By Marlene Brown
As part of Christmas activities, the Town of Palmer Lake, with the Palmer Lake Historical Society (PLHS) helping with the ceremonies, held the 90th Annual Yule Log Hunt on Dec. 17 at the Palmer Lake Town Hall. The event is known to be the longest-running yule log ceremony in the United States.
The yule log celebration was brought to Palmer Lake by Lucretia Vaile and Miss Evalena in 1933. Fifty people wearing red and green capes went on the hunt for the hidden log. The first yule log was found by C.R. Hays. He then rode the log back to town pulled by the other hunters. They were greeted by 200 cheering residents and visitors. The log was cut in half, half of the log was burned, and the other half was saved for the next year.
This year’s yule log was found by Josephine Maslak of Erie, Colo. The log was then cut in half with a hand saw. Half of the log was burned in the fireplace at the Town Hall. According to tradition, Christmas songs are sung by everyone in the Town Hall, then the first drink of the wassail, a traditional warm drink of apple cider and spices, is served to the finder of the log, and all the guests are then welcome to partake in a cup of wassail.
The Town of Palmer Lake supports the Yule Log Hunt and has proclaimed the second Sunday before Christmas to be known as Yule Log Sunday. Many thanks to Palmer Lake Yule Log Association for continuing the traditions of Yule Log Hunt. See its Facebook page—Palmer Lake Yule Log—for more information.
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The next event for the PLHS will be at 6 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 18 (doors open at 5:30 p.m.). The Annual Potluck Supper and Membership Meeting will be held at the Palmer Lake Town Hall. A brief business meeting will include a recap of 2023 and the election of 2024 officers. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, go to www.palmerdividehistory.org.
Marlene Brown can be reached at malenebrown@ocn.me
Other Palmer Lake Historical Society (PLHS) articles
- Palmer Lake Historical Society, May 15 – Author recounts life of Nikola Tesla (6/7/2025)
- Palmer Lake Historical Society, April 17 – Women of the Colorado gold rush era (5/3/2025)
- Palmer Lake Historical Society, April 21 – General Palmer’s life explored (4/5/2025)
- Palmer Lake Historical Society, Jan. 16 – 2024 events recalled (2/1/2025)
- Palmer Lake Historical Society, Dec. 19 – Palmer Lake holds 91st annual Yule Log Hunt (1/4/2025)
- Palmer Lake Historical Society, Nov. 21 – Life of town hero explored (12/5/2024)
- Palmer Lake Historical Society, Oct. 17 – How the star and Town Hall became historic places (11/2/2024)
- Palmer Lake Historical Society, Sep. 19 – Author focuses on Old West (10/5/2024)
- Palmer Lake Historical Society, June 6 – Book launch (7/6/2024)
- Palmer Lake Historical Society, May 18 – Colorado’s Rosie the Riveter (6/1/2024)