Asatru Folk Assembly - December 02, 2025


Ásatrú Holidays - December 2025


Episode Stats


Length

15 minutes

Words per minute

118.516266

Word count

1,818

Sentence count

104

Harmful content

Hate speech

13

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
00:00:00.000 Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and folk of all ages, you know what time it is.
00:00:28.440 It's time for the Holidays, Holy Days, and Days of Remembrance for the month of December.
00:00:34.440 Welcome to the middle of the holiday season.
00:00:38.700 It is December. It is Yuletide coming up very soon.
00:00:45.980 Get your stockings ready, your trees put up, and hang that tassels.
00:00:52.340 Here we go.
00:00:55.180 First up this month, though, is the Day of Remembrance for our hero, El Skullergrimson, on December 9th.
00:01:04.080 And we follow that up on the 18th for the first Day of Remembrance for brand new hero, King Seward.
00:01:11.520 And then, just a few days after, Yule begins.
00:01:17.200 The 20th through the 31st, the 12 days of Yule.
00:01:20.840 Let's get down to it and talk about it all.
00:01:24.260 And, as I said, on December the 9th, just about a week away, the Day of Remembrance for Eil Skalagrimson, born 904, Common Era, passed away 995, Common Era, he lived a long life.
00:01:44.020 Eil Skalgrimson, born in 1904 Common Era, was an Icelandic poet, warrior, farmer, and
00:01:52.420 runemaster.
00:01:53.420 His parents were Skalgrimr Kveldolfsson and Bera Ingvar's daughter.
00:02:00.520 Skalgrimr was a renowned and respected chieftain back in Norway, but migrated to Iceland with
00:02:08.020 his wife and four children so he could be free from the influence of King Harald Ferherr.
00:02:15.140 Eyre's childhood was an extraordinary one.
00:02:18.780 He composed his first poem at the age of three and took revenge on another boy for cheating
00:02:24.300 in a game at the age of seven.
00:02:27.580 His skills as both a scald and berserker showed early on in life and would be carried
00:02:34.280 with him for the rest of his days.
00:02:38.460 Here I am at the hearth of my host Dingvar, the generous who grants gold to heroic men. 0.97
00:02:47.560 Three handed fosterer, you'll find no three year babe among bards more brilliant than
00:02:54.760 me.
00:02:57.600 He was also a master of the runes.
00:03:01.080 His most famous tale of rune magic involves healing a deathly sick woman.
00:03:05.920 A local landowner had attempted to cast a love spell with runes carved into a bone,
00:03:11.560 which was placed under her pillow, but had mistakenly cast a spell of illness on the
00:03:17.260 woman instead.
00:03:19.260 El burned the illness runes and carved a healing spell instead.
00:03:23.980 The woman's recovery was swift.
00:03:26.960 Upon healing the sick woman, he recited a poem and famously said,
00:03:32.000 Runes none should drave ever, who knows not to read them.
00:03:37.580 Later in his life, Eilus killed a retainer of King Erik Bloodaxe and Queen Gudhildr, 0.94
00:03:44.060 starting a blood feud that would last for the rest of their lives.
00:03:48.020 Queen Gudhildr sent her two brothers to take vengeance on Eilus,
00:03:52.300 but they were quickly sent to join their ancestors in Hell's Hall.
00:03:56.960 Once Erik Bloodaxe became king of Norway soon after, he declared Eil an outlaw and sent a company of men after him.
00:04:05.100 They too were killed in their attempt to subdue the war poets.
00:04:08.920 Before finally leaving Norway, Eil killed King Eiriker's son, Rögenvald, and placed a horse's head on a nitting pole, saying,
00:04:19.080 Here I set up a neet pole, and declare this neet against King Ereker and King Gunhildr.
00:04:27.080 I declare this neet that the land spirits there, and the land itself, so that all will
00:04:35.080 fare astray, not to hold nor find their places, not until they wreck King Ereker and Gunhildr
00:04:44.080 from the land.
00:04:47.080 After Eirik and Guthildr found themselves ruling the kingdom of Northumbria in England,
00:04:52.880 Eirik soon found himself shipwrecked in their new realm.
00:04:56.840 Eirik went to the home of his friend Ernenbjörn,
