Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Plan Your Yuletide Meals Now!


While no meal rules cross all denominations of Heathenry or even all kindreds or individuals within a given denomination, this describes Distelfink's Yuletide meal practices.

In Urglaawe, "days" begin at sundown on the preceding night. Thus, Yule actually begins at sundown on Friday, December 20 and ends at sundown on Wednesday, January 1.

Friday, December 20: The meal Urglaawer eat at this time consists of goose, which is sacred to the goddess Holle. In Urglaawe, She is among the principle deities, and this meal is religiously important due to Yule's association with Her.  Because Yule is twelve days long, though, this particular meal can be done at anytime throughout the Yuletide. 

Tuesday, December 31: Zwelfdi Nacht, or Twelfth Night, starts at sundown. This is the Berchtaslaaf, or the Progression of Berchta. Berchta has a commanded meal on December 31 that consists of any sort of fish (herring is most typical) and gruel, dumplings, or oatmeal (Grimm's Teutonic Mythology vol. 1 p. 273). One may consume other food in addition to the Berchta's ordered feast, if they give portions of their food up as offerings.

Wednesday, January 1:  New Year's Day is also Zwelfder Daag, or Twelfth Day, and is the Feast of Frey. Pennsylvania German tradition and Urglaawe rule is the consumption of pork and sauerkraut on that day. Both pork and sauerkraut are sacred to the god Frey and represent blessings and bounty in the New Year. 

Macht's immer besser!

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