Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.12.2013, Síða 46

The Sun Born Again:
Ásatrú’s Jól Celebrations
2
“Christians got Christmas from us,”
says Jóhanna Harðardóttir, the Ásatrú
Association’s Deputy High Priestess,
although, of course, the reason for the
celebration obviously changed quite
a bit. But although Ásatrú believers
have their own special observances
during the holiday season, Jóhanna
says that most people still share many
common Christmas traditions, such
as sending cards and exchanging
gifts. And, of course, wishing each
other a “Gleðileg Jól!”
Like many of the blóts, or ritual
observances which Ásatrú practitio-
ners hold each year, Jól is deeply con-
nected to the seasons. “Jól is when the
sun is born again,” says Jóhanna, not-
ing that Jól celebrations in Iceland are
particularly well attended by many
who don’t belong to the Ásatrú reli-
gion. For Icelanders, with their no-
toriously dark winters, she says, the
winter solstice has particular reso-
nance: “it’s in our souls to be happy
when the sun begins to rise again.”
Jól celebrations begin with an out-
door Jólablót on the first of Decem-
ber. During the ceremony, attendees
circle together around a fire with can-
dles, and listen to what Jóhanna calls
“our Christmas story,” or how Freyr,
the god of fertility and growth, fell in
love with the Jötunn maiden Gerður,
and made great sacrifices in order
to win her as his bride. As Jóhanna
explains, during the darkest hours of
the winter, “Freyr falls in love with
the daughter of a giant—Gerður—
who is beautiful and light, a token
of the sun.” When Gerður agrees to
marry Freyr, the sun begins to rise
again, bringing with it “a promise of
longer and better days to come.”
After listening to this story, those
who wish to can gather together to
share a drink from a sacred drink-
ing horn. Hangikjöt, or smoked lamb
which is traditionally served at the
holidays, is also eaten. Following the
blot, a lavish feast is held. Children
help to make a sun out of candles and
receive small gifts, and music perfor-
mances and other entertainment is
enjoyed. It is a very family-oriented
celebration, Jóhanna says, and “a very
good place to be with children.”
In pagan tradition, night is un-
derstood to precede the day, and so
many important celebrations begin
at nightfall. (This is actually the rea-
son that Christmas celebrations in
Iceland begin at 18:00 on Christmas
Eve here in Iceland.) On December
1 this year, five Jólablóts were held
simultaneously at 18:00 around the
country—one at Þingvellir, the site
of Iceland’s first parliament, and one
in each quarter of Iceland: North,
South, East, and West.
THE REYKJAVÍK GRAPEVINE XMAS SPECIAL 2013
—By Larissa Kyzer
For practitioners of Ásatrú, a contemporary form
of Norse paganism whose beliefs are based in an
abiding respect for nature, as well as ancient Norse
culture, folk belief, and mythology, Jól is the most
important holiday of the year. A celebration of the
winter solstice, rebirth, and the start of the new year,
Jól—from which the Icelandic word for Christmas is
derived—dates back much earlier than the Christian
holiday, but has been absorbed by Christmas in the
intervening centuries.
Step into
the Viking Age
Experience Viking-Age Reykjavík at the
new Settlement Exhibition. The focus of the
exhibition is an excavated longhouse site which
dates from the 10th century ad. It includes
relics of human habitation from about 871, the
oldest such site found in Iceland.

Multimedia techniques bring Reykjavík’s
past to life, providing visitors with insights
into how people lived in the Viking Age, and
what the Reykjavík environment looked like
to the first settlers.
The exhibition and
museum shop are open
daily 10–17
Aðalstræti 16
101 Reykjavík / Iceland
Phone +(354) 411 6370
www.reykjavikmuseum.is
The Ásatrú
Jól Story
Each year, the story of the Vanir
god Freyr and his love for the Jö-
tunn maiden Gerður are told at
Ásatrú Jólablóts. Although the
story sometimes reads as a roman-
tic one, it is also one of sacrifice
and self-destruction; in order to
woo Gerður, Freyr must give up
his magic sword. It is said that if
he had kept this weapon, he would
have survived the battles of Rag-
narök.
The story of Freyr and Gerður
is related in The Prose Edda,
recorded by Snorri Sturlasson
around the year 1200. Below is an
excerpt from the tale, translated
by the English scholar Arthur Gil-
christ Brodeur in 1916.
“A certain man was called
Gýmir, and his wife Aurboda: she
was of the stock of the Hill-Giants;
their daughter was Gerdr, who was
fairest of all women. It chanced one
day that Freyr had gone to Hlidskjálf
[Odin’s seat, from which he can see
all worlds] and gazed over all the
world; but when he looked over into
the northern region, he saw on an
estate a house great and fair. And
toward this house went a woman;
when she raised her hands and
opened the door before her, bright-
ness gleamed from her hands, both
over sky and sea, and all the worlds
were illumined of her. Thus his
overweening pride, in having pre-
sumed to sit in that holy seat, was
avenged upon him, that he went
away full of sorrow. When he had
come home, he spake not, he slept
not, he drank not; no man dared
speak to him. Then Njördr [Freyr’s
father] summoned to him Skírnir,
Freyr's foot-page, and bade him go
to Freyr and beg speech of him and
ask for whose sake he was so bitter
that he would not speak with men.
But Skírnir said he would go, albeit
unwillingly; and said that evil an-
swers were to be expected of Freyr.
But when he came to Freyr,
straightway he asked why Freyr was
so downcast, and spake not with
men. Then Freyr answered and said
that he had seen a fair woman; and
for her sake he was so full of grief
that he would not live long if he were
not to obtain her. 'And now thou
shalt go and woo her on my behalf
and have her hither, whether her
father will or no. I will reward thee
well for it.' Then Skírnir answered
thus: he would go on his errand,
but Freyr should give him his own
sword—which is so good that it
fights of itself—and Freyr did not re-
fuse, but gave him the sword. Then
Skírnir went forth and wooed the
woman for him, and received her
promise; and nine nights later she
was to come to the place called Bar-
rey, and then go to the bridal with
Freyr…
This was to blame for Freyr's be-
ing so weaponless, when he fought
with Beli, and slew him with the
horn of a hart. Then said Gangleri:
"'Tis much to be wondered at, that
such a great chief as Freyr is would
give away his sword, not having an-
other equally good. It was a great pri-
vation to him, when he fought with
him called Beli; by my faith, he must
have rued that gift."
The Ásatrú Association’s office is located
at Síðumúli 15, and is open weekdays
from 13:00 to 16:00, as well as every
Saturdays 14:00 - 16:00. The office has
rotating art exhibitions on view, and
members often hold open coffee chats,
lectures, and movie screenings on the
weekend. More info at www.asatru.is.
Illustration by Inga María Brynjarsdóttir