The Yule Log

No, not the delicious cakey treat.

Well, not *only* the cakey treat.

You also have the tradition of the Yule Log. Egyptians and Sumerians had a log-burning ritual at Solstice. The Romans brought Mithras (a Persian sun-god) into Saturnalia around 65 BC - that involved burning a large log for over a week. The Druids had a (usually) oak log is a phallic symbol (again, with the fertility!). Some decorated it with holly, mistletoe and evergreen before burning. Remnants are kept to bring luck, and to light the Yule log of the following year. Parts of England used the ashen faggot - ash branches tied up into a log-like form. (The ash tree is also said to be magickal, like the oak.)

I've also heard that the Yule Log and Christmas Tree might cross paths - a large tree might have been chosen, decorated and then burned.

Burning the log is a way to usher in the light, or to celebrate the return of the light with the passing of the Solstice. Depending on the wood used, it also has some features of worship to it. Some of the logs or faggots were massive and took days to burn. As houses became smaller and giant fireplaces disappeared in France, it's possible that they took to baking their Yule log (the buche de Noel) and eating it instead. Slavic Yule Log traditions are very precise - songs to be sung, phrases, who cuts the log and so on. The Yule Log tradition varies, but its history is widespread throughout Europe.