Midwinter Blot and Yuletide – The Vikings' celebration of the return of the sun

In the cold, dark Northern Europe, midwinter was the most charged time of the year during pre-Christian times, including for the Vikings in Scandinavia. When the sun was at its lowest and the days were at their shortest, people gathered to celebrate Christmas and Midwinter Solstice – a sacred festival to honor the gods and welcome the return of light.

Midwinter Solstice – the darkest night of the year

During the Viking Age, the Midwinter Solstice fell towards the end of December, when the darkness was at its deepest. The holiday was a promise to the gods: to keep the world in balance through sacrifice, song and fellowship until the sun returned. In the old farming society, this was also a period of anxiety – people did not know how long the winter would last, or whether there would be enough food.

Sacrifices were made to Odin, Freyr and Njord , gods who ruled over wisdom, fertility and the powers of the sea. Animal blood was sacrificed and sprinkled on the altars and participants as a sign of the renewal of life. The blood sacrifice was followed by days of celebration , with mead, stories, music and rune carvings that blessed both people and farms for the new year.

Jól – the pagan origins of Christmas

The word "Yule" comes directly from the Old Norse "jól", which referred to the entire pagan winter festival. In Old English, the same celebration was called "geol" or "yule", a word that still survives in English as Yule, especially in pagan and historical contexts.

During Christmas, families and neighbors gathered in large halls, lit fires, and drank Christmas beer brewed especially for the holiday. People ate, sang, and remembered their ancestors. The celebration could last three nights or longer , marking the transition between the death of the year and the rebirth of life.

When Christianity later reached the Nordic countries in the 10th and 11th centuries, the church chose to place Jesus' birthday at the same time — precisely to more easily replace the popular pagan festival. Therefore, our modern Christmas is directly derived from the midwinter feast and Christmas celebrations of the Vikings and Northern Europeans.

Odin — the first "santa" of Christmas

Several scholars believe that Odin may be one of the role models for the modern Santa Claus. During midwinter, Odin was believed to ride through the night sky on his eight-legged horse Sleipnir, hunting with spirits in the so-called "Wild Hunt". He brought gifts and blessings to those who honored him, but could also bring storms and terror.

As the image of Saint Nicholas spread across Europe during the Middle Ages, these figures merged – the wise man who travels in the winter darkness, bringing gifts to those celebrating. Thus Odin lives on in the form of Santa Claus, an echo of Viking beliefs.

From blot to bock – the Nordic heritage of Christmas

Many of our most beloved Christmas traditions date back to the pagan celebrations of the Viking Age:

• The Yule goat probably originates from Thor's goats , which pulled his chariot across the sky.
• Christmas beer was a sacred drink, brewed to honor the gods and strengthen community.
• The Christmas fire and candles symbolize the return of the sun – a direct continuation of the fire ceremonies of the Midwinter Solstice.
• The Yule festival was a time for eating, drinking, and sharing stories of gods and heroes – just like in Odin's halls in Valhalla.

According to Snorri Sturlasson in Heimskringla, "drinking Yule" was a duty in the old Nordic countries, and the celebration could last up to three weeks among the nobles.

The light returns – a Nordic symbol of eternity

For the Vikings, the darkest time of the year wasn’t just a battle against winter—it was a spiritual test. Celebrating the Midwinter Solstice was to honor the cycle of nature and reaffirm the belief that darkness never lasts forever. When the sun finally returned after the winter solstice, it was seen as a victory for life itself.

Even today, over a thousand years later, we light candles in the darkness, gather with our loved ones, and celebrate community and new life. Our modern Christmas is not a new tradition – but a continuation of an ancient Nordic holiday, deeply rooted in the Vikings' Æsir beliefs and respect for the eternal rhythm of nature.