Yule

Yule ("Feast" or "Wheal") was a pre-christian nordic feast, which was celebrated on the winter solstice: in the northern hemisphere, circa December 21, and in the southern hemisphere, circa June 21.
The scandinavian people gave sacred gifts to the Aesir.

In later times, some of the Yule traditionts were adopted by the cristian festivities of "Christmas".

The festivity included the sacrificing of a pig for the fertility-god Freyr and the burning of the "Yule log" (maybe to honor Thor), the eating of ham (it was the christian change of eating a pig), the hanging of boughs, holly, mistletoe, etc., the latters came from the Yule festival.