The burning of the Yule log is a holiday festivity that some folks decide to partake as a symbol of hope during the darkest months of the year and beginning of a new calendar. This year, I decided to bake mine! Many folks are familiar with the tradition of the Yule log once upon a time being a whole tree that was often fruit-bearing and ceremoniously chosen. It would be placed into the hearth by the trunk first, allowing the entire log to feed the fire for the Twelve Days of Christmas. In Cornwall, folks referred to the Yule log as the Mock, which was a log they’d dry out and remove the bark prior to being burned inside the home. There is also the tradition of “Chalking the Mock” that is still performed today. The Mock, marked by a figure who represented death of the old year or of Father Time, is then burned during the bonfire. In other communities within England such as Devon, they would use large Ash twigs due to it’s corresponding relationship with the birth of Jesus as it was the branches used to keep Joseph and Mary warm during the night gifted by the shepherds. It is always fascinating to learn about such seasonal traditions, and how they’ve continued to live on throughout time. #wintersolstice #yuletide #yuletideseason #folkwitch #folkmagic #yule