# WTF is a Yule Log? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2006, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050 "2006-12-06T09:50:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/1 "2006-12-06T09:50:05Z")
I can remember reading about “yule logs” being burned at Xmas time, but it never occured to me until just now that I’ve never seen it described what one is, and why it’s a tradition. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/2 "2006-12-06T09:52:07Z")
See [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule_log) for a more in depth answer. [QUOTE=Wikipedia] A Yule log is a large log which is burned in the hearth as a part of traditional Yule or Christmas celebrations in some cultures. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/3 "2006-12-06T09:57:32Z")
The log is also recreated as a log-like chocolate cake in the UK these days. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/4 "2006-12-06T10:31:09Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] The log is also recreated as a log-like chocolate cake in the UK these days. [/QUOTE] Mmmmm! Chocolate log, the best cake ever! Way back in the 70’s/80’s the chocolate log was the height of sophistication. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/5 "2006-12-06T11:23:52Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] The log is also recreated as a log-like chocolate cake in the UK these days. [/QUOTE] Derived from the French [Bûche de Noël](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%BBche_de_No%C3%ABl), if I’m not mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/6 "2006-12-06T12:08:33Z")
Nice Christmastime language. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/7 "2006-12-06T13:09:15Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] Nice Christmastime language. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] Right – there’s a French comedy movie called [La Bûche](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211286/) about a moderately dysfunctional family at Christmastime. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/8 "2006-12-06T13:42:42Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] I can remember reading about “yule logs” being burned at Xmas time, but it never occured to me until just now that I’ve never seen it described what one is, and why it’s a tradition. [/QUOTE] **WAG** You cut a length of the largest tree trunk you can find to just fit in your fireplace. Next carve “Y U L E” on one side with a chain saw or as many times as you like. Put it in your fireplace with the “Y U L E” facing the room with “Y U L E” tilted up at a 45 deg. angle. 😉 Reason? Don’t need a reason other than: “It’s always been done this way.” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/9 "2006-12-06T13:45:26Z")
And you can now have one [on your iPod!](http://cw11.trb.com/entertainment/wpix-yulelog-download,0,737367.htmlstory?coll=wpix-home-4) The Yule Log has been a tradition in New York City since the mid-60s. WPIX would broadcast a loop of film of a burning log, with appropriate Christmas music. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/10 "2006-12-06T13:51:03Z")
Alternatively, “These are the voyages of the good ship _Santa’s Sleigh_, Yule date 12/25…” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/11 "2006-12-06T13:57:20Z")
I could tell you but Yule be sorry you asked. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/12 "2006-12-06T13:59:57Z")
When you find the right message board, Yule register, **Yule log** on, Yule ask the question, and Yule find out the answer. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/13 "2006-12-06T14:33:27Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] Nice Christmastime language. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/14 "2006-12-06T15:41:38Z")
Around my house, the Yule log is the first dump I take after Christmas dinner. Smells like pumpkins! ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/15 "2006-12-06T15:51:14Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] Around my house, the Yule log is the first dump I take after Christmas dinner. Smells like pumpkins! [/QUOTE] Aww, you beat me to the punch. We use it the same way. As in “Please excuse me, I have to go deliver my annual yule log.” ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/16 "2006-12-06T16:04:13Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] Huh? [/QUOTE] I’m assuming offence was taken to the OP’s “WTF”. I’d always heard that to American slaves, the yule log was used to determine the length of their break from the rigorous chores of plantation life. Here’s a fairly representative description… _“In the early nineteenth century, American slaves didn’t have to work as long as the Yule log burned, so they would choose the biggest, greenest log they could find. If they did have to work while it burned their master had to pay them for the work.”_ **About:Afro-American History** has a similar description. ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/17 "2006-12-06T17:56:57Z")
We had a Yule log growing up - we simply saved the largest log in the woodpile that would fit in the fireplace until Christmas Eve. The Yule log is placed in the fireplace and ignited alone (I.E. no other logs to help it along). The tradition I grew up with went that if the log was still burning when everyone got up the next morning, the home would be lucky or blessed the next year. I also heard it is actually supposed to be a New Years Eve tradition, but we always did it on Christmas anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/18 "2006-12-06T23:53:15Z")
My college had a Yule Log ceremony. It was fun… They’d give out pine branches, and everyone would touch their pine branch to the log while thinking about any/all crappy shit that happened in the year. Then the branches would be burned in the fire with the log, and your bad deeds/regrets/etc would be burned away. Symbolically starting the year fresh, I guess (of course, this ceremony was right before finals). ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/19 "2006-12-07T01:17:00Z")
[QUOTE=Reloy3] We had a Yule log growing up - we simply saved the largest log in the woodpile that would fit in the fireplace until Christmas Eve. The Yule log is placed in the fireplace and ignited alone (I.E. no other logs to help it along). The tradition I grew up with went that if the log was still burning when everyone got up the next morning, the home would be lucky or blessed the next year. I also heard it is actually supposed to be a New Years Eve tradition, but we always did it on Christmas anyway. [/QUOTE] You’re supposed to keep a piece of the previous year’s yule log to light the following year’s with. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050/20 "2006-12-07T03:20:27Z")
It originated in ancient rites of the midwinter solstice, during the darkest part of the year the log formed a surrogate sun to encourage the sun to return after winter. Maybe sympathetic magic to make the sun come back. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-is-a-yule-log/383050.md?page=2)