Yule

The sounds of Jingle Bells and ho-ho-ho are upon us and we're in for another season of over-eating, over-drinking and over-spending. It's hard not to be influenced by the general hubbub of the season, but we Northern heathen believers ought to be among those who put the brakes on such activities. Not to put 'Christ back into Christmas'; he was never really there. In the first place for what we celebrate is the old pagan Solstice Festival. As we well know, the Third of the Three-in-One god, called Jesus the Christ, was not born on Dec 25, (if he ever existed at all); even the christians admit that.

However, it's not the sincere christians who made Christmas into a competition about who can buy the most expensive gifts for their kids, get the most glamorous dress for the parties, or stock the most bottles of booze for the holidays. That competition was engineered and promoted by crass materialism; and, sorry to say, the majority of our befuddled kinsmen have been willing victims of this mercantilism.

So this year again, people will spend far more money than they can afford, and pay for it in months to come; they will put on weight that they'll desperately try to lose in January; and they will drink and drive, and unfortunately, some will pay dearly afterwards for this dubious pleasure.

It's not that Northern heathens don't like a good meal, gifts and a glass of mead; indeed, we do. However, we temper our actions with the wisdom from the Havamal:

"Less good there lies than most believe,
In ale for mortal men;
For the more he drinks the less does man
Of his mind the mastery hold."

And for those who tend to fill up on all the good food offered, it is said:

"The herd knows well when home to fare,
And then from the grass they go;
But the foolish man the size of his belly
Shall never know aright."

Our ancestors were great gift-givers; if they had something that a friend admired, they were likely to give it to him on the spot and think nothing of it; even expensive or rare objects. Of course, they treasured material wealth as all normal people would; but how much property he had was not the only measure of a man's stature and position in the community; his integrity and honesty were more important; his wisdom and helpfulness were more appreciated than the size of his herd. The Havamal says 'Friendship is the greatest gift, Friend can give to Friend'; and what does friendship mean? It means that you're there when needed, that you share joys and sorrows, that you care and can be depended on.

Keep in mind the Havamal when you plan your celebration for this season. Our Viking forefathers were great eaters and drinkers; at least that's what the christian historians have told us about them; and maybe that was so. But let's remember that their food was not so laced with poisonous additives and chemical preservatives as ours is; and if they had to travel, the horses knew the way home, whereas our cars need a sober driver at the wheel. Giving gifts you cannot afford is putting up a false front; you don't buy love or friendship that way, you only fatten the merchants. Our times are different than the 'great old days'; and we have to adjust our activities to the times, and, moderation is still the ideal.

Of course, modern Northern heathens do not celebrate the birth of Christ. Instead we pay tribute to Frigga on Mothernight and Family Day, Dec 21; Winter Sunstead, Dec 22, over which Heimdall is the ruler; Dec 24, Frya's Day and the Festival of Light, where also All-Father Odin is honoured and Dec 25 which is the Tribal Yule Feast over which Thor is presiding. Our calendar thus shows that at this time of the year, our thoughts are directed towards the tribal aspects of Odinism, and let this therefore be a reminder to further strengthen the bonds of friendship and solidarity between us.

C

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