In this article, we explore five of the most important Yule traditions from the Viking Age, directly based on real historical sources. You’ll learn about the origins of Yule from ancient Germanic languages, the sacred three-day celebrations, the oath-swearing on the Yule boar (Sónargǫltr), the supernatural events believed to happen during Yule, and the importance of gift-giving and feasting. By uncovering the truth behind these ancient Yule traditions, we honor the rich heritage that continues to inspire modern celebrations today. At Norse Imports, we are proud to be the leading source for historically accurate Norse education and authentic Viking products. Our expertise is built on years of research into the oldest Norse sagas, archaeological evidence, and scholarly sources. With a commitment to authenticity and quality, we provide you with trusted information you can rely on.

 

The Oldest Original Yule Traditions

Linguistic Evidence of Yule Traditions

To really understand Yule traditions, we first have to look at where the word "Yule" comes from. It turns out, Yule isn't just a Viking thing, it’s part of a much bigger story shared by many ancient Germanic peoples.

The word "Yule" comes from Old English. As far back as the 7th century, people in England were already celebrating Yule, calling it ġēol or ġēola. They even had special names for the months around it: December was ǣrra ġēola ("before Yule") and January was æftera ġēola ("after Yule").

But it gets even older than that. The Gothic people, a Germanic tribe that settled the East and south of Europe, also used the word "jiuleis" for Yule way back in the 5th and 6th centuries! They celebrated a time called "first Yule," showing that a midwinter festival was important even 1,500 years ago.

All of these words probably come from an even older root: a Proto-Germanic word jehwlą, which meant something like "festival" or "celebration." That takes us back more than 2,000 years, meaning that Yule traditions could be much older than the Viking Age itself!

So while the Vikings and Norse sagas give us the best stories about Yule, they weren't the only ones who celebrated it. Yule traditions were part of a shared Germanic culture, passed down through generations long before the Viking Age.

Now, let’s dive into the ancient Norse sources that tell us what Yule was really like!

 

Medieval Sources on Yule Traditions

One of the first times Yule traditions were written about comes from an English historian named Bede in the 8th century. In his book, The Reckoning of Time, Bede explained how the Anglo-Saxons(early English people) organized their calendar.

Se mōnaþ is nemned on Leden Decembris, and on ūre geþeōde se ǣrra geōla, forðan ða mōnþas twegen syndon nemde ānum naman, ōðer se ǣrra geōla, óðer se æftera.
The month is called in Latin December, and in our language geōla for two months enjoy the same name; the first one Se Ǣrra Geola [The Preceding Yule] and the other Se Æftera [The Following].
-Bede, De temporum ratione, 725ce

He talked about the months called geola or giuli, which matched up with our modern months of December and January. According to Bede, midwinter was a really important part of the year, even before Christianity came to England. People celebrated the changing of the seasons with special festivals, and Yule was right at the center of it.

Bede’s account shows us that Yule traditions were not just a Viking thing. The Anglo-Saxons, who were closely related to the Norse, celebrated Yule too. His writing connects the Norse and Anglo-Saxon worlds and proves that Yule was a huge cultural event across all the Germanic peoples.

 

The Gothic Calendar: Yule Traditions from the 5th Century

Even before Bede wrote about Yule, the Goths had already recorded their own Yule traditions. In the Codex Ambrosianus A, a Gothic calendar from the 5th century, there is a month called fruma jiuleis, which means "first Yule."

This old calendar proves that Yule was important to the Goths, long before the Vikings or Anglo-Saxons wrote about it. The fact that Yule shows up so early in history tells us that it was already a well-known and celebrated time across many Germanic peoples.

Norse Sources on Yule Traditions

In the Viking Age, the Norse word for Yule was jól, which sounds very close to the words still used today in Scandinavia, jul in Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian, and jól in Icelandic and Faroese.