00:05:00.120 who advised him to offer his head to King Eirik in hopes that he would spare his life.
00:05:05.800 Arnborn made a case for Eirik, while Eirik himself composed a short poem for the king.
00:05:11.700 Erik and Gudhildr were not swayed by this and told Eil that his offenses against them
00:05:18.520 were too great to be forgiven.
00:05:21.100 His execution was ordered to take place the following morning.
00:05:25.420 Over what was supposed to be his last night on this side of the vale, Eil composed a twenty-stanza
00:05:31.820 poem in honor of King Erik.
00:05:34.520 When morning came, Eil recited the poem for the king, who was so impressed that he let
00:05:40.180 Eil live.
00:05:43.860 After fighting for the Saxon king Athelstan at the famous Battle of Brunnenburg, Eil
00:05:49.640 was rewarded two chests of silver for his service and returned to his farm in Iceland.
00:05:56.260 He remained prominent in local politics as he had truly become a legend among his folk.
00:06:02.860 He lived to the age of 90 and passed beyond the Vale just before Iceland began converting
00:06:08.480 to Christianity.
00:06:10.560 He was revived by five children, all of which he had with his wife, Asgirður Björnsdóttur.
00:06:19.460 Erskalgrímsson lived a legendary life of adventure and poetry, of love and war.
00:06:26.400 His might and skill as a warrior helped win the most famous battle in Anglo-Saxon history,
00:06:33.400 and his prowess in poetry was the height of long tradition of Nordic verse.
00:06:39.200 His legacy has lasted over 1,000 years, and it will last thousands more.
00:06:46.700 Hail el Skaldgrimmsen!
00:06:49.900 Hail the Ossetree Folk Assembly!
00:06:53.100 And following after the very interesting and magnanimous life of Eil, we have the Day of
00:07:02.800 Remembrance on December 18th for King Sauard, who passed away in 626 of Common Era.
00:07:15.160 During the turbulent times of the English Heptarchy, the seven Saxon kingdoms had begun their unfortunate
00:07:22.020 conversions to the foreign faith of Christianity. The kingdom of the East Saxons was not unaffected 0.77
00:07:29.460 by this, with the bishop Meltus attending to the Christians in the Essex city of London.
00:07:37.120 King Sebert, father of Sextraith and Saurd, abandoned his troth to the Iser in 604, becoming
00:07:45.800 the first Christian king of Essex.
00:07:49.180 When he died in 616, his two sons took over as kings and ruled the East Saxons jointly.
00:07:57.620 Neither of them accepted Christianity, but openly and proudly continued hailing the Aesir 0.94
00:08:03.880 and rightly restricting Christianity among their people. 0.99
00:08:08.480 When the kings happened upon Meltus, bishop of London, they were quite annoyed when he 0.99
00:08:14.780 would give the Eucharist to Christians but not to his kings. Allegedly they said
00:08:20.720 to him, Why do you not offer us the white bread that you used to give to our
00:08:27.320 father and which you still give to the people? Malthus told them that unless
00:08:34.580 they would be baptized in the name of Christ, the white bread would do them no
00:08:39.260 good. They responded that they did not need to bathe, but they did want some of the bread
00:08:45.640 being handed out to their people. The bishop continued to refuse until the kings became
00:08:51.440 very angry and banished him from their kingdom altogether. While these heroes were later
00:08:57.700 killed in battle with the West Saxons, their dauntlessness in the face of encroaching Christianity 0.99
00:09:03.360 is admirable. When the world around them, and even their own father, abandoned the holy 0.99
00:09:09.100 Isir, King Sexred and King Saurd stood loyal and true. May we all find the courage to keep
00:09:17.400 on the path that is true. Hail King Saurd. Hail the Alcetru Folk Assembly.
00:09:25.780 And after the Days of Remembrance for this month, we have the Yuletide season. Our biggest,
00:09:32.480 brightest and best holiday of the year, 12 Days of Celebration.
00:09:40.440 YOL is the 12-day period in December in which we hold our biggest celebrations.
