The Jul Goat.

 

The origins of the  Yule Goat (Christmas goat) are lost to history at this point, but one of the main  theory is that the celebration of the goat is connected to worship of Thor the Norse god of thunder, who rode across the sky in a chariot pulled by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr;

Another one is that  it goes back to common Northern European beliefs. The last sheaf of grain bundled in the harvest was credited with magical properties as the spirit of the harvest and saved for the Yule celebrations, called among other things Yule goat (Julbocken).

This connects to ancient proto-Slavic beliefs where the Koliada (Yule) festival honors the god of the fertile sun and the harvest. This god, Devac (also known as Dazbog or Dažbog), was represented by a white goat, consequently the Koliada festivals always had a person dressed as a goat, often demanding offerings in the form of presents.

A man-sized goat figure is known from 11th-century remembrances of Childermas, where it was led by a man dressed as Saint Nicholas, symbolizing his control over the Devil.

In Sweden, people believed the Yule goat to be  an invisible spirit that would travel from home too home some time before Christmas to make sure that the Yule preparations were done properly.

Small goat figures made out of straw or wood could also be called the Yule goat, and in older times people would play  a popular Christmas prank by hiding one of these mini Yule goats in a neighbour's house without them noticing; the family successfully pranked had to get rid of it in the same way.

The function of the Yule goat has changed over time , In a Scandinavian custom similar to the English tradition of wassailing (singing Christmas carol's), held at either Christmas or Epiphany, young men in costumes would walk between houses singing songs, enacting plays and performing pranks. This tradition is known from the 17th century and still continues in certain areas. 

The group of Christmas characters would often include the Yule goat, a rowdy and sometimes scary creature demanding gifts...

...........

Ever wish you could trick or treat in December? If you live in Scandinavia you can,kind of..

Norway Julebukk -Julbok - Julebukking is basically a Christmas version of trick-or-treating the tradition dates back centuries.

During Julebukk people dress up as goats, trolls, or other mythical creatures to sing and perform for their audiences. And gain rewards ( candy or other sweets). The old notes version of this was a man dressed in goat skins caring a goat heat and crashing other people's party's...today's version is much nicer.

The origins of Julebukk can be traced back to pre-Christian times, when goats were associated with the Norse god Thor and were thought to have magical powers. The tradition was also a way to celebrate the winter solstice and a way to engage and wish good luck and happiness to the community.

Today, Julebukking tradition is still popular in Norway, and many families and communities participate in the practice during the Christmas season. The performances typically involve singing, dancing, and storytelling, and often include traditional Christmas songs and folktales. The Julebukk costumes can be elaborate and creative, with participants dressing up in goat masks, horns, and other goat-like attire... Sometimes the people visited are supposed to join in the singing as they visit the next house, though this is optional...

.....

Yule Goat and Santa...

During the  1800's the Yule goat's became more like a Scandinavia Santa, bringing presents on Christmas.

Usually one of the men in the family would  dressing up as the Yule goat. (Modern day celebration Still dose this but as Santa)

Another old Norse version of Santa was the all father(Odin) riding around on his multi legged horse leaving gifts for good kids, this also ties into the wild hunt.

The goat was  eventually replaced by the jultomte (Sweden)  or julenisse (Norway) during the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century, although he is still called the Joulupukki (Yule goat) in Finland, and the tradition of the man-sized goat is no longer used now .

........

Swedish Yule Goat celebration..

This modern version of the Yule goat figure is a decorative goat made out of straw and usually bound with red ribbons, a popular Christmas ornament often found under or on the Christmas tree or larger visions used as laws decor for the holidays. 

Large versions of this ornament are frequently erected in towns and cities around Christmas time; a tradition started with the Gävle goat in 1966.

Though people often try to damage or burn it prevent this the ornament is often  guarded. This has resulted in more creative attempts to burn it down.

The town has tried lots of different ways to protect their goat. They’ve had guards stationed, security cameras put up and fences raised. And the goat itself has been sprayed with water and flameproof chemicals. Some years the goat even survives the whole holiday season! But most years … it doesn’t.