The word jól shows up often in old Norse writings, and it wasn’t just about a holiday. It was deeply tied to the gods and the magic of midwinter. In the Prose Edda, in a chapter called Skáldskaparmál (chapter 55), the gods themselves are even called the "Yule-beings" (jólnar). A Viking poet, Eyvindr skáldaspillir, used this term in one of his verses, showing how powerful and sacred Yule was to the people of that time.

"again we have produced Yule-being's feast [mead of poetry], our rulers' eulogy, like a bridge of masonry."

One of the most powerful signs of Yule’s importance comes from Odin. Among his many names, one was Jólnir, which is directly tied to jól (Yule). In a 12th-century Norse history called Ágrip af Nóregskonungasögum, it’s explained that the word jól even comes from Odin’s name, linking the celebration tightly to Norse mythology and its divine figures.

From here, we’ll keep using the English word Yule to make things simple, but it’s important to remember that it comes from these ancient Norse and Germanic roots. Every time we talk about Yule today, we are touching a tradition that goes back thousands of years to the heart of Viking spirituality and culture.

The Origins of Yule: Understanding the Days of Yule

One of the oldest stories about Yule traditions comes from the Ynglinga Saga, a very old Norse saga. It tells us that when Odin came to Scandinavia from a mythical place called Asaland, he set the rules for the big festivals and sacrifices throughout the year. While the saga doesn’t use the exact word "Yule," it does mention "midwinter," which other sources confirm was the time of Yule.

"Odin established the same law in his land that had been in force in Asaland. {....}. On winter day there should be blood-sacrifice for a good year, and in the middle of winter for a good crop; and the third sacrifice should be on summer day, for victory in battle."

-Ynglinga Saga, ch.8

At midwinter, a sacrifice was made for a good harvest. This shows that Yule was not just a time for parties — it was also deeply tied to honoring Freyr, the Norse god of fertility and crops. Blessing the land was a big part of the season.

The Ynglinga Saga also gives us a glimpse into the kinds of things people did during Yule. It tells a story about two young princes, around six years old, who played a battle game during the midwinter celebrations. This shows that children were part of the fun too, and that games were an important part of Yule traditions, helping to build important skills for the future.

The story then takes a wild turn: when one boy lost the game and was made fun of, he was fed a wolf’s heart. After that, he became stronger and fiercer than anyone else. This might point to very old traditions where young warriors, like the famous berserkers, took part in rituals during Yule to gain strength and courage.

"There also were held the mid-winter sacrifices, at which many kings attended. One year at midwinter there was a great assembly of people at Upsal, and King Yngvar had also come there with his sons. Alf, King Yngvar's son, and Ingjald, King Onund's son, were there -- both about six years old. They amused themselves with child's play, in which each should be leading on his army. In their play Ingjald found himself not so strong as Alf, and was so vexed that he almost cried. His foster-brother Gautvid came up, led him to his foster-father Svipdag the Blind, and told him how ill it appeared that he was weaker and less manly than Alf, King Yngvar's son. Svipdag replied that it was a great shame. The day after Svipdag took the heart of a wolf, roasted it on the tongs, and gave it to the king's son Ingjald to eat, and from that time he became a most ferocious person, and of
the worst disposition."
-Ynglinga Saga ch.38

Along with feasting and games, these stories show that Yule was much more than a simple holiday. It was a time full of meaning — bringing together family, building community, honoring the gods, and celebrating life itself during the coldest time of year.

Yule Traditions for 3 days

Another important story about Yule traditions comes from Haakon’s Saga, and it shows us just how special this time of year was. In the old days, Yule wasn't just one day — it lasted for three days of feasting, ceremonies, and celebration.

In this story, a Jarl’s son was born on the first day of Yule. Right after his birth, he went through a ceremony called "vatni ausinn," which was a kind of pagan baptism. It was probably very similar to the Christian baptism we know today. During this ritual, he was given his name, and that baby would later grow up to be Jarl Haakon, one of the most famous and powerful leaders in Viking history.

