How did the Germanic/Norse people celebrate Yule?

Answer 1

Yule
dec20-31

Celebration of the Norse New Year; a festival of 12 nights. This is the most important of all the Norse holidays. On the night of December 20, the god Ingvi Freyr rides over the earth on the back of his shining boar, bringing Light and Love back into the World. In later years, after the influence of Christianity, the god Baldur, then Jesus, was reborn at this festival. Jul signifies the beginning and end of all things; the darkest time (shortest hour of daylight) during the year and the brightest hope re-entering the world. During this festival, the Wild Hunt is at its greatest fervor, and the dead are said to range the Earth in its retinue. The god Wotan (Odin) is the leader of this Wild Ride; charging across the sky on his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir; a very awe-inspiring vision. In ancient times, Germanic and Norse children would leave their boots out by the hearth on Solstice Eve, filled with hay and sugar, for Sleipnir's journey. In return, Wotan would leave them a gift for their kindness. In modern times, Sleipnir was changed to a reindeer and the grey-bearded Wotan became the kindly Santa Claus (Father Christmas).
http://www.wizardrealm.com/norse/holidays.html

Theres would have been a sacrifice (probably a bull) feasting and a Blot to Thor/Frey/Odin depending on the region and a Holy Sumbel. They wouldve set a Yule Log ablaze and jumped over the fire for good luck for the year. Thor's power is requested to drive back the frost giants so that spring can return.
The most important symbols of Yule are still with us today. Evergreen trees and holly which remained green throughout the long nights and cold were a promise that spring would once again return to the land. These symbols may also have been a connection to the nature spirits who have sway over the return of the warm days. It was common for peopleto leave offerings for the Alvar and other nature spirits. The idea of children staying up all night in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Santa Claus may be a remnant of people staying awake to mark the long night and remind the sun to return. While one might expect a rather dour theme to a holiday held in the darkness and cold, Yule is a time of feasting and gladness.

Yule is the best time to swear Oaths for the coming year.
There are simply so many different Yule customs, both ancient and modern, that one has almost limitless possibilities even when staying within Scandanavian and Germanic customs.

Answer 2

Complicated answer. Germanic/Norse covers a LOT of ground and a LOT of tribes.They all celebrated differently. For example the Wild Hunt was a much bigger deal in the Germanic then the Norse. The story of mistletoe was probably far more common in the anglo-saxon borders then Norway since there is no mistletoe in Norway. In general they all did swear oaths on the boar for Freyr and shared a meal and sumbeled. Other gods were honored such as Frigga on Mothers Night and Thor as well. They probably all had a form of the Yule log. The details were different in different areas though.

Answer 3

Norse Holidays

Answer 4

with a burning log

Answer 5

I think they burn a log.