Finally! Our Burning Questions About the Yule Log Answered
Chestnuts can do whatever they want by an open fire; we’ll be roasting — courtesy of cozy blankets and flannel pajamas — in front of a television watching the Yule log this Christmas, as we do every year.
But here’s the thing: While we sit there, with our families, pondering the warmth and joy of the holiday season as classic carols play in the background, thousands of questions dance like sugar plums in our heads. Before we put on our caps and ‘kerchiefs, we decided it was time to get some answers. Consider this our holiday gift to you, so that you may settle your brains for a long winter’s nap.
What is the Yule log, really? Quite simply, it’s a large log burned in a fireplace on Christmas Eve. According to Wikipedia, the origin of the folk custom is unclear, though they cite the Encyclopedia of English Folklore, saying “the first 'clear’ references to the tradition appear in the 17th century.” In other words, it’s not so much a religious tradition as it is a warm one.
When did it become a TV thing? The Yule log first premiered on TV in 1966, on WPIX Channel 11 in New York City (now known as PIX 11). New Yorkers can still find it there, while parent company Tribune Media’s other stations (WGN-TV in Chicago and WGN America) also air it nationally. Local public access stations are known to air their own versions as well. InDemand has also created a Yule log video available On Demand for Comcast Xfinity, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Cablevision Optimum, and RCN subscribers.
(Photo: WPIX)
So whose fireplace is that? The first one was shot at Gracie Mansion, the home of then mayor of New York John Lindsay, but PIX 11 was refused access after that to re-film. Now, they shoot theirs at a private home in California. On Demand filmed theirs in front of a staffer’s fireplace.
Related: Flames Not Enough? Here Are 8 Alternative Yule Logs
What makes the perfect fireplace for a Yule log? “First of all, it has to be fireproof,” Brendan Connors, vice president of creative services at In Demand, explains to Yahoo TV. “It needs a certain size. You want a bit of a robust, almost regal fireplace … but you also want something that feels authentic, which is why we opted away from a studio. This is a real home, with a real, wonderful, rich, hearthy fireplace.”
Who does the decorations? Those are from staff members’ personal collections, as well. Kinda makes you feel warm and fuzzy, eh?
Where does the log come from? “It is delivered magically by eight reindeer from the North Pole,” Connors teases.
(GIF: In Demand)
Has the log ever rolled out and created a catastrophe? “We go through great pains to make sure everything is merry and bright and safe,” Connors says, clearly on a roll himself.
How long is the loop? This obviously varies from log to log, but PIX 11’s is a seven-minute loop that runs four straight hours, while On Demand’s is an hour (which you can restart over and over and over).
We don’t always trust reality television, so for one hour of Yule log footage, how many hours are really filmed? Four.
And how many logs are we really seeing? “We have several logs in the hearth there, and we might add one or two,” Connors confesses. “Look, at certain points, they get a little ashy, so we put another one in there to keep it fresh and that fire burning.”
How often do these videos get refreshed? “We refresh it every couple of years,” Connors says, noting that they’re always trying to incorporate the latest technologies like high-def and 3D. PIX’s has been digitally re-mastered and restored as well, most recently in 2009.
What’s the viewership like? “It’s consistently one of our most popular pieces of content, year in and year out,” Connors insists. “It gets bigger and bigger every year.”
Does the Yule log have a Twitter account? It’s a hit show — of course it does! And it has a Facebook page. And fan merch available on CafePress.