"King Hakon kept Yule at Throndhjem, and Earl Sigurd had made a feast for him at Hlader. The night of the first day of Yule the earl's wife, Bergljot, was brought to bed of a boy-child, which afterwards King Hakon poured water over, and gave him his own name. The boy grew up, and became in his day a mighty and able man, and was earl after his father, who was King Hakon's dearest friend."
-Saga of Hákon góði ch.12

This story shows how important births and new life were during Yule traditions. People believed that babies born during Yule were special and blessed. Since Yule happens after the Winter Solstice, it also connects to the idea of new beginnings , the return of the sun, longer days, and new life. If a baby was born during Yule, it often meant they were conceived during the spring, around the time of Austr, the ancient festival that later became Easter. This tied together the ideas of fertility, rebirth, and the turning of the seasons.

Oaths, Toasts, and Boasts: Sacred Yule Traditions

One of the most exciting parts of old Yule traditions comes from Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks, a famous Viking story. This saga tells us about an important Yule celebration where people made oaths and proud boasts, a custom known as heitstrenging.

During these gatherings, everyone would drink, make toasts, and swear big promises for the future. Some people would also boast about their own great deeds or the heroic actions of their ancestors. This wasn’t just bragging, it was a sacred tradition meant to honor the gods, the community, and your family name.

"It was Yule Eve, the time for men to make solemn vows at the ceremony of the bragarfull, or chief’s cup, as is the custom. Then Arngrim’s sons made vows. Hjorvard took this oath, that he would have the daughter of Ingjald king of the Swedes, the girl who was famed through all lands for beauty and skill, or else he would have no other woman."
-Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks ch. 3

 

The Sónargǫltr: The Sacred Yule Boar and Its Role in Yule Traditions

One of the most fascinating and powerful Yule traditions from the Viking Age is the story of the sónargǫltr(the sacred Yule boar.) Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks tells us that before this special boar was sacrificed during Yule, every man would place his hand on its head and bristles and swear a sacred oath.

"King Heidrek settles down now and becomes a great chieftain and a wise sage. King Heidrek had a great boar reared. It was as big as the biggest of the full grown bulls and so fair that every hair on it seemed to be of gold. The king lays his hand on the head of the boar and his other hand on its bristles and swears this: that there is no one, however much wrong they may have done him, who won’t get a fair trial from his twelve wise men, and those twelve must look after the boar. Or else the accused must come up with riddles which the king could not guess. And King Heidrek now gets to be very popular."
-Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks ch. 10

This ancient custom may even be the origin of the Christmas ham that many people still eat today. In modern Scandinavia, a marzipan "Yule Pig" called the Julegrisen is a fun and beloved part of the holiday season. And even in England, the tradition of serving a boar’s head at Christmas feasts — like at The Queen's College, Oxford — could be a survival of this ancient Viking ritual.

(Julegrisen)

Another old Norse story, Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar from the Poetic Edda, describes a very similar ritual. During Yule, people would place their hands on a sacrificial boar and swear important oaths. This ancient poem is thought to come from the 5th century,long before the Viking sagas were written down. It shows that these sacred Yule traditions were real and deeply rooted, not just myths made up later by Christian scribes.

"Um kveldit [jólaaftan] óru heitstrengingar. Var fram leiddr sónargöltr. Lögðu menn þar á hendr sínar ok strengðu menn þá heit at bragarfulli.
That evening [of Yule Eve] the great vows were taken; the sacred boar was brought in, the men laid their hands thereon, and took their vows at the king's toast."
-Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar

Some people today think Viking stories can't be trusted because they were recorded after Christianity spread. But when we look at both the old poetry and the archaeological evidence, it's clear that these ancient Yule rituals were very real. 

Gift Giving and Merry Making During Yule

Gift giving was definitely a part of Viking Yule traditions, just like it is today during Christmas. One of the best examples comes from Egil’s Saga (Egils saga Skallagrímssonar), where we hear about a big Yule feast hosted by a man named Arinbjörn. He was a generous host who gave amazing gifts to Egil and all the other guests at the celebration.

