By Goði Anlengðarclan
Winter-nights is the first celebration that happens during the Norse or Norrøn winter, culture-wide. Like many of the Winter celebrations, it is one of coming together as a community and boosting the morale of everyone to aid in the survival of winter.
This would have been a time when anxieties peaked, a time that your physical and mental strength was truly put to the test. Luckily today, thanks to our technology, it is a far more joyous occasion.
Why is Winter-nights?
Before we explore what it is, let's first understand why it is. At some point, you may have heard of the Wild Hunt, the horde of Gods and beings that travel the skies every year.
It is said that one thing the Hunt does is collect the souls of those who missed their scheduled day of death.
It does this by compelling those who have somehow avoided their final day to look up. It is said that should you look up and see the Wild Hunt, that it will collect you and take you to Hel.
Read more about Hel in Goði’s article on the Norse Afterlife.
While I can not speak to others, I tend to avoid looking up as the weather begins to cool. We know it's safe to do so again when we wake up to a frost across the ground.
It is said that the first frost is left in the hunt's wake, letting you know that it has passed for the year. This also marks the first day of winter.
What is Winter-nights?
So now we know why, what? Put simply, it is the first celebration of the Winter season. People would gather, firstly to celebrate surviving the Hunt and secondly to acknowledge that the hard season was beginning.
Today, in the winter, we can go to supermarkets and gas stations to partake in an abundance of food and drink. However, this was not a thing in Ancient Scandinavia. For approximately 4 to 5 months, they would have to survive on what they had collected through the year and what little could be collected in winter.
The Scandinavians were a hardy people, there is no doubt about that, but even the strongest understand the dangers of running out of food. No matter how courageous and wise you are, the fear of starvation will always cause anxiety.
And so, Winter-nights, a time to celebrate and inspire for the challenges that come with winter. A time to remember what is important, a time to remember you are not alone, that you are part of a community.
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When Is Winter-nights?
Originally, as said above, Winter-nights was a 3-day celebration beginning on the first full moon after the first frost. This is because in Pre-Christian times Scandinavia worked on a system of lunar cycles and weather patterns. After all, their culture revolved around farming, and times of sowing and harvesting were dictated by the weather.
Since the introduction of the 12-month calendar in the late Iron Age, circa 800-1000CE, or what we more affectionately call the "The Viking Age", several groups have chosen to celebrate the event on a set date as opposed in line with the Norrøn system.
These dates vary widely, less reputable groups have co-opted the Celtic Samhain. While others such as the Icelandic branch or Asatru tend to celebrate in early November. The reality is anytime after Halloween but before December is absolutely fine.
How Might You Celebrate?
This is a very simple holiday, requiring very little forethought and preparation, unlike Yule. After all, it is celebrated at very short notice, traditionally the first full moon after the first frost.
As such, one way you might celebrate is by inviting your loved ones and friends to gather round a fire, much like the Norrøn, welcoming winter with good food, drink, and song.
The name likely comes from, like with many Norse holidays, the fact that it would have lasted for a few days. The available sources suggest a total of three days was allocated for this feast.
The holiday was likely designed to relieve the anxiety of the challenges that would be faced through winter. A reminder that even though resources would be scarce, that your community still had enough to feast and be happy.
As mentioned before, one major part of the holiday was likely about alleviating the anxiety of the struggles that would be faced. As we know many people in the world still face food shortages, polluted drinking water, and are unemployed.
Donating to a food pantry, working at a soup kitchen or other charitable donations would bring your family closer to the struggles that are faced by many.
An illustration of the god Ullr, from an Icelandic 18th-century manuscript. Photo by Jakob Sigurðsson.
Sacrifice To Skaði and Ullr
We have two Norse Gods associated with winter, Skaði and Ullr.
Skaði, (she) is the Jotnar turned Goddess associated with the mountains, hunting, snow, ice, skiing, and cold.
Ullr, (he) is the God that shares a fondness for all these things as well as being the keeper of Oaths not relating to marriage.
My recommendation would be a celebration of family and a sacrifice to one or both of these Gods to ask for the continued health of your family and community in the lead-up to Yule.
While a sacrifice is simply the giving up of anything you could have gained pleasure or other benefits from in the name of A God or other being, you may wish to offer things more closely associated with the God being honored.
This could be by pouring out some of your drink onto the floor, not one for indoors of course! Or even by simply giving up that Jelly Donut, you have been really excited about, in the name of A God.
The God doesn't literally collect your offering but instead, you are saying 'Honoring (your diety) is more important to me than this treat'.
You could even spend some of your time quietly contemplating a specific God. There is, after all, nothing more precious than our time.
Oath Ceremony
With the above information in mind, this would be a great time of the year for an oath ceremony as part of your Winter-nights celebration. Only do this if you have truly and carefully considered any oath that you plan on making.
Things To Be Wary Of!
The Norrønt word for Winter-nights is Vetr-nætr, and should not be confused with the other common mention of winter, Vetr, called Fimbul-Vetr. The latter being the Long Winter, or winter that lasts as long as three winters combined, this marks the beginning of Ragnarok.
Another thing to look out for is overwriting others' holidays. After all, we Norrøn folk are well known for our ability to feast and partake in merriment at the drop of a hat!
The final thing to be wary of is an abundance of 'factual' information. The saddening reality is that very little information exists, especially in regards to holidays such as Wintersnights.
My advice will always be verified with a combination of:
Approaching sources logically, if it talks about celebrating Winter-nights with things that are typically found in summer, then it's safe to say it's less reliable.
Learning about and understanding the person writing the source.
Maybe most importantly, remember, all traditions start someone. Just because Winter-nights were not celebrated with an annual beer pong tournament with your neighbors, there is no reason you can't add that to your celebrations.
Take Away
Winter-nights is a celebration of acceptance of upcoming challenges and also a reminder that you are always surrounded by people who care, that you are never alone. That no matter how hard things get, if you work together, you will get through it.
In this day and age, when we as a species are more divided than ever, I can't imagine a more important holiday.
May the trees on your journey always bear fruit.
Guest Author, Goði Anlengðarclan. , a devoted Norrøn pagan for over ten years, and dedicated teacher of the traditionalist ways of the Ancient Scandinavian Religion."
Editor’s Note:
If you Google the words Norron and Norront (from Wisconsin, USA anyway) you get a hodgepodge of information including an insurance company and a rock band in the top five results.
So I asked Godi for some clarification. Here’s what he said.
There are two versions of the word, the first "Norrøn" this translates as Old Norse and is used to refer to the people and today many traditionalists use it to describe the faith as we try and do it as the Norrøn did. The second is "Norrønt" which is the language that we commonly refer to as Old Norse. It took me donkey's years to get it right myself.
Odin is a man of intrigue, danger, love, and betrayal, to name but a few of his personal traits. The Allfather seeks and gives wisdom on his journeys, as a warrior, and a poet.
According to Prose Edda, the Allfather is the “highest and oldest of all the gods” and the literal father of many of the Aesir deities. He is the Norse God of Wisdom, Death, War, and Sorcery.
We will be taking a dive into his character and his nature. Odin is a man of intrigue, danger, love, and betrayal, to name but a few of his personal traits.