Modranecht

Yulefest has no true set date, but traditionally it encomes a twelve day period started on the Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice, having the longest night and shortest day, takes place on or around December 20th in the northern hemisphere, and on or around June 20th in the southern hemisohere. Some people even start celebrating on the 20th regardless of the Solstice, due to the fact that when starting on the twentieth, one would conclude Yule on the 31st, which holds varying significance to people as Oath Night.

This year(2019), in the northern hemisphere the solstice takes place on December 21st, and in the southern hemisphere takes place in June 21st.

The first night of Yulefest-commonly Yuletide, or Yule-is set on the day of the the Winter Solstice, as mentioned before, and can also be refered to as Modranecht or Mothernight, representing the 'rebirth of the world from the darkness of Winter'. Originally the day was known by the Nordic people as Slaughter Night, on which they would bring out animals to be ritually slain to feed the community and Gods- but that has clearly changed since.

Coincidentally or not, Mothernight is also a day when female ancestral spirits, specifically Frigga and the Dísir are especially honored.

Frigga is considered the Queen of gods, and sometimes also the All-Mother, and is the wife of Odin in Nordic mythology. She is a goddess of wisdom, of societal relationships, including inter-dependence, companionship, social contracts and community. She is connected clearly with the Dísir, or female elves who are seen to be ancestresses of any family, and speculated to be a leader among them.