"In the winter Egil went southwards to Sogn to collect his land-rents, staying there some time. After that he came north again to the Firths. Arinbjorn held a great Yule-feast, to which he bade his friends and the neighbouring landowners. There was there much company and good cheer. Arinbjorn gave Egil as a Yule-gift a trailing robe made of silk, and richly broidered with gold, studded with gold buttons in front all down to the hem. Arinbjorn had had the robe made to fit Egil's stature. Arinbjorn gave also to Egil at Yule a complete suit newly made; it was cut of English cloth of many colours. Friendly gifts of many kinds gave Arinbjorn at Yule to those who were his guests, for Arinbjorn was beyond all men open-handed and noble."
-Egils saga Skallagrímssonar ch.70

Egil was so grateful that he even composed a thank-you poem for Arinbjörn, showing how important gift giving and gratitude were during Yule.

"Then Egil composed a stave:
'Warrior gave to poet
Silken robe gold-glistering:
Never shall I find me
Friend of better faith.
Arinbjorn untiring
Earneth well his honours:
For his like the ages
Long may look in vain.'
-Egils saga Skallagrímssonar ch.70"

Another example in the Olav's saga Helga accounts plenty of gift giving at Yule. 

“In the winter Eyvind was at the Yule feast with King Olav and there he got gifts from him. Brynjulv Ulvaldi was also there with him, and he got as a Yule gift from the king a gold-dight sword and thereto the garth called Vettaland, which is a great manor farm.”
-Óláfs saga helga ch. 62

There’s no doubt that these Viking Yule traditions helped inspire our modern custom of exchanging gifts during the Christmas season. Just like today, giving gifts during Yule was about showing kindness, loyalty, and celebrating together with family and friends.

Supernatural Events During Yule: A Time When the Veil Is Thin

Yule wasn't just about feasting, games, and gift giving — it was also seen as a very mystical and supernatural time. In Grettir’s Saga (Grettis saga Ásmundarsonar), we hear a story that shows how Yule was believed to be a season when the spirit world came closer to ours.

The story tells of a man named Glámr, who was hired by a Christian farmer to watch over his sheep during Yule. Glámr, who was probably still a pagan, refused to follow Christian traditions like fasting during the Yule season. On Yule night, Glámr disappeared under strange and violent circumstances. His body was found the next morningbut that wasn’t the end of it. After being buried, Glámr’s ghost rose again as a draugr, a kind of undead creature, and terrorized the countryside.

Later, the hero Grettir arrived and fought Glámr in a fierce battle. In the end, Grettir managed to defeat the draugr by chopping off his head, putting an end to the haunting. This dramatic tale shows how Yule traditions included a belief that the barrier between our world and the spirit world was especially thin.

Even long after the Viking Age, this belief survived in Scandinavian traditions. One example is Årsgång, or "The Year Walk," where people would go out alone into the dark winter night around Christmas or New Year’s to seek visions of the future.

No Violence for Three Days: Peace Agreements During Yule

In Viking times, Yule was more than just a season of feasting and celebration — it was also meant to be a time of peace. According to the Orkneyinga Saga (The History of the Earls of Orkney), which mentions Yule nearly 50 times, the three days of Yule were considered sacred. It was strongly expected that no fighting should happen during this time.

Quotes from various points in the saga:

-At Yuletide King Harald came to Biörgvin, and lay in Flóruvagár till after Yule. Then they attacked the town, and met with little resistance.

-They did as Erling advised, and when they had finished their work Yule was close at hand. The Bishop would not 138permit the inhabitants of the castle to be attacked during the Yule-tide.

-The tenth day of Yule-tide was a fine day, and Earl Rögnvald arose and commanded his men to arm themselves, and summoned them with trumpets to the attack of the castle. They dragged the wood close to it, and heaped up large piles round the walls. Then the Earl gave orders where each should make the attack.

