Nov
Yule is not Christmas
(As the advertising and other promotions of the Winter Holiday season begin, now is a good time to remind ourselves where we Heathens stand )
There was a time when the Yule season started the day after Thanksgiving. Nowadays, the advertising and decorations start showing up right after Halloween. The shopping glut starts with a rush.
Do not be fooled. Many of the symbols, decorations and trappings of the season are Heathen. Though they have been slimed with a veneer of Christianity, they are intrinsically ours. We must not let the misuse of our symbols mislead us. Remember that the Nazis used Nordic symbolism to try to sell Nazism to the Norwegians. The Norsemen were not fooled. In a similar spirit, we should not be fooled about Christmas.
Christianity tried to usurp Yule so as to make it easier to convert Pagans and Heathens. The symbols and trappings had been co-opted for an easier sale of the alien religion to our Heathen forebears. They may be our symbols, but the intent behind their use is not ours. Christmas may look like Yule, but the fact is that Yule is NOT Christmas.
Yule is not Christmas.
Yule is OUR holiday. It is celebrated on a different day than Christmas. Take that as your cue. Different day, different event, different intent. We do not imitate Christmas. The main difference is that Heathens stress quality over quantity. Our Yule is about family, gratitude, and happiness. Let us keep our holiday separate and distinct.
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Many of us have Christian relatives who invite us to Christmas dinner. We can enjoy their generosity. After all, it is all about family. We are having a dinner with loved ones on their holiday. There is nothing anti-Heathen in that.
By the same token, you can invite non-Heathens to join your Yule celebration, if you so choose. Their presence will not make the event less Heathen. You will have to use your discretion when making such invitations. There are non-Heathens who will be gracious guests. There are also those who will be so caught up in their own beliefs that they might be very unpleasant guests. On Yule, the best policy is to put the happiness and comfort of Heathens first. Keep this in mind if you wish to invite non-Heathens to join your Yule.