In 2005, a group dressed as Santa and gingerbread men fired flaming arrows into the goat. Hackers in 2009 disabled the security cameras and set the goat on fire. An American tourist was arrested for burning down the goat in 2001. He said he’d been told by his Swedish friends that burning the goat was OK. He ended up spending two weeks in jail.

And several other attempts, unfortunately trying to destroy it had become somewhat of a Tridition as well..

🎄Merry Christmas 🎄

And Happy New Year

🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆🎇🎆

skogsrå, the Foxy forest nymph

 

The northern forest's of Scandinavia are cold and dark, they are also home to many mysterious creatures Gnomes, Trolls, Giants, elves ect.

But there's another creatures that haunts these wood, as deadly as she is beautiful...

The skogsrå.

The skogsrå is a swedish version of the huldra.

,............

She most often  appears as a beautiful young woman with  a friendly attitude. 

From the front she looks like a normal woman but  from behind she usually has ether a fox or cow tail sicking out of her skirt/dress and a hollow back (but not always).

More often than not, the men that follow her into the forest are never seen again.

 In some folktales any man  that had sex with her and returned would be like a hollow shell of his former self as his soul remained with her.

 However if the  man is a hunter or someone that was kind to her, he may be rewarded with good luck in the hunt or fishing trip but should he ever be unfaithful to her, he will be struck with extreme bad luck and  accidents. In some cases the bad luck may end if the hunter fires a shot into the woods.

 Nyland, Finland Folklore says firing  silver bullets  can kill a skogsrå

In Norway, the word huldrefolk or huldre (plural)  comes from Old Norse huldr meaning ‘hidden’ it's used for all kinds of supernatural creatures. Hulder, or Huldra in the singular, signifies a female forest spirit, though she may also appear in mountains.

 These forest spirits act alone, instead of in.large group's or families like other supernatural beings, like the vittra. In northern Sweden, the name vittra refers to a group of supernatural beings that lives underground that have many traits in common with fairies from folklore of the British Isles, as well as with the ellefolk in Danish tradition or the huldrefolk /Hilda folk in Norwegian tradition.     

 Finland also has a version of the Huldra/ skogsrå, Some names in the Finnish language, mainly from the west coast, also show a link to the Swedish traditions, metsänpiika ‘forest girl’ or metsänneito ‘forest maid’ are the most often used names for the female forest spirit. However, there are also other localised names such as haapaneitsyt ‘aspen-maid’ or sinipiika ‘blue maid’.          

 

Her other Swedish names are  skogsrå, skogsrådan, skogsråa ‘forest ruler’, råan, rådande ‘the ruler,/the ruling spirit’, skogsjungfru ‘forest maiden’, skogsfru, skogssnuva ‘forest woman’, skogskäringen ‘the forest hag’, or with a nickname such as Grankotte–Maja ‘Spruce cone-Maja’, Talle-Maja ‘Pine tree-Maja’. She is also known by many different local variants like.. Gonna, Besta, Rånda, Skogela, Lanna-frökna ‘The lady of Lanna’ or Ysäters-Kajsa ‘Kajsa of Ysäter’. On the island of Gotland, there are records of a female troll called Torspjäska that plays the same role and has the same function as forest spirit on the mainland.      Germany has a legend of a long-haired beautiful fores spirits too,.  Called  Holzfräulein ‘the tree lady’, who was dressed in leaves, or as Moosweiblein ‘the moss woman’. 

If you're heading into the woods soon, be weary of any beautiful strangers that may approach you ...... 

 🖤💕Also Happy Valentines Day.💕🖤

Norse God of Winter🌨️❄️

 

             ❄️Ullr❄️

Ullr, the Viking God of Winter 

He is the son of the grain goddess Sif, and the stepson of the thunder god Thor.

In chapter 31 of Gylfaginning in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, Ullr is referred to as a son of Sif (with a father unrecorded in surviving sources. 

He's a highly skilled  archer, hunter, skater, and skier.

