The holidays are upon us and nothing beats sitting around a warm fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate while you celebrate with your loved ones. Unfortunately for some of us, an actual fireplace can be hard to come by, so we turn to virtual yule log videos for some much-needed winter ambience.
Since the first yule log broadcast in 1966, the cozy videos have been a holiday staple in many households. The first yule log was a short, grainy clip of a fireplace but it went on to be a hit and a version of the original yule log continues to air every Christmas. Luckily, we’ve come a long way since the first yule log and now, there are thousands of virtual fireplaces to enjoy during the holiday season.
With so many videos to choose from, choosing the best yule log can be overwhelming. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered: we compiled a list of the best yule logs and fireplace videos to stream during those cold, winter nights you need some extra comfort. For this list, we considered more traditional yule logs as well as a few fandom-related yule logs for some variation.
Here are our 10 favorite yule logs to stream this holiday.
Christmas Coffee Shop Bookstore Fireplace
This cozy bookstore cafe is warm and inviting with a beautiful fireplace and Christmas decorations. The jazzy Christmas classics soundtracking the video are perfect background noise for a holiday gathering or for when you’re trying to get some last-minute work done. As snow falls outside the tall windows, we can’t help but wish we were really sitting in one of the comfortable armchairs next to the fireplace drinking a delicious warm beverage.
Lil Bub’s Magical Yule Log
This hour-long video features celebrity cat Lil Bub as she sits in front of a warm fireplace. There’s something comforting about watching a happy kitty purring and dozing in such a cozy environment and we love watching this yule log when we need a pick-me-up. This is a very simple video but the crackling fireplace sounds and Bub’s loud purrs make it perfect background for a winter night. Lil Bub unfortunately passed away in 2019 but this video serves as a reminder of the impact the amazing kitty had on many people during her short life, and we enjoy this wholesome yule log in her memory.
Three Broomsticks Fireplace ASMR
This magical fireplace video transports you to the Three Broomsticks, our favorite Hogsmeade pub. Enjoy the sounds of chatter, the crackling fireplace, and, of course, lots of butterbeer as you play this ambient video. Grab a beverage of your choice and you can easily imagine you’re sitting at your own table while Harry and the gang converse in the background. The photoshopped aspects can come across as a bit cheesy but we still enjoy this glimpse into our favorite café near Hogwarts.
‘Animal Crossing’ Yule Log
If you’re like us and are worried about disappointing your villagers after a nearly three-year-long absence, you’ll enjoy this Animal Crossing New Horizons’ Yule Log. This way you can enjoy a cute winter scene without stepping foot on your island and dealing with all the new weeds that have surely popped up while you were away. We should really log in and spruce up the place for the holidays but until then, let’s enjoy this fireplace together.
Darth Vader Yule Log
For those who love Star Wars, please consider this festive yule log. This video allows you to celebrate the holidays around a warm fire as Darth Vader burns in this ceremonial ritual on Endor. The yule log comes complete with typical ambient fireplace sounds so you can listen to Sith Lord ASMR for a total of five hours from the comfort of your home. May the force be with you this holiday season.
Eye of Sauron Yule Log
In a similar vein, Lord of the Rings’ fans can enjoy this Eye of Sauron yule log from the official Warner Bros. YouTube channel. As per the description, “he sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake.” As long as Sauron is always watching, we know we can rest easy this holiday season. Just be warned, you might be in for a bit of a surprise if you stick around for thirty minutes of this video.
A Happy & Friends Yule Log
Here’s another yule log for the animal-lovers; this Hallmark fireplace video stars a variety of puppies, kittens, and bunnies as they hang out in front of a warm Christmas scene. Holiday classics play in the background as the animals parade in and out of frame. This video doesn’t have many fire-crackling sounds, but it makes up for this by the sheer number of cute animals it shows us during its three hour runtime.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Snoggletog Yule Log
Fans of Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon universe will enjoy this “Snoggletog Log” which shows us Hiccup, Astrid, Toothless, and friends as they prepare for their holiday celebration. This video is shorter than many yule logs, but most of those are one clip looped many times and this is a whole freshly-animated sequence, which makes the 28-minute video impressive. We would love to celebrate Snoggletog with the gang but we’ll make due with watching some cozy dragon cuddles.
Nick Offerman’s Yule Log
If you’re tired of drinking alone this holiday season, give drinking with Nick Offerman a try. In this extended video, you can crack open a cold one with Offerman as he silently drinks whiskey and looks at the camera with something resembling affection. Whether you’re drinking yourself or just want to feel less alone on a cold winter night, give this video a watch and you’ll cheer right up. This is probably the closest most of us will get to hanging out with the man himself, so we’ll happily enjoy 10 hours of virtually sitting with Offerman.
Lofi Girl Cozy Winter
Lofi Girl is an ambient video classic and this seasonal variation is just as relaxing. If you need to focus on some work or just want some pleasant lofi beats to play in the background of a casual holiday party, this is the video for you. The combination of chill instrumental music and the occasional wood crackling noise makes this a pleasant fireplace video to play during the holiday season. The beautiful, cozy artwork is an added bonus.
There are many more fireplace and yule log videos available to stream during the holidays, but we hope you enjoy the offerings on this list when you need some cold weather cheer. Happy holidays!
