Christmas? Yule!

We haven't been able to share a lot of the crafty things we've been doing over the past several weeks, as the majority of them are Christmas gifts for friends and family and we wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. Rest assured that we'll be sharing all once the main event is over and done with.

We'll be going quiet over Xmas/Yule as we believe more than anything that it is a time to be with family and truly "Eat, Drink and be Merry". There's a few projects in the pipeline that we can't wait to share with you, so expect us to return stronger than ever in the new year.

For all of our readers we thank you for being along for the ride with us on this Blog, we hope you have a fantastic festive season whatever manner you choose to celebrate it in, we'll leave you with a quick theory on the origin of the holiday, although as Heathens we're completely biased!

Yule / Jul:

Celebration of the Norse New Year; a festival of 12 nights.

This is the most important of all the Norse holidays. On the night of December 20, the god Ingvi Freyr rides over the earth on the back of his shining boar, bringing Light and Love back into the World. In later years, after the influence of Christianity, the god Baldur, then Jesus, was reborn at this festival. Jul signifies the beginning and end of all things; the darkest time (shortest hour of daylight) during the year and the brightest hope re-entering the world. During this festival, the Wild Hunt is at its greatest fervor, and the dead are said to range the Earth in its retinue. The god Wotan (Odin) is the leader of this Wild Ride; charging across the sky on his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir; a very awe-inspiring vision. In ancient times, Germanic and Norse children would leave their boots out by the hearth on Solstice Eve, filled with hay and sugar, for Sleipnir's journey. In return, Wotan would leave them a gift for their kindness. In modern times, Sleipnir was changed to a reindeer and the grey-bearded Wotan became the kindly Santa Claus (Father Christmas).