Yule Be Glad

Welcome to Yuletide!

From The Anglo-Saxon Year, a historical look at the naming of months by the Anglo-Saxons. Their words are our words now:

The months corresponding to December and January were both known as Giuli, 'Yules'. Bede implies that Geola, Yule, was the name for the winter solstice when he states that these months 'derive their name from the day when the Sun turns back to increase, because one precedes and the other follows'. But judging by the names of the months it's equally possible that Geola was the name for the whole midwinter season. December was Ærra Geola, which can be interpreted as either 'first Yule' or 'preceding Yule', and January was Æfterra Geola, 'following Yule'.

Yuletide begins with a shiver but ends with tidings of great joy.