Originally posted by Somersethedge.
Yule is the Pagan Christmas, or more to the point Christmas is the Christians version of Yule, as Yule predates Christmas. Yule is celebrated on the 21st December and is also known as The Winter Solstice, it is also the shortest day of the year (so you will be glad to know the days will start to get longer again in a few days.) The festival of Yule lasts for 12 days and ends on January 1st. As can be seen the Christians still celebrate the 12 days (i.e. the 12 days of Christmas). Yule’s name comes from the Anglo-Saxon words for sun & light, which is what we celebrate, the return of the sun as from now on it grows stronger in the sky until Summer Solstice.
As for the name Christmas, it comes from the roman God Mithras who’s festival was celebrated on the 25th of December, The Christians took this day to be the day Jesus was born (although nowhere in the bible does it state when he was born) as Mithras was far more widely worshiped at the time (around the 4th century), and the Christians wanted to combine the two, and thereby take over the Pagan festivals. In fact the Christians have taken over most of the Pagan festivals
Holly represents the God at this time of the year as it stays green throughout winter and Ivy represented the Goddess. So when you sing The Holly and The Ivy listen closely to words and you will realise that you are singing a Pagan Carol. Mistletoe is the scared plant of the Druids. As to the Christmas Tree this to dates back to pre Christian times as well as it was used during the festival of Saturnalia, when pine trees were decorated with images of Bacchus, it was also the time that gifts were handed out to one another.
In short The Christians are celebrating Yule but do it 4 days later than we do (some say it is because you can actually see a slight lengthening of the days).
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