Claim: Odin is a god.

Yule or Yuletide -LRB- `` Yule time '' -RRB- is a festival observed by the historical Germanic peoples . Scholars have connected the celebration to the Wild Hunt , the god Odin , and the pagan Anglo-Saxon Mōdraniht . It later underwent Christianised reformulation resulting in the term Christmastide .   Terms with an etymological equivalent to Yule are used in the Nordic countries for Christmas with its religious rites , but also for the holidays of this season . Today Yule is also used to a lesser extent in the English-speaking world as a synonym for Christmas . Present day Christmas customs such as the Yule log , Yule goat , Yule boar , Yule singing , and others stem from pagan Yule . Today the event is celebrated in Heathenry and some other forms of Modern Paganism .