Burning a Yule Log was originally a Viking or German custom. Yule is the name of the Winter Solstice festivals in northern Europe. In time, the custom of burning the Yule Log spread over Europe.
Traditionally, a tree was chosen in the forest and felled. The huge log would be decorated with ribbons, and dragged back home on Christmas Eve – ‘Bringing in the Yule Log’. The magical properties of the Yule Log were said to ensure good luck in the coming year to all those who helped to pull it over the rough ground.
Once the Yule Log was taken to the house, it was blessed and wine was poured over it. It was then lit with a torch made from a piece of wood left over from last year’s Yule Log.
The ashes of Yule logs were scattered on the land after The Twelve Days of Christmas to ensure fertility. The ashes were actually good for the crops because they contain a lot of ‘potash’, which helps plants flower.
The most common Yule Log these days is a chocolate covered swiss roll that makes a popular addition to the Christmas table. This log is made of a sponge roll layered with cream. The outside is covered with chocolate butter cream or chocolate icing and decorated to look like a bark-covered log.
Here is a traditional version:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3049/yule-chocolate-log
Here is a gluten free recipe:
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/30584/gluten-free-chocolate-log.aspx
If you are in the United Kingdom and your children want to send me a letter and have a response, please make sure they follow these instructions. Thank you.
Dear boys and girls,
Christmas is a very exciting but busy time for me: the elves are making toys, the reindeer are practising their sleigh runs, and I’m busy preparing my list of who’s been good this year.
I need to let the elves know what to make so to help me out, please let me know what you would like as early as possible.
I will be getting my sleigh ready for the long journey on Christmas Eve and inbetween I will try to reply to as many of you as possible. To make sure I receive your letters, please could you send them to:
Hi folks, to make our visit a complete success, I need some details about you and the child(ren). So, to help me make my visit as convincing as possible, please provide the following information for each child. I can send you a form for completion on request. mike.facherty@tiscali.co.uk
Name (nickname?)
Age?
Favourite pet?
Best friend
School, Teacher, etc.?
Plays – sport, instrument?
Do you have an elf in the house? If so, what is his or her name?
Last year’s favourite present?
Any recent achievements/ good deeds?
Favourite TV show?
Are you home or away for Christmas? If away, where?
Present list/ letter already sent to Santa?
Please provide the following information to help my reindeer find your home and to help us stay in touch. *
Address
Post Code
Telephone number
Email
*Please note: To avoid crowds and undue disruption, my reindeer will not actually come to your home during my visit.
Lots of people who play Santa in America have befriended me on FaceBook and asked me for animations like mine. My elves have made six of them so far. Here is one of the recent ones.
The elves are charging Santas $20 for the animations. The American Santas all seem to be very happy with them!
Yesterday, my grand-daughter made her Rainbow Promise. Whilst helping her to learn it, it struck me that the world would be a much nicer place if we all lived by it.
“I promise that I will do my best to think about my beliefs and to be kind and helpful.”
It’s a great idea for me, Mrs Claus and the elves and of course everybody else. If we all lived by this promise, I wouldn’t even have to look at the naughty list!
Suddenly, Henley Santa (well, Mike Facherty) is getting lots of friend requests from people who play Santa in America and even one from Italy. It’s all rather lovely. Three of them have even asked me to get the elves to make whiteboard animations for them.
Here is the first to go live:
My revised one is here:
If you want a whiteboard animation, please get in touch.
