How do you celebrate Yule if you don't have a fireplace?

You don't need a Yule log to celebrate Yule. But if you still want one, make a bonfire outside or light some red, green, and white candles inside. That's what I do because I don't have a fireplace either.

The Yule Log is burned to symbolize the rebirth of the Sun god (Saturnalia), and the warmth that will come due to the longer days (Winter Solstice). It is an ancient Northern European tradition.

Arson! Neighbor's homes make _excellent_ fireplaces - you can toast marshmallows for WEEKS if you choose a home that's big enough.

;-)

Okay, okay, okay, I'll be serious - and no, I _DoN'T_ condone torching your neighbor's homes! Not even the one with all the gaudy Christmas decorations and the two pit bull/rotweiller mixes that charge you every time you stand at your toilet and take a leak (how they know you're even there through a wall, who can guess? But they do, and they'll GET YOU for it!)

In any event, you can "make" a fireplace if you're carefull and choosy enough. But don't try it if you don't REALLY know what you're doing. A useful alternative for those without fireplaces is to use a yule log as a candle-base, and just keep three candles burning for the time-period required of whatever tradition you follow (12 days is not unusual). The yule log is to be kept in the house until the following year. Traditionally, it's to be used to light the new yule log for the new year - you -can- make splinters of it and use them to light the candles on your new yule log if you like, this is probably an acceptable substitute practice for most people.

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"Since when is Yule a holiday?"

OM#G. Dude, Yule was a holiday LONG before Christmas ever was. Get some education, would ya'? In the interim, refrain from answering questions when you don't know the answer. "Better to keep your mouth shut and make people think you're an idiot than to open it and remove all doubt", as the saying goes. ;-)

The Yule log and its burning is meant to represent the God being born again and the hope of days becoming longer as winter wears on.

Some traditions say to keep a piece of the Yule log to start the Yule fire for next year's celebration.

Yule is the Pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice that falls on the 21st of December. When Christianity was trying to gain followers, they ripped off Yule and made it Christmas.

I light candles everywhere - or at least everywhere that my cats can't jump up on (my little one is very fond of jumping). I'll also designate a particular candle, carve symbols into it of what I'd like to come into my life, and leave that burning overnight. I'll save whatever is left for the following year.

I'd really like to find a mantle that I can buy and set up in my loft. Even though I wouldn't be able to burn a Yule log, I'd have a mantle to decorate and put all my candles on, and my loft is certainly large enough.

To be overly simplistic, Yule is the celebration of the winter solstice, when the God is reborn and the sun begins to return to the world. Since it's the shortest day of the year, we know that the days will begin to get longer and life will begin to return.

Blessed Yule!

)O(

1. Where to burn:

Burn the log outside? It's what I do.

2. Tradition/Origins:

The Yule log has been suggested to have been originally a custom in tribute to the major Germanic god Thor, who was associated with oak trees in surviving references amongst the ancient Germanic tribes. Since the custom survives to varying extent amongst the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons and Scandinavians, cultural connections have been suggested between the modern practice of the Yule log and the ancient veneration of trees associated with Thor.

3. To person who asked what Yule was:

Yule is a winter festival celebrated in Northern Europe since ancient times. In pre-Christian times, Germanic pagans celebrated Yule from late December to early January on a date determined by a lunar calendar. During the process of Christianization and the adoption of the Julian calendar, Yule was placed on December 25, in order to correspond with the Christian celebrations later known in English as Christmas. Thus, the terms "Yule" and "Christmas" are often used interchangeably, especially in Christmas carols.

Light candles and burn them everywhere instead. That's what I do, living in an apartment without a fireplace.

The Yule log merely represents the eternal light, the return of the sun and all.

We eat Yule Log cake. We also have a special Yule Log candle holder. It holds a red, green and white candle. We burn the candles for 12 nights.

Outside - campfire, firepit style. Or maybe just do it symbolically instead.

The Yule log is Pagan in origin as is much of the current xmas traditions. Below is a site that has some pretty good info on it and has proved fairly accurate.

Maybe you should get one of those yummy Yule Log cakes. They look really good and chocolatey.

you have a fireplace to celebrate it. i do celebrate Yule.

Yule is a winter festival celebrated in Northern Europe since ancient times. In pre-Christian times, Germanic pagans celebrated Yule from late December to early January on a date determined by a lunar calendar. During the process of Christianization and the adoption of the Julian calendar, Yule was placed on December 25, in order to correspond with the Christian celebrations later known in English as Christmas. Thus, the terms "Yule" and "Christmas" are often used interchangeably, especially in Christmas carols. Ha like that one fa la la la la la la la la song its like something something Yule tide carol fa la la la la la la la la Don we now our gay apparell fa la la fa la la la la la something like that lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

hope i helped!