Christmas in the Scandinavian countries Denmark Norway Sweden
The Scandinavian Christmas called “Jul”. They adopted the name of the pre-Christian celebration of the winter solstice “the wheel” which expresses the solstice year again.
The pre-Christian feast of Jul
This festival (Jul, Jol, Yule) was took place in the Nordic countries and Saxon (Yule) on the day of the winter solstice on Dec. 24. She celebrated the birth of the sun god of the child born from the sun goddess. The name means Yule wheel is the wheel of the year turns once again to the spring. It was the beginning of a period of 12 nights from December 24 to January 8, and it symbolized the winter night, the longest nights of the year, during which prepares the rebirth of light and vegetation. It was at once a celebration of the sun and fertility. This world of the night was also a time when the dead were honored.
For the feast of Jul, we brought in a log house oak representing the sacred fire. They also planted a tree in front of the house. The tree still green symbolized the triumph of nature over the winter.
The Christian feast of Jul
The word “jul” original pre-Christian became the name of the Christian festival of Christmas which has adopted certain customs and some pre-Christian symbols. The birth of Jesus means night victory over the dark. On 24 December, depositing a candle on each grave. The day before and after Christmas Day are holidays in Norway.
For Christmas dinner, it leaves an empty place at the table for meals souls of the deceased of the family. Once the meal savored, the Christmas tree is lit. Then, in some families, the ritual of reading the Gospel Christmas.
Then we get up, everybody gives his hand. The whole family sings Christmas songs and dance around the Christmas tree. They form two circles around the Christmas tree. As soon as everyone sings, the first circle turn right and the second to the left. When the singing stops throughout the world is changing and we circle again with another song.
The gifts are given to the feast of St. Lucia, Dec. 13.