It’s that time of year again, folks — time to put up the Christmas tree, deck the halls with boughs of holly, and maybe even troll the ancient Yuletide carols.
What’s that? You say you’ve never trolled anything in your life, let alone a Yuletide carol because you don’t even know what that is?
The Yuletide Season
Though nowadays it’s associated with Christmas, the Yule festival actually began with the ancient Norse as sometime between the 800 A.D. to 1200 A.D. centuries. Back then, the Norse believed that the sun was a wheel — or hweol (pronounced “Yule”) in Norse — and they believed it rolled away from Earth and back again. Since winter solstice was the day that the sun started rolling back towards Earth again, that was when they held their Yule festival, which usually lasted for 12 days.
Later, the Christians came along and converted the Norse to Christianity, which led to the pagan Yuletide festival being converted into the 12 days of Christmas. (Yes, the whole lords-a-leapin’, five golden rings, and partridge-in-a-pear-tree thing. So, now you know).
The Blazing Yule Before Us
The burning of the Yule log got its start in medieval Norway as part of the winter solstice festival known as Yule. Originally, a whole tree was brought into the house with the big end of the trunk placed first into the fireplace. As it burnt away, the tree would be pushed further into the fire place until, finally on Twelfth Night (the last night of Yule), the last of the tree was fed to the fireplace, thus ending the Yuletide season.
Of course, most of us don’t have a fireplace that big or room enough to bring a tree that is supposed to last for 12 days inside our houses and apartments. Instead, to symbolize the guiding lights that led to the Christ child all those years ago, we forgo the Yule log for candles and fancy flashing lights on our Christmas trees — a byproduct of the Yule log tradition.
That’s not to say, however, that the burning of the Yule log isn’t still a Christmas tradition for some, while others pay homage to the it by way of log-shaped Christmas desserts. Which brings us to another famous log …
The Stuckey’s Pecan Log Roll
Stuckey’s wasn’t the first to create a sweet treat in the shape of a log — Yule or otherwise. However, it was Ethel Stuckey, wife of Stuckey’s founder W.S. Stuckey (and grandmother of current Stuckey’s CEO Stephanie Stuckey), who perfected a certain pecan log and made it world famous.
She started by mixing together a light, fluffy nougat center with maraschino cherries (her “secret ingredient”) then dipped it in freshly-made, buttery caramel. Next, she topped it off by hand-rolling the confection in chopped Georgia pecan pieces. And the rest, as they say, is history.
So whether you’re planning a holiday road trip to visit family and friends or staying at home and watching the Yule log burn, be sure to have plenty of Stuckey’s world-famous Pecan Log Rolls on hand to help you celebrate the season. They make great stocking stuffers, too!
Visit stuckeysgifts.com … but hurry! Order by December 14 to have them delivered on time.
Stuckey’s – We’re Making Road Trips (and the Holidays) Fun Again!
Whether your next road trip is by car or by rail, it’s not really a road trip without taking Stuckey’s along. From our world famous Stuckey’s Pecan Log Rolls to our mouthwatering Hunkey Dorey, Stuckey’s has all the road trips snacks you’ll need to get you where you’re going.
For all of the pecany good treats and cool merch you’ll need for your next big road adventure, browse our online store now!
Stuckey’s – We’re Making Road Trips Fun Again!