Evergreens symbolize power over death since they could last the winter and not die.
Gift exchanging thought to have originated in Babylonia with Zagmuk, the tradition gained popularity with Roman saturnalia festivities then later Christians adopted this custom but attributed it to the magi.
Mistletoe was first used in Greek ceremonies during winter. The berried plant symbolized the semen of the god and was hung over doorways for protection. The kiss was from a Norse legend that Frigg ( the mother of balder) loved her son so much that she couldn't bear the thought of something happening to him. she made a pact with the four elements that nothing in their realms would do him harm. Loki (the god of mayhem) was up to his regular mischief. he fashioned an arrow form mistletoe and gave it to balder's blind brother. At Loki's instruction the arrow was shot and balder fell dead. The wash of Frigg's tears restored her son to life, and she was so happy that she declared the mistletoe a plant of luck, love and promise. since ancient times, people have been kissing under the mistletoe- some of them unwittingly- to receive Frigg's blessings.
The colors of Christmas represent fertility in many ancient religions. Santa was colored differently in the past. Colors of Santa today were created by Coca Cola. Before the Coke Santa ads of the early twentieth century, Santas and Father Christmases came in every color of the rainbow. In fact, one famous Thomas Nast illustration of Santa during the civil war had him dressed up like the stars and stripes. I know that even today, many British Father Christmases are lean and dressed in green robes.
The first American Christmas Celebration took place in Jamestown in 1607. It was a device to cheer up the forty settlers who had survived living in the new world.
St. Francis of Assisi introduced the singing of carols to the holiday church services.
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OTHER HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS: Many traditions blend togethers, as countries and cities were conquered many traditions we know are shards of some of these ancient winter celebrations.
* Amaterasu (Japanese)
December 21 is the Druidic celebration of Alban Arthuan in which gifts and charity are showered upon the poor.
> * Beiwe (Finnish)
> * Dong Zhi (Buddhist) - 22nd
> * Hogmanay (Scottish)- 31st
>
> * Inti Raymi (Incan)
> * Saturnalia (Roman) 17-23rd _role reversal
> * Sol Invictus (Roman) 19th and 25th
> * Soyal (Hopi)
>
> * Tekufat Tebet (Jewish)
> * Wayeb (Mayan)
> * Yule (Germanic)
> * Yalda (Persian)
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The ancient European pagans celebrated the midwinter festival and a number of other festivals long before Christianity ever existed!
Babylonians celebrated the feast of the Son of Isis with gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift giving and the goddess of fertility, love, and war.
The Romans held a festival on 25 December called “Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, celebrating their own god Sol Invictas .
The Persian god Mithras, the Syrian sun god Elah Gabal, the German Sol, the Greek Helios and the Mesopotamian Shamash. But also Saturnalia, honouring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. The law courts and schools were closed. No public business could be transacted an this is where the holidays originated.
Wax tapers were given by the more humble to their superiors. The origin of the Christmas candles.
In Rome groups of costumed went from house to house entertaining their people. And this was where the caroling Christmas tradition originated.
Statues of the Mother and lover or Mother and son were paraded through the streets not only in Italy but also in Africa, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Bulgaria. Thus, the symbolism of the Heavenly Virgin and the infant child paraded on a yearly basis are not of Christian origin. They stem from the Mother-goddess religion, which is very ancient.
Scandinavian countries celebrated Yule honouring Thor.
In Germania (not Germany) they celebrated midwinter night followed by 12 wild nights of eating and drinking. The 12 days of Christmas.
The church under Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25 in 350 AD in order to try to convert pagans but it was largely ignored. Christians did not really celebrate Christmas until 378 but it was then dropped in 381 and not resurrected until 400.
The Christmas tree stems from pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of holly boughs ivy and other foliage as an adaptation of pagan tree worship. Holly and ivy represented male and female. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual.
Santa Claus came from Odin and the Dutch “Sinterklaas” and was a tall figure riding a white horse through the air and usually accompanied by Black Peter, an elf who punished disobedient children. Also the origin of the reindeer, sleigh and the elves.
America actually banned Christmas several times and is the originator of the expression “Happy Holidays” which came about because of the pagan origins of Christmas to include all religions and traditions!!
The Venerable Bede, an early Christian writer pointed out that the Christian church absorbed Pagan practices when it found the population unwilling to give up the festivals.
