Home» Word of the Month» December 2008

Scots Word for December

Yule

besom broom
Although Yule is now commonly understood as referring to Christmas, up to the beginning of the nineteenth century for many Scots Yule meant New Year. This explains the tradition related by Jamieson (1808), the first part of which are observed by my own family at New Year: "He, who first opens the door on Yule-day, expects to prosper more than any other member of the family during the future year, because, as the vulgar express it, 'he lets in Yule.'"

The door being opened, it is customary with some to place a table or chair in it, covering it with a clean cloth, and, according to their own language, to "set on it bread and cheese to Yule". Early in the morning, as soon as any one of the family gets out of bed, a new besom broom is set at the back of the outer door.

H. Haliburton in Furth in Field (1894) tells us: "It was no uncommon practice some sixty years ago to invite a person to his 'Yule' on the last day of December. It was the usual practice . . . for the farmer to give his servants their 'Yule' or 'Hogmanay' on the closing night of the old year. This consisted at least of a dram of whisky, with 'cheese and bread'. The same entertainment was repeated on the first Monday morning on the New Year."

According to Country Folklore (1901) "Yule was not one festival, but a series of them, and that period is still named by the Shetlanders 'the Yules'".

Whenever you celebrate it, all the staff at Scottish Language Dictionaries wish you a guid Yule.

The Scots column is written by Christine Robinson. You can contact her with any questions.