The second day of Yule is a day of hearth and home.
People from the Nordic region are reminded by their ancestors to stay indoors and away from Odin's Wild Ride.
Odin travels the skies gathering the lost souls, but is followed by various creatures from the underworld. These creatures scoop up anyway that is caught in the path of the hunt.
Celtic homes celebrated by decorating. Holly was often brought indoors to symbolize hope and protection from evil. Mistletoe was removed from the oaks and brought in for it's magical properties. It was believed it would connect the otherworld with this world for communing with the ancestors.
So many of our current traditions are taken from these pre-Christian celebrations.
The kissing ball was made of a ball decorated with evergreens (symbolic of everlasting life), holly (an evergreen with spicy leaves to ward off evil), and ivy (an evergreen that symbolizes immortality). Then mistletoe was hung from the bottom of the ball. Every time a kiss happens under the ball, a mistletoe berry must be removed. When the berries are gone, no more kissing.
So put a Yule log on the fire, cozy up to someone close, and celebrate family, ancestors and a welcoming home.
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