tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post4491899572256780941..comments2024-03-25T08:41:57.698+13:00Comments on Kiwi Hellenist: Concerning YulePeter Gainsfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17448862214081111386noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-49435925171689984672023-12-16T18:27:31.683+13:002023-12-16T18:27:31.683+13:00There are extremely extensive writings about pagan...There are extremely extensive writings about pagan myths and legends in Scandinavia. There is not one that claims that Yule was an important fixed feast. It may have been fixed, but it wasn't very important. The important ones were enumerated and described.Too Many Maryshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00806838776817648745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-57537427719002483662022-12-26T13:11:50.670+13:002022-12-26T13:11:50.670+13:00Hi Peter,
I have shared this around for discussio...Hi Peter,<br /><br />I have shared this around for discussion and one comment I saw was that there weren't previous written records of a Yule festival because the Scandinavians simply weren't keeping written records that early - I assume this has been taken into account, but I'm not sure how. Is there anything to this idea and, if so, how is it accounted for?redshark92https://www.blogger.com/profile/12485753176289398936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-5515364027700889862021-12-16T08:24:18.558+13:002021-12-16T08:24:18.558+13:00If evidence of such things existed, it might be po...If evidence of such things existed, it might be possible to take claims like that seriously!Peter Gainsfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448862214081111386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-7491074250402494462021-12-15T02:00:40.199+13:002021-12-15T02:00:40.199+13:00Agreed. This is just another crap attempt to discr...Agreed. This is just another crap attempt to discredit Pagans and sugar coat Christians. Yule was being celebrated long before Rome invaded Wales. Word of mouth tells us its much older than Christ. This guy is full of shit. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09553937516364565610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-72091918481758378332021-05-31T02:42:28.942+12:002021-05-31T02:42:28.942+12:00I always saw Christmas not as derivative but just ...I always saw Christmas not as derivative but just a new expression on a thing that already existed: solstice celebrations. Like for example where I live is common knowledge that Christ was not born in December, but that might just be a cultural thing. Anyway, we don't need any ancient reasons to hate the Christians, they're still pretty shitty today.Giovanni Rafaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16597216696014808566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-53070930629176947822021-01-05T21:39:49.316+13:002021-01-05T21:39:49.316+13:00This comment has been removed by the author.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03605993972568383879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-23100056854737228102020-12-28T02:39:02.604+13:002020-12-28T02:39:02.604+13:00Interesting article and well-researched. What appe...Interesting article and well-researched. What appears to have been overlooked is the 13-day yule-type Roman celebrations that include the Saturnalia and an epagomenal vestige and culminate on 23 December (likely around the original timing of the solstice) and are to be discerned within ferial understanding that is associated with Numa, the second king of Rome. The Saturnalia were conceived or Michael Yorkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03587783423906807524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-3745361483148107482019-12-24T07:07:48.223+13:002019-12-24T07:07:48.223+13:00I'm curious if you know anything about the Ant...I'm curious if you know anything about the Antiochus calendar? Specifically when it dates to and if scholars think it's been tampered with at all. The calendar says that the sun is born on December 25th.decadeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13534672212449319349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-78939166288836090562019-12-23T20:25:45.299+13:002019-12-23T20:25:45.299+13:00I doubt it too, but I can't disprove it! I'...I doubt it too, but I can't disprove it! I'm not 100% convinced about the <i>Boar's Head Carol</i> either, but that one is at least feasible. Your point about winter dietary customs looks like a very sound one.Peter Gainsfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448862214081111386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-47632914588727803702019-12-20T10:02:39.861+13:002019-12-20T10:02:39.861+13:00Oh, I just wanted to add one further point. I doub...Oh, I just wanted to add one further point. I doubt myself that Christmas Hams have much to do with Yule or Pagan Scandinavians specifically. I believe this simply because it was so common for Medieval people to slaughter a pig or two come the late Autumn to have the meat through the winter. <br /><br />There was nothing religious about it, it was pure practicality, it was expensive to feed The History Ladyhttp://historyladysite.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-86741874077271108302019-12-20T09:15:05.703+13:002019-12-20T09:15:05.703+13:00Thanks for this interesting article: and its refre...Thanks for this interesting article: and its refreshing to see a sound rebuttal of all that 'Christmas comes from Mithraism' nonsense. <br /><br />Its interesting that in the later Medieval and Early Modern period it seems to have been New Year that was the occasion for exchanging gifts rather than Christmas. Although of course, since Christmas extended for 12 days, they could come under The History Ladyhttp://historyladysite.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-57816389185503204282019-04-24T14:25:52.148+12:002019-04-24T14:25:52.148+12:00I'm not nearly well-versed enough in that mate...I'm not nearly well-versed enough in that material to give an expert opinion. As a general methodological guide, though, I recommend being sceptical of claims of pagan origins, except where those origins are actually documented.<br /><br />Take for example <a href="" rel="nofollow">the Wikipedia article on Sinterklaas</a>, which presents the idea that he's derived from the Wild Hunt as Peter Gainsfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448862214081111386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-47863350547505337332019-04-24T08:56:43.072+12:002019-04-24T08:56:43.072+12:00How would the traditions of Saint Nicholas Day fit...How would the traditions of Saint Nicholas Day fit in? With his assistants like Zwarte Pieten, Knecht Ruprecht, or Krampus? Any idea where I might look for that information?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14899043813436238420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-40756773109805395262018-12-23T08:42:26.125+13:002018-12-23T08:42:26.125+13:00Thanks for letting me know that juhla is still in ...Thanks for letting me know that <i>juhla</i> is still in use! I admit I didn't check modern Finnish vocabulary. On the terminology: I copied Koivulehto's practice, if that's any comfort!<br /><br />On St Nicholas: absolutely! One of the older posts I mention above is a little more explicit on this point. It seems to me that gift-giving got attached to Christmas as a result of elementsPeter Gainsfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448862214081111386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1918995924244969903.post-32700910419737820072018-12-22T23:55:55.842+13:002018-12-22T23:55:55.842+13:00The Finnish word juhla (pronounced [juɦlɑ]) is a v...The Finnish word <i>juhla</i> (pronounced [juɦlɑ]) is a very common word still today, meaning “festival, feast, party”. The notion <i>Old Finnish</i> may be misleading, by the way, as it may be thought to presume similar tripartite division as in the history of English.<br /><br />As to Saint Nicholas, it might be added that generosity and charity (and thus gift-giving) <i>is</i> linked to his Timo Partanennoreply@blogger.com