Ullr - pronounced “ULL-er,” often Anglicized as “Ull,” and sometimes “Ullinn”)

In Grímnismál, it says his home is called Ýdalir, “Yew Dales.”

 He lives at his hall Ydalir, which translates to Yew Dales: yew wood was the material of choice for making bows in ancient Scandinavia. 

Ullr was also known as the god of oaths and combat. It's said that all oaths were taken on Ullr’s ring, which would shrink down to sever your finger should you break your oath.

In some versions of the myths his wife is the giantess Skadi....(in other stories, skadi is the wife of Njord The Sae God.)

 He was the ruler of Asgard when Odin was away for ten years.

There are several locations in Scandinavia  named after him. 

A few of the city's ...

Ullevål,

 Ullevi, 

Ullared, 

Ullensaker 

And Ullensvang..

Because of his status as a winter god, many worshippers would pray to Ullr before travel in the harsh northern winter.

Within the winter skiing community of Europe, Ullr is considered the Guardian Patron Saint of Skiers (German Schutzpatron der Skifahrer).

 An Ullr medallion or ski medal depicting the god on skis holding a bow and arrow, is widely worn as a talisman by both recreational and professional skiers as well as ski patrols in Europe and elsewhere.

Ever since 1963 the town of Breckenridge, Colorado has held a week-long "Ullr Fest" each January, featuring events designed to win his favor in an effort to bring snow to the historic ski town.

Ullr is also a playable character in the video game Smite.

.......

Can't believe its already December, time flys I guess, bundle up and enjoy the snow .

❄️☃️🎿⛷️

Norwegian Myth and Legends St. Lucia Day, and Christmas

Merry (early ) Christmas everyone. 

OR God Jul, if your from Scandinavia :) 

----------------------------------------------

 With December 13th approaching, i decided to do a post about St. Lucia Day. Those of you with Scandinavian ancestors, or anyone that has been in Norway or Sweden during the Christmas seasons will have heard of Lucci at least once. 

 

The legend of St. Lucia comes from a combination of old Norwegian myth's and folklore, mixed with the christinization of the old viking world. 

 

The modern Christian holiday, St. Lucia's day is celebrated with a candlelight procession through the streets with one kid in the group placing a wreath with lit candles on their head and then walking through the school or church in prayer Because of the old practice of staying indoors with all the candles lit and a fire in the hearth to ward of the evil spirits, the church's official St. Lucia's day is also associated with candles and light, and during this night you will see candles in the windows of homes and even along the sidewalks throughout the city.

 

 ========================= NORWAY ================= 

 

 Norwegians considered what they called Lussinatten (December 13th) the longest night of the year and no work was to be done. 

From that night until Christmas, spirits, gnomes and trolls roamed the earth. Lussi, a feared and powerful witch or possibly a demoness, would punish anyone who dared work.

 Legend also states  that farm animals talked to each other on Lussinatten, and that they were given additional feed on this longest night of the year. 

 

The Lussinatt, the night of December 13th, was largely forgotten in Norway at the beginning of the 20th century, though still remembered as an ominous night, and also celebrated in some areas, especially in Mid, Central and Eastern inland.

 

 It wasn't until after World War II that the modern celebration of Lucia in Norway became adopted on a much larger scale.  It is now observed all over the country.

Like the Swedish tradition, and unlike the Danish, Lucy is largely a secular event in Norway, and is observed in kindergartens and schools  (often through secondary level). However, it has in recent years also been incorporated in the Advent liturgy in the Church of Norway. 

The boys are often incorporated in the procession, staging as magi with tall hats and star-staffs.
Occasionally, anthems of Saint Stephen are taken in on behalf of the boys.

For the traditional observance of the day, school children form processions through the hallways of the school building carrying candles, and hand out lussekatt buns. While rarely observed at home, parents often take time off work to watch these school processions in the morning, and if their child should be chosen to be Lucia, it is considered a great honor. Later on in the day, the procession usually visits local
retirement homes, hospitals, and nursing homes.