00:09:46.720 During the YOL season, we celebrate our families and our tribes and the bonds that hold us
00:09:52.680 strong.
00:09:53.940 We celebrate our ancestors.
00:09:56.700 We celebrate our gods and the wild hunts.
00:09:59.180 We celebrate the bright fires of the hearth that keeps us warm
00:10:03.980 And we celebrate the rebirth of the sun
00:10:07.080 We have made it halfway through the harshest time of the year
00:10:11.280 The sun begins to stay in the sky a little longer each day
00:10:15.880 Moving us closer and closer to the fruitful and warm summer
00:10:20.380 We celebrate by gathering together to feast and sing songs
00:10:26.100 We put up our yule trees and our wreaths.
00:10:29.800 We bake cookies and give presents.
00:10:33.260 We build strong bonds and traditions that our children remember and pass on.
00:10:38.640 It is a joyous time of the year.
00:10:41.660 We begin the yule season on the 20th of December, called Mother's Night.
00:10:47.120 During Mother's Night, we celebrate our ancient mothers, the Desir,
00:10:51.000 who kept the hearth flames burning bright. 0.99
00:10:55.100 One way to celebrate this is distinguish all the lights in the house.
00:11:00.420 Light a candle to represent the hearth flame.
00:11:03.440 And if you have children, give them pots and pans.
00:11:07.360 Starting at the central part of your home, or the hearth,
00:11:10.880 usually the kitchen and the stove, which can be a literal hearth if you have a fireplace,
00:11:15.880 let the children chase the ill-whites, or the bad energy, from each room
00:11:20.740 by running through the house and banging the pots and pans.
00:11:24.200 As you go through each room, light a waiting candle.
00:11:28.320 You are bringing the light of the hearth, of the goddess Frigg, of the Dessir, into each room to bless it.
00:11:37.240 You can say something simple with each candle you light.
00:11:41.100 Like, the goddess Frigg bring love and light into this room.
00:11:45.820 Or, the Dessir bless this home and all who live within it.
00:11:50.380 Yol ends on December 31st, a time when people can make oaths for themselves for the coming year.
00:11:58.200 An AFA tradition started by our esteemed founder, Stephen McNallan, focuses on celebrating 12
00:12:06.500 also true virtues, industriousness, justice, courage, generosity, hospitality, moderation,
00:12:17.420 community, individuality, truth, steadfastness, loyalty, and wisdom.
00:12:26.620 Each night, we light a candle in honor of each of these virtues.
00:12:31.460 Founder McNallon has videos for each of these days on our YouTube channel,
00:12:35.500 and we recommend that everyone take some time to watch them.
00:12:39.400 I'll link it in the description.
00:12:43.800 Alrighty, y'all.
00:12:44.940 That is the end of the descriptions and the talks about the holidays, holy days, and days of remembrance for the month of December.
00:12:53.600 But you know, I can't leave you without one last plug.
00:13:00.300 Coming up this weekend, this Saturday, December 6th,
00:13:04.600 dedication for our Hof, the 5th Hof of the Auschwitz Folk Assembly,
00:13:10.620 Threuz Hof. 0.80
00:13:12.440 I'll be there, the Ausheria Gothi, many of the Witten, the Gotar,
00:13:17.740 the folk builders, apprentices, the founder of our church,
00:13:23.260 and his wonderful wife, Founder McNallan, and Githya McNallan will be there,
00:13:29.200 along with tons and tons of members.
00:13:32.820 At this point, as I'm speaking to you, 2 o'clock in the afternoon,
00:13:38.200 on the 2nd of December, 136 people are RSVP'd.
00:13:45.840 If everybody shows up, that is a fabulous thought.
00:13:51.900 And just about, only 20 short of an AFA record for attendance at one of our events.
00:13:59.100 I bet you we can get there if you guys come out.
00:14:02.580 Alrighty, y'all.
00:14:04.140 I'll see you in Austintown, Ohio this weekend.
00:14:07.720 And until next month,
00:14:10.320 Hail El Scholar Grimson.
00:14:13.740 Hail King Sour. 1.00
00:14:17.140 Hail the Eiseer. 1.00
00:14:19.560 Hail the Folk. 1.00
00:14:20.400 hail the afa and hail victory have a good one y'all
00:14:50.400 Thank you.