The History and Origin of Christmas

-- End Ad Box --->celebration. Christmas did not return as a Christian
The origin of Christmas stemmed from paganholiday in England until Charles II came to power.
festivals like the popular Roman Saturnalia, whichDuring that period in history when the Puritans
celebrated Winter Solstice.descended upon America, Christmas was not
In the early pre-Christian era, winter celebrationsrecognized as a Christian festivity.
were very popular and followed pagan rituals.Once the colonies became independent, English
Paganism in Europe celebrated light and theinfluence and practices declined and our
darkest days of winter, the Winter Solstice.forefathers restored Christmas.
What is Paganism?Over time, as Christians adopted Christmas and
Paganism describes the ancient and modernattended Christmas Mass, it became a tradition at
religions which identify Nature as the body of thethe end of Mass to enter into wild celebrations of
Divine. Pagans often speak of many Gods anddrinking similar to the Mardi Gras festivals, and It
Goddesses. Paganism refers to the religions ofwasn’t until the nineteenth century when
ancient Greece and Rome and the surroundingthe practice of Christmas and the festival like
areas.celebrations ceased and gave way to observing
Early Europeans marked the year's longest nightChristmas with family values and traditions.
-- Winter solstice — to celebrate the worstSeveral events came into play in the Nineteenth
of the winter being behind them as they lookcentury that changed the observance of
ahead to longer days and extended hours ofChristmas to become a family focused tradition.
sunlight. During this celebration, they slaughteredNew York City created the first full time, salaried
livestock that could not be kept through thePolice Force in America and assigned it a riot
winter and feasted from late December throughcontrol function to combat the increasing race and
January. German pagans honored Oden, aindustrial riots, as well as Christmas celebrations
frightening god who flew over settlements atthat were getting out of control. The other was
night, blessing some people and cursing others.Washington Irving who authored a collection of
The Norse in Scandinavia celebrated Yule tide,short stories on The Sketchbook of Geoffrey
with families burning a giant log and feasting on itCrayon, and the celebration of Christmas in an
until it turned to ash. Sound like today’sEnglish country house. The Christmas stories
Christmas? You Bet!portrayed an English noble man who invited the
Nowhere in the New Testament do we see Jesus'poor into his home to celebrate Christmas in a
disciples observing His birthday. Jesus wasn't borncaring, friendly manner to bridge the gap between
on December 25th. The apostles did not honorthe haves and have-not. Irving's writings were
pagan rituals, and accordingly, preached to otherbelieved to have widespread influence in
Christians to avoid the pagan rituals. As a result,establishing the tradition and meaning of Christmas
the early Christians didn't observe Jesus' birthday.of being a caring, non- status oriented observance
No one knows the birth date of Jesus, or evenof Christmas.
what year. Jesus, according to many historiansChristmas wasn't declared a federal holiday in the
was born in the springtime. The origin ofUS until June 26, 1870. However, on December 6,
Christmas took place in 336 AD. Pope Julius I1999, federal judge U.S. District Judge Susan J.
declared the birth and celebration of Jesus’Dlott ruled that Christmas has become so secular
birthday as Christmas and chose December 25ththat the government does not violate the
because it coincided with the pagan traditions ofConstitution by declaring it a federal legal holiday.
Winter Solstice. The purpose was to replace theToday, Christmas has evolved to being a
pagan celebrations with the Christian one.multicultural, multi-religious holiday celebrated
Most Christmas customs, the decorating thethroughout the world. In the US over 90% of the
evergreen “Christmas” tree, the hanging ofpopulation celebrates Christmas. Depending on
mistletoe, gift exchanges, and Santa Claus, allnational and local customs, it integrates sun
came from pagan winter practices and secularworship, polytheism, pagan nature religions,
traditions that were celebrated throughout Europe.Christianity, and other later myths and traditions.
Christmas as we know it today, is not only a mixChristmas has now become for the most part. a
of ancient pagan practices and hundreds of yearssecular holiday and a commercial enterprise with
of adopting secular and religious traditions, it alsomany mass-produced symbols and decorations,
has a Victorian period influence that affected theincluding Santa Claus's red uniform, designed by
practice and acceptance of Christmas.Coca Cola.
As early as the seventeenth century theThe celebration of Christmas is enjoyed by nearly
celebration of Christmas was still regarded as aeveryone! The non-religious celebrate the joyous
pagan festival that was not permitted in Englandtraditions. The Christians believe that Christmas
and in many of the English colonies in America. Ithas something to do with Christ and celebrate
took almost 800 years for Christmas to becomereligious rituals. The pagans celebrate nature and
the important festival it is today. In the earlythe tie-in with Winter Solstice. Commercial
seventeenth century, England’s colorfulenterprises enjoy the profits from the sale of
leader Oliver Cromwell, a Puritan who followed thedecorations, symbols, and gifts.
Bible to the word, banned Christmas as a Pagan