of the animal's skull. Delighted to watch,but you would not get me in there. Nope.
I've only just began doing some research about Norse mythology and history. I am of Finnish decent and have noticed that often times when people are talking about Scandinavian culture they leave Finland out. Is there a reason for this?
Finland isnt a Scandinavian country. Scandinavia comprises just Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Now, I dont know enough of their history to tell you exactly why this is, but Scandinavian languages are Indo-European languages while Finnish is in the Uralic family. Furthermore, the Scandinavian languages are mutually intelligible with one another.
But Finland IS counted among 'the countries of the North'/ Norden' along with Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland. And of cause the 3 Scandinavia countries of the 'Old Norse tounge'.
We are still Celebrating this in my Family. Also learned how to use a Sword from my Uncle. This year will be Mead and Vodka for my Jól.
Gleðileg Jól!!!
Merry Jól to all of you!
The real meaning of Christmas - drinking enough alcohol to meet the legally mandated minimum.
thank you and a good yule season to you as well!!
OK, this is 5 years and 265 comments (which I didn't read all of) late, but... in the French Chansons de Geste about Charlemagne and his 12 champions, it sometimes happens that at a feast where they are gathered the champions make boasts (gabs, s. gab). Mostly these are empty boasts and reflect badly on the boaster--or they are frivolous jokes. In one book, though, the Voyage/Pilgrimage of Charlemagne to Constantinople, the men are overheard and held to the accomplishment of their oaths, including a prodigious sexual one. I wonder whether the traditions evoked in these works are related to the Yuletide oaths. Closer in pattern though is the motif of the "unnamed boon," where a king promises something the petitioner has not named--in one Tristan story, Mark gives Isold away in this manner, and in Chretien de Troyes's Lancelot Arthur hands Guinevere over.
This is way more interesting than modern day Christmas.
you forgot to mention that in the Saga of Håkon The Good, he moves the heathen Jól celebration from midwinter in the middle of january to the same time as the christians celebrate, så where do you get "December 21"?
Kim Pierri was looking for someone to bring this up.
Yeah thats exactly what I'm saying. It's the first full moon, after the new moon, after the winter solstice. Håkon moved it to December to line up with the Christian Christmas.
Maybe this is a silly idea, but I would find it very interesting if you made a video in which you wrote some phrases in English using these characters that exist in the north Germanic languages. Since the way we spell words in this language is so inconsistent and illogical, show us how these letters could be put to use in English, "tu mäk it mor lajikal"
Thank you for the great video! If you're ever interested in celebrating Yule (or whatever winter tradition you celebrate) with traditionally made Mead from Kansas, let me know! My husband makes it from scratch. You're close enough to share if you ever feel the sudden desire to drink handmade alcohol from random internet people! LOL :D
Happy Yól Dr.!
God jul, to you too, my norse-cowboy friend.
Celebrate the return of the Sun.
Happy Jul, y'all!
I'd love to know some of the background.
Why is drinking so important during this time of year?
What makes Jul especially sacred?
Why horsemeat during Jul?
You are like the coolest teacher ever. Reminds me of Indiana Jones
Glædelig jul og vintersolhverv fra mig til jer.
I am actually a Norse pagan myself and this is great
But you are probably not Norse ethnically though
In Finnish is Joulu.
thesatanic6 Yes, it is. A small but significant part of the Finnish language (that belongs to a different linguistic group) has Swedish influences. Finland has Swedish as a minority language. There are even 'bilingual families' which speak both Swedish and Finnish, and there is a Finland Swedish dialect mostly spoken in south. My dad's paternal side are bilingual family of Swedish and Finnish (and bits of other Germanic languages). His maternal side of the family speak Finnish and Karelian (beautiful language mostly spoken in NorthWest Russia.
thesatanic6 Maybe not Swedish, if something then east-norse...
Tapani Löfving Yes, agreed. But you have to consider that Swedish are Danish are 'direct descendants' of OEN (Old East Norse)
Kendra L Stenberg So it is not a Swedish loanword.
Tapani Löfving It might be an Old East Norse loanword. Jul probably did not change over time. Old East Norse seems to have had more change than Old West Norse, i.e. if you compare both languages. But Swedish and Danish have loads of similarities, including the word jul. Indicating that it might from OEN rather than Swedish. Then Swedish influenced Finnish, as mentioned above.
Hjul in Danish means "wheel". Jul is Danish for "yule". The "j" in Danish is pronounced as a "y". Seasons go around like a wheel. The unconquered sun etc. There is also the Roman holiday of Saturnalia celebrated for a week around Winter solstice.
Required alcohol? Sign me up!
Just move to Scandinavia. We still all get hammered in December. Ok, the (new Christian) police WILL pull us over. But that doesnt stop us. An oath is an oath, right?
And don't forget, according to the Eddas (reference anyone?): We who are about to get drunk, are the ones that make the Sun come up next year, right? (see comment above).
Hyvää joulua
I begin every Christmas morning with a glass of champagne & a chocolate. This New Years Day I made a proclamation on a carousel horse to be like a unicorn riding a rainbow and sealed it with a local craft beer. So far its panning out. Don't know if this counts as jol, but it's prob as close as I'll get. 💖
Celebrating christmas is celebrating christ. Just saying. It is all in the name.
If Jól is a plural word...
what is the singular variant??
I'm going to take my oaths very seriously this year 😳 Mele Kalikimaka Dr Jackson Crawford from the Hawaiian Islands
We had more snow in Pittsburgh by this vid's date. Oh, still snowing today actually. Mid April.
I’m a little confused on the dates there, I thought Jol was about ten days? Is it more focused on just the 21st - 23rd? Maybe you can help me out or maybe a fellow youtuber. Appreciate it!
Interesting information. God Jul!
Gledelig jul og godt nytt år!
Glædelig jul fra Danmark:)
Glædlic Geol fram Ænglaland :)
In more recent folklore Cheistmas was the most dangrous time of year, with tons of evil spirits and saying about death. Would be interesting to know the origin of that.
Nadolig llawen o Gymru / Merry Christmas from Wales
God Jul från Sverige!
The actual heathen lunisolar timing for Jol at midwinter would be three moons past the beginning of winter. So mid to late January since winter began, by our modern reckoning, mid to late October.
Does anyone know what exactly they were celebrating on Jul? Was it dedicated to a God or a certain event?
Gledileg jól!
Skål og god jul!
What is that pin you are wearing?
Awesome...educational and funny!