“In early Medieval times, the Yule feasts … lasted for several days and included dancing, games and sports and other entertainment.
“In some areas the local folk gathered together and held a joint feast … called Jólagleði, Yule Joy.
“These feasts continued until the Reformation….”
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I feel cheated!
Imagine stomping around in Medieval Iceland around this time of
year.
For days you rumba with one big, happy glob of people, laughing and pigging out on fine food and drink, singing and dancing all day and into the night; playing cards, chess, spin the bottle, downhill skiing and other snow games; watching plays, puppet shows, a sword fight or two, acrobatics, jesters juggling jugs or tickling your funny bone in a few dozen other ways.
For days you rumba with one big, happy glob of people, laughing and pigging out on fine food and drink, singing and dancing all day and into the night; playing cards, chess, spin the bottle, downhill skiing and other snow games; watching plays, puppet shows, a sword fight or two, acrobatics, jesters juggling jugs or tickling your funny bone in a few dozen other ways.
And of course all this
is free, and you get off work for two weeks to enjoy it (with pay).
And what did we trade this in for? The War-God holidays: Christmas, Hanukah and
Kwanza.
Christmas could be the worst: weeks of blood,
sweat and tears agonizing over gifts, menus and decorations. And this angst ends in what? At best, a one-day snooze fest with people you share zilch in common with (I can almost hear your Uncle Albert snoring on a couch in front of the Disney Gang).
Well, soldier on, dearies. Hopefully some day we’ll ditch the War-God
holidays and bring back the old joy-filled Yuletide festivals. May your Solstice and Yuletide season
(against all odds) be filled with dancing, laughter, and a kiss or two under the mistletoe.
Hugs and blessings,
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