A few years back there was a television movie, 'Papa's Angels' based on a carpenter's family, and set in the 1930's Smokey Mountains according to the New York Time review. I believe this aired in 2000 on CBS television, and I remember watching at least one showing a couple years ago. It is a sad movie with a very positive outcome and well worth seeing. It covers the traditional burning of the Yule log, and from what I know (very little) the custom is still carried out in regions of Northern Europe & possibly Ireland. I was pleasantly reminded of this custom after reading Sharon's wonderful account in this blog. (Now I want a wood fireplace. ) I am disappointed that my broadband internet service failed earlier and I was not able to post this.

I am also a little disappointed the networks don't re-run this wonderful movie. If anyone is interested, here is the N.Y. Times Link for its review. http://www.nytimes.com/tv/show...
Thanks to Sharon for a real treat tonight!

Leon, you just absolutely saved my sanity tonight. I've been trying to remember all day after writing this blog -- what that TV movie was. Couldn't for the life of me remember and here you are and now I know. I hardly remember it, only the part about the Yule log and was so swamped with other things today I had no chance to do a search for it. You handed it to me right when I needed it. Papa's Angels. Thank you more than you know.

I hope you have the Merriest Christmas ever!!

The Yule Log was a tradition even back in medieval times. I can't remember where I read about it many years ago, but it was a tradition that was brought to the US.

Sharon, it was delightful reading your story about it.

Merry Christmas to you and all.

Smiles,
Lyn

Me too, Lyn, I've read that it was a religious ritual before Christianity (pagan, perhaps) but along the way -- like a lot of other things -- was incorporated into Christian beliefs. I come from a long line of things that are passed down from one generation to another, mostly stories, and this was one of those things. The Yule Log was a good way to stay warm on a long winter's night and provided a nice story.

Thanks so much and Merry Christmas right back to you!
Stay warm there in your freezing mountains.