Here are some commonly believed facts about Christmas:
1) Christ was not born on the 25th of December:
It’s commonly believed that the Catholic Church in trying to appease the pagan holidays of celebrating the winter solstice and the holiday Saturnalia (Festival of Saturn), mixed the birth of Christ to reside on these holidays. On the 25th of December the festival of Saturnalia would celebrate “The unconqureable birth of the Eternal Sun”. I think this if I were a church leader of the time, that would be a good day to meld the birth of Christ (Birth of the Eternal Sun). Saturnalia was a celebration of drunkeness, wine, “making merry”, and often times giving the gift of oneself (hint hint nudge nudge).
2) Mistletoe:
There are two references for mistletoe. One is that the Scandinavian goddess Friga after her son was killed by a mistletoe arrow (missle?), decided that mistletoe should never be used for violence again but instead as a symbol of love. In respect, people would hang the mistletoe in their houses and kiss under it. Another reference for mistletoe is that the Druid leader would climb a tree and with a golden knife and cut off mistletoe. It was believed that mistletoe possesd magical and curative properties. The Druid leader would then disperse the mistletoe to the people and they would hang it in their houses. Unfortunately usually a white bull or a person was sacrificed during the ritual to appease the angry Druid god that might become irritated that they took the mistletoe
3)Yule log:
This Scandinavians offered a log to the fertility god Jules during the 12 days of rite (which fell sometime around the winter soltice). Makes you wonder where we got the idea for 12 days of Christmas
4) Christmas Tree:
Well once again the Druids around the solstice would take an evergreen tree, bring it inside, and hang fruit on it and put food under it as an offering to the gods. The tree would symbolize reproduction, life and the everlasting bounty of nature.
I have a few friends that don’t celebrate Halloween in regards to its pagan nature and see no value in it. Even though Halloween brings communities together, makes kids laugh, multiplies candy, belittles evil, and is fun, celebrating such a holiday appears to question their moral Christian principles. I wonder if the Church had decided to incorporate Samhain (pagan holiday) and Christ’s birth if some Christians would be more apt to celebrate the holiday of Halloween. It does seem that Christmas (probably due to its commercial push and the multitude of Christian sheep corraled into the stalls of justification) is viewed primarily as a Christian Holiday, and therefore most Christians can celebrate the holiday without a sered conscious.
I suppose (once again) it’s all the Church’s fault. Trying to appease the lost pagan’s concerning their traditional beliefs. The bible said not to be unequally yoked, right? Maybe in the end we just “messed up” the pagan’s holidays and “messed up” what could have been untainted holy days set apart for God. Now at best we are doomed to Pagan Christianity and what’s more, what and where the church leads us.
“Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace and goodwill towards men.”
-Drew
