Yuletide Archives - My Plaid Heart

Hello, my dears!

I can’t believe it is only five days until Christmas! Even less if you are reading this from the other side of the world. How are your Christmas preparations coming along? The holidays undoubtedly look very different for much of the world this year, but I would love to know what sorts of things you have planned. What are some of the traditions you and your family keep?

I hope that everyone who reached out about receiving a homemade Christmas card has received theirs. I mailed them on the last day of November, but as swamped as the postal service is this year, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some of them take a while to reach their destinations. Please do let me know if you don’t get yours. I love making cards and I love you – my awesome online community.

So. I had this great idea, that I would make a Yule log cake (also called a Bûche de Noël if you want to sound fancy), share the recipe with you today before the winter solstice, and tell you about the history behind the tradition. In my fantasy, my cake would taste better than Mary Berry’s and look more beautiful than Paul Hollywood! But, alas, after two disastrously failed attempts which resulted in the wasting of food, the wasting of my time, and a wound to my pride, I decided to just buy the damn thing. This situation reminds me of the line in the cute movie “Calendar Girls” when Chris (Helen Mirren) wins the baking contest and gives the following advice on how she achieved such a light sponge: “Line the bowl with butter. Always use a warm spoon. And if it’s a special event, get it at Marks & Spencer’s.” Well, we don’t have a Marks & Spencer’s here, but we do have The Fresh Market, and it turns out they make a bloody good cake!

For today’s post, I would like to share with you a time when Christmas was banned in Scotland. Yes, it really was! And to mix things up a bit, I thought I’d have a little fun and try my hand at writing it as a poem. Perhaps it will sound a bit familiar to you. 🙂 Enjoy.

‘Twas the night before Christmas

and all through the land,

not a creature was stirring,

for Christmas was banned.

“Why?” you might ask,

when in Scotland of old,

the Yule was indeed

important we’re told.

You see, Yule – from the ‘Yuletide’-

was a festival of fun,

a time to laud the solstice

and the return of the sun.

Greenery was hung

as a symbol of life,

and the yule log burned warm,

merry, and bright.

In the year 1560, though,

something new happened.

The Reformation began –

spirits were dampened.

What used to be fun

was now frowned upon.

No more celebrations.

Beloved Yuletide was done.

From there it got worse,

more sadness and gloom.

And in 1640,

the Church lowered the boom.

Too pagan! Too Catholic!

Not biblical they said.

Go to work, eat your supper,

just be quiet instead.

Yuletide was banned,

the festivities finished.

If caught in celebration,

one would certainly be punished!

With no games, no gifts,

no more feasts to be had,

the people of Scotland

must have felt sad.

Thankfully, though,

cooler heads would prevail.

Nearly fifty years later

the act was repealed.

Three centuries more

was the notion suppressed,

though little by little

Christians welcomed the fest.

Old traditions and customs

that once had been barred,

were now part of Christmas,

reclaimed and restored.

Today Yuletide carols

are sung by a choir,

and Christmas trees sparkle

by the light of a star.

This Christmas as you

and your family delight,

I wish a happy Christmas to all

and to all a good night.

*Christmas became a public holiday in Scotland in 1958.

Enjoy your week, everyone, and I’ll see you again soon!

Cheers,

Tag: Yuletide

Yule Log Cake and the History Behind This Christmas Tradition

When Christmas Was Banned In Scotland