Yuletide

or yule·tide

[ yool-tahyd ]

noun

1. the Christmas season.
2. the season of an ancient Germanic pagan holiday centering around the winter solstice, now sometimes celebrated by neopagans.

adjective

1. of or relating to the Christmas season.
2. of or relating to the season of an ancient Germanic pagan holiday centering around the winter solstice, now sometimes celebrated by neopagans.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Yuletide¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; Yule + tide

Example Sentences

On Dec. 16, the Churchtown Dairy in Claverack, New York, once again hosted a Yuletide tradition: caroling to the herd of 28 cattle that call the cathedral-like barn their winter home.

From Seattle Times

Which parts of the UK have had the most success with topping the charts - and which meaty pastry staple features in almost as many Yuletide number ones as Christmas itself?

From BBC

The song answers the question: “What if Ken was more devoted to seasonal Yuletide sounds than movie musical allusions?”

From Los Angeles Times

A message on the other side of the Yuletide craft made the pregnancy announcement: “Buckle up Buttercups, we’re adding one more to this crazy bunch.”

From Los Angeles Times

One part of the convoy’s mission will be to deliver Yuletide gifts to the fishermen and soldiers stationed in the region.

From Washington Times

More About Yuletide

What does yuletide mean?

Yuletide is sometimes used as another word for Christmastime—the Christmas season.

The word yule can be used as another name for Christmas, the Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It can also be used to mean the same thing as yuletide—the Christmas season.

However, yule can also refer to the celebration of the Winter Solstice that’s observed in some Pagan traditions, and yuletide can be applied to the time when this is observed.

Regardless of which holiday is being observed, yuletide occurs in late December.

When it’s used in reference to Christmas, yuletide is often intended to sound a bit old-timey—yuletide carols being sung by a choir, and all that.

Example: I cherish the yuletide memories of my youth, of sitting by the hearth and listening to tales of Christmases gone by.

Where does yuletide come from?

The first records of the word yuletide come from the 1400s. The word yule is older, first recorded before 900. It comes from Old English geōl, meaning “Christmas day” or “Christmastide” (a word for the period from Christmas Eve to related feast days in early January). This term is related to the Old Norse jōl, the name of the Pagan winter feast lasting 12 days whose name was later applied to Christmas.

The word tide refers to a specific period or time or season. It is used in the same way in other words that refers to seasons, such as wintertide (a less common word for wintertime), or periods surrounding holidays, such as Christmastide and Eastertide. Though yuletide has the same ending as Christmastide, yuletide is typically used to refer to the general season of Christmastime, as opposed to a specific period starting on Christmas Eve.

Many of the customs of the Pagan feast of yule influenced the ways that Christmas is celebrated, such as the tradition of burning a yule log at Christmastime.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for yuletide?

• yule
• Christmas season
• Christmastime
• Christmas

What are some words that share a root or word element with yuletide? 

• Christmastide
• Eastertide
• wintertide
• yule log

What are some words that often get used in discussing yuletide?

 

• carol
• Christmas
• Winter Solstice
• season
• holiday
• merry
• happy
• December

How is yuletide used in real life?

Yuletide is typically used as an old-fashioned word for Christmastime.

Merry Christmas to you! The official visual for Nat King Cole’s magical Yuletide ballad “The Christmas Song” is now streaming—exclusively on Facebook Watch! Watch the full video here: https://t.co/fgEVQqg9RL ❄️🎄
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.#merrychristmas #natkingcole #thechristmassong pic.twitter.com/LmIr0tCkAN

— Nat King Cole (@natkingcole) December 1, 2020

From charming dolls of Christmas past to a talking festive tree, the Yuletide traditions are running high at the @NevilleMuseum.

It’s part of the ‘Holiday Memories’ exhibit, on display now through Jan. 6 ❄️ #Local5ThisMorning pic.twitter.com/aU6dT84Rct

— Calvin Lewis (@CalvinLewisTV) December 1, 2020

A chilly night is in store for central Pennsylvania…perfect for hot chocolate, roasting chestnuts and singing yuletide carols by an open fire. pic.twitter.com/yDd4kwZAuP

— NWS State College (@NWSStateCollege) November 28, 2020

 

Try using yuletide!

Is yuletide used correctly in the following sentence? 

I love all of our yuletide traditions, but decorating the house with greens is my favorite.