-A conference took place between the Earls at Kirkiuvag (Kirkwall), and at that conference they confirmed their peace with oaths. It was two nights before Yule when they made peace, and the terms were, that they should each have one-half of the Islands, and both should defend them against Earl Harald or any other if he claimed them.

-Swein went to Thingavöll,[427] to his father’s brother Helgi; and there they spent the first days of Yule in hiding. Earl Rögnvald went to Daminsey, but Earl Harald was at Kirkiuvag during Yule-tide. Earl Rögnvald sent men to Thingavöll, to Helgi, and asked him to tell his kinsman Swein, if he knew anything of his whereabouts, that Earl Rögnvald invited him to spend the Yule with him, and he would try to make peace between him and Earl Harald. When Swein received this message, he went to Earl Rögnvald, and remained with him during the rest of the Yule-tide, and was well treated.

-After Yule-tide the King sent word to all the chiefs in his kingdom, and collected a large army throughout the country, and with all these troops he went down to Caithness against Earl Harald.

-Orkneyinga Saga

In Halfdan the Black’s Saga, King Halfdan refrained from killing a Finnish wizard who stole food from a Yule feast. The wizard used magic to have Halfdan fall through the ice, paving the way for Harald Fairhair to become king.

"King Halfdan was at a Yule-feast in Hadeland, where a wonderful thing happened one Yule evening. When the great number of guests assembled were going to sit down to table, all the meat and all the ale disappeared from the table. The king sat alone very confused in mind; all the others set off, each to his home, in consternation. That the king might come to some certainty about what had occasioned this event, he ordered a Fin to be seized who was particularly knowing, and tried to force him to disclose the truth; but however much he tortured the man, he got nothing out of him. The Fin sought help particularly from Harald, the king's son, and Harald begged for mercy for him, but in vain. Then Harald let him escape."

-Halfdan the Black's saga

The Saga of Magnus the Blind highlights Yule as a time for rest, reflection, and community harmony, with no work allowed during the three days.

“On the eve of Yule (jólaaftan) King Harald came to Björgyn and brought his ships into Floruvagar. He would not fight during Yule because of its holiness. But King Magnus got ready for him in the town. He had a sling raised out on Holm and he had chains made of iron and partly of tree stocks; he had these laid across the Vag from the king’s residence. He had foot-traps forged and cast over Jonsvolds, and Yule was kept holy for only three days, when no work was done.”

-Saga of Magnús blindi

Drinking at Yule: Rituals and Feasting During the Yuletide Winter Solstice

One final and very important part of Yule traditions was drinking. In fact, drinking mead, ale, or beer was such a big part of the Viking Yule celebration that you can find references to it in almost every Norse saga. It was completely normal for people to drink a lot during Yule.

There are dozens, maybe even hundreds, of examples in the sagas that show Vikings drinking heavily during the Yuletide season. Anytime you read a Viking story and come across a big feast in midwinter, chances are it took place during Yule, and drinking was definitely involved.

But alcohol was not just for partying. It actually had a sacred meaning too. Mead and ale were important in Norse mythology and religious rituals. Drinking during Yule was part of showing respect to the gods, making toasts during ceremonies, and even connecting with your ancestors.

So yes, Yule was always a time for drinking, feasting, and celebrating the winter solstice. If drinking isn’t your thing, that’s perfectly okay, but it’s good to know that historically, alcohol was deeply tied to the old Norse ways during this special season.

Yule Conclusion: Exploring the Roots of Christmas and Yule Traditions 

There are parallels between Norse and Germanic Yule traditions and modern Christmas celebrations, influencing holiday festivities today. Some elements like Christmas tree, wreaths, Santa, and reindeer are not mentioned in Norse sources.

Delve into the symbolism of Norse myths, folk traditions with probable pagan origins, and solstice practices from neighboring cultures to understand deep-rooted connections with modern celebrations.