Ham and saints

Freyr and friend

The tradition of ham at Yule time may have started with the Germanic god Freyr, who was associated with boars, fertility and harvest. This rich meal was possibly a winter sacrifice to Freyr. Later on in medieval England, Saint Stephen was given some of Freyr's characteristics, and his feast day is December 26. And so, roast boar with an apple in its mouth became a tradition. Stephan is also the patron saint of horses, quarry workers, Deacons and sling-shooters. He is invoked against migraines. (No, I didn't make that up.)

There's an old English Christmas carol about St. Stephen dating back to 1400. The song says he was servant in King Herod's castle at the time of Jesus' birth. When he comes out of the kitchen with a boar's head on a platter, he sees the bright Bethlehem star and throws the meat on the floor, forsaking Herod. And in the process, sets himself up nicely for gruesome martyrdom and sainthood.

We usually have ham for Christmas. It's easy on the martyred cook that busy day, and the leftovers are good. I just made a big pot of ham and bean soup. If you put a chopped jalapeño pepper in with the onions, celery, garlic and carrots, it gives the soup just the right amount of zip on a cold night. We have a possibility of snow tomorrow in Seattle. Amanda, Tom and Nova got home safely last night, but she said they had a snowy, white-knuckle drive up the Methow Valley.