When Jól Begins in the Northern Hemisphere - A Heathen’s Guide to the 12 Nights
Jól was never about shopping or modern holidays.
It was a season of the ancestors, a time of deep spiritual weight, winter survival, oaths, offerings, feasting, and honoring the forces that shape fate.
For those living anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere — including the United States, Canada, Europe, and all northern lands — Jól begins with the Winter Solstice.
On the night when the sun stands still, and the longest darkness gives way to the returning light. That night is Mother’s Night (Modraniht) — the first night of Jól.
Below is the traditional flow of the 12 Nights of Jól, beginning on December 21-st and ending on the first day of January.
The 12 Nights of Jól (Northern Hemisphere)
Night 1 — Mother’s Night (Dec 21)
Honoring the ancestral mothers, protectors of the home, and the spirits who watch over the family line.
