What does "yule" mean?

Yule: Christmas or Christmastide; the feast of the Nativity of our Savior. And at each pause they kiss; was never seen such rule In any place but here, at bonfire, or at Yule. Drayton. Yule block, or Yule log, a large log of wood formerly put on the hearth of Christmas eve, as the foundation of the fire. It was brought in with much ceremony. -- Yule clog, the yule log. Halliwell. W. Irving.