Yuletide

Yule or Yuletide is a festival that lasts twelve days and culminates on twelfth night called Yule Day. Yule is a public holiday worldwide, that is celebrated religiously by a majority of Ecclesials, but also as a secular cultural by many non-Ecclesics, and forms an integral part of the holiday season.

History

Until the Imperial Age, the winter months were a time of famine in Yggdrasil.
Records from Antiquity shows that there were often famines during the winters of the ancient region that would later become the Ecumene. As such, most of their cattle were slaughtered so that they wouldn’t have to be fed during the winter, making the solstice a time when fresh meat was plentiful. As such most celebrations of the winter solstice involved merriment and feasting. This culminated in the Feast of Yule, which would last for 12 days celebrating the rebirth of the sun.

Like many traditions of the time, it would have been eclipsed by the Ghulat Wars and nearly lost after the fall of world wide civilization. However various traditions were retained and would be later revived by premodern religious orders, mainly the Ecclesiam clergy as a holiday to commemorate the matrimony of the gods, Ila and Elat.

Execution

The celebratory customs associated in various countries with Yuletide have a mix of Hoeinn, Ecclessiam, and secular themes and origins.

Exchanging gifts is a core aspect of modern Yuletide based on the gift giving traditions of Saint Nico. Gifts are typically placed in a decorated box or package wrapped in a ribbon and bow.

Components and tools

The traditional colors of Yuletide are pine green (evergreen), snow white, and heart red. Gold and silver are also very common, as are other metallic colors. Typical winter icons include snowflakes, snowmen, icicles, and even penguins and polar bears.
The Yuletide tree is sometimes explained as a secularization of Heoinn tradition and drudic rituals surrounding the winter solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of tree worship.
Popular Yuletide plants include holly, mistletoe, ivy and evergreen trees. The interior of a home may be decorated with these plants, along with garlands and evergreen foliage. These often come with small ornaments tied to the delicate branches, and sometimes with a small light set.

Observance

Yuletide is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in countries around the world. Originally a holiday of the ancient Heoinn religion, modern Yule is generally a secular tradition in most regions but an Ecclesiam holiday in Ecumene nations such as Arcadia and Abalus.