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“This is mad,�� said Ron. “We’re the only ones left who haven’t got anyone �� well, except Neville. Hey �� guess who he asked? Hermione!��
��What?�� said Harry, completely distracted by this startling news.
“Yeah, I know!�� said Ron, some of the color coming back into his face as he started to laugh. “He told me after Potions! Said she’s always been really nice, helping him out with work and stuff �� but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if! She just didn’t want to go with Neville...I mean, who would?”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

“Snowflakes swirl down gently in the deep blue haze beyond the window. The outside world is a dream.

Inside, the fireplace is brightly lit, and the Yule log crackles with orange and crimson sparks.

There’s a steaming mug in your hands, warming your fingers.

There’s a friend seated across from you in the cozy chair, warming your heart.

There is mystery unfolding.”
― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

“There must be something ghostly in the air of Christmas �� something about the close, muggy atmosphere that draws up the ghosts, like the dampness of the summer rains brings out the frogs and snails.”
― Jerome K. Jerome, Told After Supper

“May the light illuminate your hearts and shine in your life every day of the year. May everlasting peace be yours and upon our Earth.”
― Eileen Anglin

“Yule—Yul log for the Christmas-fire tale-spinner—of fairy tales that can come true: Yul Brynner.”
― Marianne Moore, Complete Poems

“Yule is the true spirit of Mother Earth. Yule is the rebirth of the seasons. Without Yuletide, Mother Earth cannot heal herself . . . will wither and die. That is why it is so important that I reawaken the spirit within mankind. Help them to believe again. Because it is their power of belief, their love and devotion, that heals the land.”
― Brom, Krampus: The Yule Lord

“In addition to legal assemblies such as the one at Thingvellir, major public rituals were part of the celebration of the three big festivals around which the Viking calendar turned. One of these was Winter Nights, which was held over several days during our month of October, which the Vikings considered to be the beginning of winter and of the new year generally. The boundary between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead was thin, and all sorts of uncanny things were bound to happen. At this festival, the divine powers were petitioned for the general prosperity of the people. The second critical festival was Yule at midwinter - late December and early January - Which, with the arrival of Christianity, was converted into Christmas. Offerings were made to the gods in hopes of being granted bountiful harvests in the coming growing season in return. The third major festival was called "Summer Time" (Sumarmál), and was held in April, which the Vikings considered to be the beginning of summer. When the deities were contacted during this festival, they were asked for success in the coming season's battles, raids, and trading expeditions. The exact time of these festivals differed between communities.”
― Daniel McCoy, The Viking Spirit: An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion

“There are other things besides gods in which to put one's faith. Earthly things.”
― Brom, Krampus: The Yule Lord

“Around the room, the traditional thirteen desserts of Christmas are stacked on glass dishes like pirates' treasure, gleaming and lustrous in topaz and gold. Black nougat for the devil, white nougat for the angels, and clementines, grapes, figs, almonds, honey, dates, apples, pears, quince jelly, mendiants all jeweled with raisins and peel, and fougasse made with olive oil and split like a wheel into twelve parts-
And of course there is the chocolate- the Yule log cooling in the kitchen; the nougatines, the celestines, the chocolate truffles piled onto the counter in a fragrant scatter of cocoa dust.”
― Joanne Harris, The Girl with No Shadow

“Yule is when the dark half of the year cedes to the light half. Known as Solstice Night, Awaiting the rebirth of the Sun God. Bonfires, wassailing crops with toasts of spiced cider a time of madness and awesomeness”
― Anujj Elviis

“Not again,�� Daphne muttered angrily when she came in for dinner one night. “How can Muggles listen to such dribble?��

“It’s ‘Joy to the World,’�� Justin responded importantly. “How can that possibly be dribble?��

She scoffed at him. “Evidence shows that your Harry Potter figure—��

Harry gagged at her phrasing and nearly choked on the pumpkin juice he was drinking.

“As I was saying,�� Daphne began again, “your Harry Potter figure was most likely born in March. Your scholars say so.��

Justin rolled his eyes.

“The only reason that your Christmas was placed at the end of December was because of pre-existing pagan holidays celebrating the darkest time of the year, when the pagan god is reborn having died at Samhain. Your god’s death and resurrection had been told hundreds of times before that in all notable pagan religions. And you stole our date and our customs—including evergreen trees and mistletoe.��

“I don’t think I like Jesus being called a Harry Potter figure,�� Harry murmured to himself, finding the entire conversation suddenly frightening.

“I can’t believe you just said that,�� Justin said to Daphne, who pointedly ignored him.

“Why not?�� she questioned Harry. “He somehow survived death to rise again when he shouldn’t have and was born to save the world. He clearly is a prefiguration of the entire prophecy situation we currently have. Who knows? In two thousand years there might be a religion surrounding you.��

Harry paled just at that horrifying thought, and was glad that Octavian celebrated Yule. After this Christmas, he would try never to think about those parallels ever again.

“What about angels visiting the shepherds?�� Justin asked Daphne defensively. “Or the three kings? I bet you don’t have those!��

“You really think you came up with the kings?�� Daphne laughed. “Don’t get me started on the three magical kings. They’re not even human!”
― ExcentrykeMuse, Of Horcruxes and Kings

“One of the best gifts I ever received is also one of my favorite memories. When I was about three or four years old, all the little kids in my family got to unwrap a giant box of balloons.

We were overjoyed. Colorful balloons fell to the ground everywhere. My grandparents smiled. All my aunts and uncles laughed, and my parents were happy.

It is still one of the warmest memories of my life. My heart leaps just thinking about it.

When I became a mother, I wanted to give my children that kind of memory. I also wanted them to appreciate gifts like that -- simple and inexpensive yet meaningful and filled with joy.

So when my eldest daughters were five and three, I saved the biggest box I could get. I blew up so many balloons that my mouth went numb. And when it came to wrapping everything, I spent hours fighting with wrapping paper, ribbon, and tape to make it look perfect. But when I finished, I knew my girls would have the time of their life.”
― Jessica Marie Baumgartner