Day 23 of the Heritage Advent Calendar and it’s time for our final visit to Robert Chambers ‘The Book of Day: A Miscellany of Popular Antiquities in Connection with the Calendar, Including Anecdote, Biography, & History, Curiosities of Literature and Oddities of Human Life and Character.’ Vol. 2 (1864)

For the last time, in Robert Chambers’ own words ~

“The burning of the Yule log is an ancient Christmas ceremony, transmitted to us from our Scandinavian ancestors, who, at their feast of Juul, at the winter-solstice, used to kindle huge bonfires in honour of their god Thor.  The custom, though sadly shorn of the ‘pomp and circumstance’ which formerly attended it, is still maintained in various parts of the country.

The bringing in and placing of the ponderous block on the hearth of the wide chimney in the baronial hall was the most joyous of the ceremonies observed on Christmas Eve in feudal times.  The venerable log, destined to crackle a welcome to all-comers, was drawn in triumph from its resting place at the feet of its living brethren of the woods.”

Join us tomorrow for our final entry on our Heritage Advent Calendar