The traditional Norwegian version of the Neapolitan song is, just like the Danish, not especially Christian in nature, the only Christian  concept being "Sankta Lucia". Excerpt: "Svart senker natten seg / i stall og stue. / Solen har gått sin vei / skyggene truer."

 ("Darkly the night descends / in stable and cottage. / The sun has gone away / the shadows loom."


You will also see Lucia crown cakes and Lucia buns this time of the year :)

 ...Crown cake...

 

 ....Buns...

 

 

 

 

 The English word “Yule”   originated from one or more of seven spellings in Old English, which meant the months of December or January. 

Around the year 900, “Yule” came to mean Christmas and its festivities. Further back, these words came from the Old Norse jól, which in addition to being the root of the modern Norwegian word “jul,” is the root of the word “joli” in French, meaning lovely, nice, or pleasing, and from it the word “jolly” in English.

===========

We all know of Santa and his reindeer, but how many of you know about the Julebukk (“Christmas Goat”) of Norway, known as Julebock in  Swedish, Juleged in Danish, and Olkipukki in Finnish.

Originally the Julebukk was a goat that was slaughtered at Christmastime to celebrate
the end of the agricultural work year.

However over time, it meant a person who led a costumed procession from house to house, to entertain
the residents and be rewarded with food and drinks.

In the early 19th century, the Julebukk also became the bringer of presents,
and was the predecessor of the Julenisse, equivalent to Santa Claus in English.
 
Jul Goat..and St. Nicholas

-------------------

Today the Julenisse and Santa Claus have taken over present-bringing,
but effigies of the Julebukk can still be found all over norway and sweden, most of them are made of straw,  and the largest one is  a giant statue in Gefle, Sweden.

Giant Jul Goat.

Also if your ever in the area you could check out the city of Rovaniemi at the Arctic Circle in Finland.
 

It's About six miles north of the city you will find Santa Claus Village and theme park, located just two short miles from the Rovaniemi Airport.
==

 

 

 =================================
Christian version of st lucia.
=================================

St. Lucy was a young Christian martyr who died in the early 4th century in Italy.
She quickly gained a widespread following and is the patron saint of virgins.


Saint Lucy's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Lucy, is a Christian feast day observed on 13 December.
The observance commemorates Lucia of Syracuse, an early-4th-century virgin martyr under the Diocletianic Persecution, who according to legend brought food and aid to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs, wearing a candle lit wreath on her  head to light her way and leave her hands free to carry as much food as possible.

Her feast day, which coincided with the shortest day of the year prior to calendar reforms, is widely celebrated as a festival of light.

Falling within the Advent season, Saint Lucy's Day is viewed as a precursor of Christmastide, pointing to the arrival of the Light of Christ in the calendar on Christmas Day.

Saint Lucy's Day is celebrated most widely in Scandinavia and in Italy, with each emphasizing a different aspect of her story.
 

 In Scandinavia, where Lucy is called Santa Lucia in Norwegian and Danish and Sankta Lucia in Swedish, she is represented as a lady in a  white dress symbolizing a baptismal robe and a red sash symbolizing the blood of her martyrdom, with a crown or wreath of candles on her head.

 In Norway, Sweden and Swedish-speaking regions of Finland, as songs are sung, girls dressed as Saint Lucy carry cookies and saffron buns in  procession, which symbolizes bringing the Light of Christ into the world's darkness.

In both Protestant and Catholic churches, boys participate in the procession as well, playing different roles associated with Christmastide,  such as that of Saint Stephen. 

The celebration of Saint Lucy's Day is said to help one live the winter days with enough light.

 

 

 

 A special devotion to Saint Lucy is practiced in the Italian regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto  Adige, in the north of the country, and Sicily, in the south, as well as in the Croatian coastal region of Dalmatia. 

 

In Hungary and Croatia, a popular tradition on Saint Lucy's Day involves planting wheat grains that grow to be several centimeters tall by Christmas Day, representing  the Nativity of Jesus.


--------------------------------------------------
============================================
Now onto a darker myth.......

 Lussi the witch/ demon.

