The element of fire has always paid a large part in pagan ritual so it is not uncommon to find bonfires in pagan history. But the Yule log is a strange tradition goes as far back as Egypt 5000 BC were logs where burnt in death rituals and to honour Horus, their sun god. There is no definitive tradition or history to say when and where it comes from and some even say that the Yule log had no religious significance, and was instead simply a festive decoration with practical uses. In the UK there was no account of any folk tradition using a log as special significance until around the 17th century giving rise to the idea that the Yule log was and import from Europe. Historical it is believed that the Yule log origins lie in Germanic or Norse Paganism (pre Christianity) The Yule log was a whole tree original which was selected for it size and to insure warmth and comfort. In Europe some traditions place the large log in the hearth with the rest of the tree pointing in to the room. Over the years the Yule log has been reduced in size from a tree to an average size log. The Yule log morphed into a Christian tradition and became associated with the 12 days of Christmas. The tradition of the Yule log virtually died out during the 20th century but was replaced with the Būche de Noėl a chocolate covered Swiss roll decorated to look like a log. Yule Log Traditions.
