Book Review: A Guide to Celebrating the 12 Days of Yule
A Guide to Celebrating the 12 Days of Yule
Author: Jenn Campus
Available on Amazon and https://dreamsofydalir.com/
Price: $3.99 or Free for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers
Format: Amazon Kindle (eBook)
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For Yule, I decided to do a book review on celebrating Yule (seems appropriate). I’ve chosen A Guide to Celebrating the 12 Days of Yule. I’ve recommended this book in the past, but maybe, you haven’t seen this little gem. This Yule, since you probably are spending it alone or with immediate family, due to the pandemic, it’s helpful to have a guide in celebrating it.
Not for Recons
What I Liked About A Guide to Celebrating the 12 Days of Yule
First, I’ll say that I like how this book is organized. She takes you through preparation and each day of Yule, and what she does to celebrate it. For those still starting out as a Heathen, this offers nice suggestions for each day and how to give offerings to the gods who preside over Yule. Some of the rituals are obviously the author’s design, but I look at them and think how wonderful it is that another Heathen has designed her own rituals according to her family. Other rituals, such as the Yule log and leaving oatmeal with butter out for the Tomte have their roots in Heathen tradition. She includes her prayers to different gods and goddesses as well as cool things like recipes for a Yule log cake, glog, and crispy roast pork with cherry sauce. It all sounds delicious.
What I Didn’t Like About This Book
It’s really hard for me to come up with something wrong about this book. Yes, it’s more pagan than reconstructionist Heathen, but I’m okay with that. If I could make a complaint to the author, it would be that a paperback version isn’t available, possibly because it is a short book at 66 print pages. Lots of people can complain that it’s not in other eBook formats or with other vendors. But given that the Amazon app is available for most platforms such as Android and iOS, not to mention Windows, you don’t need to buy a Kindle Reader or Fire device to read and enjoy it.
So, if you’re looking for modern ideas with Heathen influences for how to celebrate the 12 days of Yule, pick up a copy of A Guide to Celebrating the 12 Days of Yule HERE.
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2 thoughts on “Book Review: A Guide to Celebrating the 12 Days of Yule”
I can’t imagine my Heathen Ancestors, nor your Heathen Ancestors, ever embraced and accepted any kind of fear-based life of “sheltering in place”, “wear your mask” or “lockdown” or other cowering & conformity. I see the use of “pandemic” as a justification or excuse for being cowardly and not living boldly, bravely in the face of any adversary. It is UN-Heathen. We exist because our ancestors were Heathen & our immune systems are Heathen.
I would imagine our Heathen Ancestors would also understand the idea of caring for members of their Kindred. That’s assuming that you could explain to them the concept of viruses. The Heathen understands that losing someone in their community would greatly diminish a kindred. We wear masks not because we are afraid, but because we want to protect those who may not be able to fight off the disease due to their age or preexisting conditions. Furthermore, with the hospitals running out of resources — beds and personnel — it makes sense for us as Heathens to insure there is enough emergency room space in case we get hit with a battle axe, or a car, or something.