How do the Asatru people celebrate Christmas Eve?

What do the Asatru do to celebrate Christmas Eve, if anything at all?
My partner is Asatru and I just wanted to do something if warranted since she doesn't belong to a kindred and there are really no other Asatruar's around that we know of...
Oh... and as far as I know Yule is a 12 day celebration starting on solstice... I just didn't know if there was something special done tonight ... probably not though...

Since Yule is one of their holidays (Dec. 21 this year) it is doubtful they celebrate Christmas eve but they may well join the celebrations of friends or family.

The Asatru are Pagans. They celebrate the Solstice/Yule on the 21st. Unless they have Christian relatives, I doubt they celebrate Christmas Eve or Christmas in any particular way. It is already winter. They may give gifts to Christian relatives, or attend a family dinner or such, but their celebrations are normally around the 20-21st of the month. Not the 25Th.

answer: the main nights of observances are on the Solstice and on the last night heading into New Year's Day - one traditionally stays up all night and greets the sun/Sunna on that day. Many make a wreath on the first night of Yule and then burn it on New Year's morning (rubbing alcohol or high content alcohol will help it burn).

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are just another night in the 12 days and nights of Yule.

Yule (?rre-Giuli, Hrutmanudhr , J?l, Jul, Yuletide, December) 25Th
Fifth night of Yule, Sacred to Community

Within the gates ere a man shall go, Full long let him look about him; For little he knows where a foe may lurk, And sit in the seats within.
Hail to the giver! a guest has come; Where shall the stranger sit.
Swift shall he be who with swords shall try The proof of his might to make.
Fire he needs who with frozen knees Has come from the cold without; Food and clothes must the fairer have, The man from the mountains come.
Water and towels and welcoming speech Should he find who comes to the feast; If renown he would get, and again be greeted, Wisely and well must he act.
Wits must he have who wanders wide, But all is easy at home; At the witless man the wise shall wink When among such men he sits.
? H?vam?l ("Sayings of the high one"), Transcribed and Edited by Ari Odhinnsen

Today remember to be a good guest as well as a good host, no matter where you happen to be.



(The preceding comes from "Vincents 12 Days of Yule", which I picked from somewhere.)

Glade J?l to everyone.

Yule is 12 days (traditionally in a modern sense, not a historical one. We have evidence of Yule lasting an entire month in several regions), and starts with Mothers Night which is rooted in Anglo-Saxons with heavy evidence of coming from the continent. Yule historically had different lengths and different "start times" depending on the area, agricultural practices, etc. It was always after all the work was done.
Almost all of the modern traditions (not holiday. Traditions) come from the Germanic. The yule log, the ham (Freyr), the oat hing at New Years Eve (12Th night), the feasting and some argue the tree (based on houses being built around trees that were considered lucky to the family or land).
Most people start Yule at sunset on the night of the 20Th,(NOT Solstice) ending on 12Th Night as New Years Eve. The 12 days is generally spent with family, friends with family and gifting (which was important socially), leaving lots of offerings for ones ancestors and the elves and to the gods. There is a lot of baking and cooking and eating and celebrating the year that's passed and talking about the year to come.
I'm in a kindred but we generally only do Mothers Night and 12Th Night together. The rest is spent with my family (I'm actually not supposed to be on line right now but the kids are out cold and I'm bored he he) and sharing ridiculous stories of the years that have passed and making plans for the year to come. Last night the women in my family got bored and started baking an apple cake and shortbread and we laughed and said nothing is more Christmasy than baking copious amounts of food for no reason other than to gather in the center of the house hold. We've eaten half that cake so far too

There are little to no real "rituals" in Asatru other than the sumble (which is NOT the same as a blot which is NOT the same as an offering). As long as your focusing on family and community in your actions and deeds then your doing ok.

For those who are Asatru, Yule is a 12 day celebration that begins with a celebration known as Mother's Night and ends on Twelfth Night. Individuals or varying groups may celebrate things differently. While most celebrate beginning the night before the solstice, there are others who observe the yuletide during traditional Prue-Christian timekeeping methods for ancient Germania, Scandinavia or Anglo-Saxon England. This means that some begin their Yuletide earlier in December, and others may not celebrate until January.

Some groups (such as the Asatru Alliance) honor different deities across the twelve nights. Others (like the Asatru Folk Assembly) honor a different virtue every night. Some do a combination thereof, and still others bookend the Yuletide with Mother's Night and Twelfth Night, but otherwise celebrate the rest of the Yuletide in what makes the most sense to them.

Since part of the spirit of the Yuletide is to celebrate with friends and family, and many Heathens have Christian family members, there are many Heathens who get together and observe non-religious aspects of Christmas Eve or Christmas day traditions with their non-Heathen family members. For instance, I exchange gifts with my family Christmas morning.

For more information about Yule, you may find this article an interesting read: http://tinyurl.com/267n5tv