Netflix
If you are looking for a cozy fire to curl up in front of but don’t have a fireplace, the yule log is a great alternative. It has been around for over 50 years and in this day and age of TV, streaming apps, and websites, there are many ways to play this festive holiday tradition in your home. Here’s how to watch the 2019 yule log online.
The Original
The yule log originated in New York City in 1966. It was filmed at Gracie Mansion (which is where the New York City mayor resides) and aired on Christmas Eve until 1969, when the tape degraded, according to local station PIX11. A new yule log was filmed in 1970 and has aired ever since.
In 2019, PIX11 will air the original 1966 yule log from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET on Christmas morning (Wednesday, December 25). It will be streamed on PIX11.com and on the station’s Facebook page.
Then beginning at 9 a.m., the station will air the 1970 version of the yule log for two hours, also live-streamed on its site and Facebook page.
YouTube Options
YouTube has several yule log videos that can be streamed. The Streaming Relaxation channel features a 24/7 blazing fireplace while instrumental Christmas music plays in the background, as does the Lullaby Baby channel, though that one is an eight-hour video, rather than a 24-hour stream.
If you prefer your yule log with the simple sound of a crackling fire rather than holiday music, check out this 10-hour version from Christmas Time.
In 2015, actor Nick Offerman made a “yule log” that is 45 minutes of him sitting by a roaring fireplace drinking Lagavulin scotch. One intrepid YouTuber looped the 45-minute video into 10 hours of content and put that version online.
In an interview about the now-famous video, Offerman told Dinner Party Download that it was a dream gig, but they were still very responsible about how much he actually drank during the video.
“The rep for the company was there at the Yule log [taping] and they really did some math. And they said like — I forget how many sips I take, three or four, but they get out a chart and they’re like, ‘Look, it’s OK.’ Like, ‘You could take three sips.’ And so they would like give me the nod and like, ‘OK, 15 minutes has gone by, you can drink it again.’ A lot of thought goes into it what ends up being a pretty simple-looking task.”
Singer Michael Buble also has an hour-long version where you can hear both the crackling fire and songs from his Christmas album. And finally, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries has the Very Happy Yule Log, which features holiday music plus an adorable dog and cat sitting by the fire for three hours.
Netflix and Hulu
Netflix has three yule logs to choose from. The first is the original Fireplace For Your Home, which features a small fire while holiday music places over top. The second is Fireplace For Your Home: Classic Edition, which is a close-up on a roaring fire with nothing but the sound of wood cracking as a soundtrack. The third is Fireplace For Your Home: Birdwood Edition, which is much the same as the first version except it has a different kind of wood and therefore the sounds as a bit different.
Netflix also has the “gritty” version of the yule log (their words). This one features an oil drum fire in a graffitied alley with periodic sirens and shots in the background. It is called “A Home Fireplace: Bright Edition,” so named because it goes along with the 2017 Will Smith Netflix movie Bright.
Hulu, meanwhile, has a few offerings as well. The Terry Crews yule log from 2018, where NBC star Terry Crews paints a la Bob Ross is available on Hulu. It is strangely relaxing and lasts about 45 minutes.
Animal Planet is also offering a Christmas Day marathon of the Super Cute Yule Log, which features puppies, kittens and baby goats frolicking to holiday music, which can be streamed on Hulu. And finally, the SEC Network has a yule log — who knew?! — and it is airing on Hulu with Live TV at 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. ET on Christmas morning.
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How to Watch the 2019 Yule Log Online