Bringing in the Yule Log--And a Simple Recipe

by Linore Rose Burkard

In olde England, a huge part of the excitement of Christmas was bringing in the Yule Log. It was a tradition mixed with superstition (as many traditions are), and was anticipated by keeping a small figment of last year's log safely stowed away to be used when lighting the current year's log. We're not talking about small logs such as what you might use in your own fireplace today, but a special HUGE log--(see illustration, above) which went in the main fireplace, usually in the kitchen. Think partial tree trunk, here.

 If you visit an old colonial kitchen such as in a restored village or re-enactment site, some of them have the sort of fireplace that was needed to house such a log, as in the illustration above. They were the kind of fireplace you could practically walk into, and served as the main heating source of the home as well as the area for cooking. A medieval kitchen fireplace illustrates the point even better. (See below.)

 Each year's tree or log was carefully picked out ahead of time so that on Christmas Eve--and only on Christmas Eve, absolutely no sooner--it would already have been cut and dry enough to light well.

The log was traditionally supposed to last not only throughout Christmas Eve to usher in the holiday, but all through Christmas Day, too. It was used to heat up festive drinks such as nog and wassail; and it was used for cooking Christmas dinner. If the log lasted, all was fine and dandy; if not, it was considered bad luck! And a charred piece of it was also to be kept as the fire-starter for the following year's Christmas fire.

I can only imagine the powerful scents emanating from such a fireplace, especially when the woman of the house had a huge kettle of wassail simmering over it. In lieu of a bubbling kettle over a fireplace, I offer the following simple recipe for you to use to fill your home with the "scent of Christmas"--without the log, fire and ashes. 

SCENT OF CHRISTMAS

3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons of ground cloves
1 tablespoon of anise seed
1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1 quart of water.

Mix together. Add water. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally, then simmer on low. A small crockpot kept on low is ideal for this.
Enjoy the scent of Christmas in your home!

( Did you know that memories are triggered by olfactory stimulants--smells--more than visual ones? In other words, looking through a photo album can bring back memories, but studies show that getting a fresh whiff of a scent from the past brings it back more strongly than visual reminders. For some reason, the olfactory nerves are wired that way--they lead right to the memory center of the brain. Make this recipe to scent up the house and create instant memories for family and friends. Making up a container of the dry mix also makes a simple but thoughtful gift. Package in a small mason jar or other pretty container with a bow and ribbon and include the simple directions. Voila!)  

I wish you all a wonderful and warm Christmas, with a house full of wonderful sights and scents! 

For Regency fans, here are a few illustrations of December fashions that a regency miss might wear:

  Linore Rose Burkard is best known for historical regency novels with Harvest House Publishers, including Before the Season Ends, the award-winning The House in Grosvenor Square, and The Country House Courtship. As a writer known for meticulous research as well as bringing people marvelously to life on the page, Linore's books earn her devoted fans who report reading her novels over and over. Linore is a homeschooling mom who enjoys cooking from scratch, family movie nights, gardening and decorating. Along with writing, her literary pursuits include teaching workshops with Greater Harvest Workshops (for Writers).   

Regency Christmas: Then Vs. Now (& FREE DOWNLOAD)

 

I could not settle upon the best way to  highlight a Regency era Christmastide because, well, there is so much that CAN be said about it, that I've actually written an entire book on the subject (see below). 

 I had read enough novels set in the regency to know that a lot of writers were getting things very, very wrong. In some cases, it wasn't so much the writer as the publisher, as, for instance, they would put a big Christmas tree on the front cover of a regency. (No, no, no! Queen Charlotte liked a big tree at the palace, but they were truly rare in England until Queen Victoria and Prince Albert popularized them, well after the Regency.)

Errors like that drive me to distraction. Hence, I researched like a hound-dog to
get the facts. Now, I am not above making my fair share of mistakes, believe me, but something like that strikes me as a glaring error and had to be redressed. 