 

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=========

 

 

Nils Bergslien, Julereia, 1922: Lussi is shown stealing a child while riding her broom

================

Tis the season to be jolly, unless you enconter one of the most feared jul tide monsters,
and i'm not talking about Krampus... though a goat hooved, horned anti santa is not an ideal
Christmas guest ether lol.

 

 

=======

In the old days people believed that ghost both good and bad along with demons and monsters walked the earth and could interact with us  just the same as the living do. 

Winter was an especially feared time of the year, dark cold and bitter whether, shorter days and monsters to contend with, not exactly  a merry Christmas.

 

Winters in midevil Norway were dark and cold, and the myths and legends from the region are equally so.
 

Just like the Germanic Wild Hunt, Lussi and her demon hordes would haunt the night, taking anyone they encountered during one of their nightly raids.
 

Starting December 13, in some versions this would go one all the way up until Jul/Yul.

 

 

The Wild Hunt. 

In the old Julian calendar the longest night of the year was December 13th.

Lussis night.

Lussi, Lussinatta, or just the Lussi Night, was marked on   December 13. when it was believed that  Lussi, a demoness or possibly  a powerful witch would ride through the cold winter night  with her minions, her and her followers,  called Lussiferda, Preying on  anyone foolish enough to be outside after the sun goes down, or anyone who had not finished their preparations for Jul.
 
Lussi was  also seen as a sort of anti-Santa, coming down the chimney to take away bad children. similar to Krampus a Germanic anti Santa that accompanied St. Nicholas and punished bad children.

 

 

 Older triditions

This itself might be an echo of the myth of the Wild Hunt, called Oskoreia in Scandinavia, found across Northern, Western and Central Europe.

Between Lussi Night and The cow, trolls and evil spirits, and in some accounts even the spirits of the dead,  thought to be active outside.
It was believed to be particularly dangerous to be out during Lussi Night.

According to tradition, children who had done mischief had to take special care, since Lussi could come down through the chimney and take them away,
and certain tasks of work in the preparation for Yule had to be finished, or else the Lussi would come to punish the household.
The tradition of Lussevaka – to stay awake through the Lussinatt to guard oneself and the household against evil, has found a modern form through
throwing parties until daybreak. Another company of spirits was said to come riding through the night around Yule itself, journeying through the air,
over land and water.

There is little evidence that the legend itself derives from the folklore of northern Europe, but the similarities in the names ("Lussi" and "Lucia"),  and the date of her festival, December 13th, suggest that two separate traditions may have been brought together in the modern-day celebrations in  Scandinavia. Saint Lucy is often depicted in art with a palm as the symbol of martyrdom.,

==============

The best way to avoid meeting  monster Lussi was to stay up all night long, indoors with all the lights on.



In short, if you don't want to meet Lussi just say inside with a warm fireplace and a lot of light maybe some hot chocolate, and just  watch a good Christmas movie or something :)

=====================
=====================
St Lucia Day poem.

English

The long Lussi-night,
The long Lussi-night, nothing to be afraid of.
God protects farm and land,
The fishes in the water and the birds in the grove.
Nothing to be afraid of, the long Lussi-night.

The long Lussi-night, nothing to be afraid of.
Cows and horses and pigs and goats
will be healthy, round, and fat.
Nothing to be afraid of, the long Lussi-night.

The long Lussi-night, nothing to be afraid of.
Holy Mother of Good Christ,
free from death and the devil's list.
Nothing to be afraid of, the long Lussi-night.


=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
=-=-=-=-=In Norwegian=--=-=-=-=-=-=

Lussi-natti lange
Lussi-natti lange, intet være bange.
Gud beskytte gård og grund,
fisk i vand og fugl i lund.
Intet være bange, lussi-natti lange.

Lussi-natti lange, intet være bange.
Ku og hest og svin og geit
blive karske trinn og feit.
Intet være bange, lussi-natti lange.

Lussi-natti lange, intet være bange.
Hellige Moder gode Christ,
fri fra død og djevels list.
Intet være bange, lussi-natti lange.

===================



Merry Christmas and have a safe and fun new year everyone, hopefully 2021 will be a great year.