{"title":"Yule \/ Yuletide","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Christmas tree has very little to do with Christian celebration, but much with pagan winter light and rebirth rituals that have stubbornly survived the millennia. Decorated trees were part of pagan festivals for centuries.\u003cbr\u003eHolly branches were popular with the Celts; they were meant to ensure good behavior of house goblins during the winter solstice. They would ward off evil, aid in dream interpretation, and protect the house from lightning.\u003cbr\u003eThe mistletoe comes from the Druids in England, who used it in strange cultic practices in connection with demonic and occult powers.\u003cbr\u003eOn December 25, the followers of Mithras celebrated the birth of Mithras. There is absolutely no biblical basis for December 25 as the day of Christ's birth.\u003cbr\u003eThe exchange of gifts was part of the Saturnalia. It was expected that one would give gifts to all one's friends at this festival.\u003cbr\u003eThe star on top of the tree was revered 5000 years before the birth of Christ in the East as a symbol of purity, goodness, and peace.\u003cbr\u003eThe candle does not come from the Christian sanctuary. We took it from a much older altar, the Druid oak.\u003cbr\u003eSanta Claus is borrowed from ancient Germanic mythology: Thor was an older man, hearty and friendly, stoutly built and with a long white beard. He rode in a chariot and was said to live in the Northland. His element was fire, his color red. The hearth of every home was dedicated to him, and he was said to descend to it through the chimney.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/nordwelt.myshopify.com\/en\/collections\/julfest-weihenaechte-1.oembed","provider":"nordwelt","version":"1.0","type":"link"}