For those of you that think Christmas is a holiday solely intended to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, I challenge you to do a little research. I admit that when the Church came up with the idea for the Christmas celebration sometime in the 4th century, that is what it was intended to commemorate. The traditions and festivities, however, go back way farther than that.
I am not going to start a debate about religion, this isn't the place. But purely for educational purposes, I am going to quote a few historical facts.
"Christmas was superimposed over great year-end festivals which were very popular in the Graeco-Roman world.
Firstly, the customs of giving presents, eating too much and generally having fun comes from the Roman festival Saturnalia which used to be celebrated around December 17.
Saturn was the Roman God of agriculture and plenty, and gift giving symbolised the redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor during the season of greatest hardship. Big feasts were generally laid on by the rich to feed their poorer neighbours.
The next big ancient festival was the solstice feast of Mithras, the Roman God of light on December 25. This was the one adopted by Christians sometime around the 4th century as the birthday of Jesus. Traditionally, this festival marked the renewal of hope.
Some celebrated the rebirth of the sun at midwinter, rather than the birth of the Son of God celebrated by Christians at this time. The renewed ascent of the sun in the sky beginning at the winter solstice was symbolically reenacted as a battle between the oak tree of the summer and the holly tree of the winter. The bright red berries of the holly bush represented fertility in the depths of the dormant winter, a promise of the return of light, warmth and light.
The Winter Solstice occurs on the 21st December in the Northern hemisphere, 21st June in the Southern Hemisphere. Known as the Festival of Yule, the winter solstice is the shortest day, and the longest night of the year. The Celtic fire festival of Yule was a time of renewal and rebirth, celebrated by lighting fires to welcome back the lengthening days. The remnants of this practice may be found in the charming tradition of the Yule log, still enjoyed by many people at Christmas even today."
Regardless of what you believe or how you celebrate, please acknowledge that your traditions may have deeper roots or different meanings than what they stand for now. Therefore, you cannot lay claim to Christmas as a holiday that ONLY celebrates the birth of Christ. If I, and my family, enjoy Christmas as a time to celebrate giving to others and the rebirth of the sun and the light, if we venerate a man who gives gifts and owns flying reindeer, please allow us to celebrate in OUR way and give our traditions the respect that we give yours.
All religions and traditions are just as valid. Just because I choose to tell you Happy Holidays does not mean I don't respect yours, just that I do not share them.