So..what other major differences were there between then and now? Actually, quite a few; but they can be summed up in one word:
commercialism.

 There was little to none during the Regency. To understand why, you'd have to read my book, because it  certainly wasn't due to a lack of merchants who would have been delighted to make a profit from the holiday.  

But to highlight some of the differences between a regency Christmas and that of today, I'll borrow my friend Deb Hockenberry's words, who wrote this (about the book, but it's a great summary of the differences!)

Ebook available (as PDF) only by email. See below for how to order.

"Did you know that Christmas in the 1800's was different from what we know?

Christmas then was a kinder, gentler time.  There are some traditions that are different but there are also some that are the same.  For instance, did you know that people then didn't decorate for Christmas until Christmas Day?  They used real mistletoe, holly, branches and other things gathered from the forest.  Some things never change like kissing under the mistletoe and Christmas caroling.

People did give presents then but they didn't receive as many.  They weren't so materialistic as we are now.  Then, the focus of Christmas was on church, family and friends...  While I was reading, I could have sworn I heard the sound of sleigh bells!  Also included in the book are recipes for Christmas cookies, poems, a pumpkin pie recipe and loads more things from that era.."

Thanks, Deb! But I have to clarify that Christmas was only kinder and gentler in the sense that it wasn't a commercial heyday, and didn't tax anyone's pocket too greatly. 

Cookies were called biscuits during the Regency, and pumpkin pie would not necessarily have found its way to a Regency Christmas table. Christmas Eve was an acceptable time for decorating, although the Yule Log would be brought in only on Christmas Day, and for country folk. Mistletoe was observed as a kissing bough among the servant class only (for the most part), and caroling, in the sense we know it, was not common. People might sing on street corners hoping to gain a few pence from passersby, but only if there were no "Waits"--organized groups who did the caroling--. If there were, it fell to their domain, and it was a guarded one, since they too expected to be rewarded for their efforts. 

So here's the takeaway for you: Large Christmas trees were popular in Germany and Germanic countries long, long before they were popularized in England. Queen Charlotte, not Prince Albert, first introduced the tall tree in England. But Prince Albert's tree was shown in the paper, and at a time when a growing middle class could afford to buy trees and presents to put under it. So the custom then took off.  

Prior to that time, many homes didn't have trees at all. They might have an abundance of holly and ivy and mistletoe and other greenery, but if they had a Christmas tree, it was usually a table-top specimen. Like the size of the tree, gifts were also smaller.   

Even Prince Albert's Victorian tree was still set atop a table. 

Personally, I'm grateful for the Christmas tree tradition. I don't confuse it with the true meaning of the holiday, I don't need it to rejoice in the birth of my Saviour, but I love the ambience and lights and the way it adds sparkling beauty to a room! What about you? Do you love decorating your tree each year? What is most special to you about it?   

Before you go, take advantage of my free download: Regency House Christmas Recipes. Normally, this is only available as part of the Regency House Christmas Package, but which I'm giving to you for free. If you've ever wanted to recreate a regency-era dinner for Christmas or thereabouts, this PDF will be your guide. But it's not just recipes. It also includes fun facts, illustrations and other things to make it a must-see for the history buff! http://www.LinoreBurkard.com/RegencyHouseChristmasRecipes.pdf Enjoy!

  

Wishing you a Merry and Blessed Christmas!  

Regency House Christmas: The Definitive Guide to a Remarkably Regency Yuletide is available as a PDF only. Order by email at Linore(at)  LinoreBurkard(dot)com. Christmas Special: $3.99 To see the table of contents, click HERE.(This is the contents of the main book only, NOT the full package.) 

Linore Rose Burkard  is best known for her Inspirational Regency Romance Series, which whisks readers back in time to early 19th century England. Authenticity and heart-warming adventure are par for the course in her books. Fans of romance in the tradition of Austen and Heyer (such as Pride & Prejudice, Cotillion, and even My Fair Lady), enjoy meeting Linore's feisty heroines and dashing heroes.