In modern Norway some people still give corn to magpies.

Just as Saturnalia was a major Solstice celebration for southern Europe, so was Yuletide in the north. The word Yule was the name of the time period now divided into December & January. It involved bringing into homes: ivy, holly, mistletoe & a tree to be decorated in honor of Odin. Odin gained knowledge & transcended death after being hung from a tree - instead of a cross. A Yule log was burned in honor of Thor. They wouldn't cut a tree down for this; they made the effort to find a fallen log that would burn for days. Over the Yule log's fire was cooked a boar (in honor of Freyr) for the community to feast upon.