A Brief History of Christmas
Reported By: Sierra Reisman
Illustrated By: Addie Patterson
There are lights on the trees, it’s finally socially acceptable to play Christmas music, and finals are upon us. In other words? It’s almost Christmas! Most people understand Christmas to be a Christian holiday, a celebration of the birth of Jesus that has been adopted by the larger secular culture as a time of family, friends and giving (not to mention rampant consumerism). It is not as well known however, exactly how the Christmas traditions we know and love came to be, and how this presumed Christian holiday has been influenced by a variety of religions and cultures.
Many of our modern Christmas traditions stem from the celebration of Yule, a pagan holiday created by Germanic tribes which celebrated the winter solstice and the return of light. The Yule celebration would begin on the winter solstice, which under the old Julian Calendar fell on December 25, and would last for 12 days. During this Yuletide season, it was believed the Wild Hunt roamed the sky led by the god Odin, and people would leave gifts out to ensure the Hunt passed safely.
A Yule Log was also an important tradition, in which a tree would be kept burning during the 12-day period to ward off the darkness. Plants such as holly, ivy and mistletoe would be hung around the house to symbolize the coming of new life. People would even bring fir trees into their homes, as the evergreen tree was a symbol of spring. Some decorate their trees with offerings to tree spirits, enticing them to bring spring sooner.
The legend of Santa Claus owes its origin to a variety of sources. As a bearded and cloaked man who travels through the sky during the Yuletide season, the god Odin undoubtedly inspired the image of Santa. In addition, Santa Claus is inspired by Saint Nicholas, a real historical figure of the 4th century church, and a patron saint of children. Interestingly, although Santa Claus has a much clearer Christian origin than most Christmas traditions, Santa Claus remains one of the more secular aspects of Christmas.
In addition to the Germanic Yule celebration, the Roman pagans also celebrated the festival of Saturnalia around December 25. The Saturnalia celebration, honoring the God Saturn, also involved lights, gift-giving, and decorations such as wreaths. When the Roman empire eventually became Christian, it appears that Saturnalia was effectively co-opted as a celebration of Jesus’s birth. Since the Bible provides no specific date for the birth of Jesus, choosing December 25 was a convenient way of easing the transition from paganism to Christianity.
Given the numerous pagan influences on the Christmas holiday, it’s no wonder that it wasn’t widely embraced by Christians in the U.S. until the 19th century. In fact, Puritans in Massachusetts banned Christmas celebrations in 1659, believing them to be self-indulgent and sinful. Even the early Quakers objected to the frivolousness of Christmas, with George Fox himself condemning the holiday.
Regardless of its origins, the Christmas season is for celebrating family and community. Our American culture often turns Christmas time into a consumerist frenzy, and taking the time to learn the origins of the many traditions we take for granted should remind us all of the importance of slowing down and actually celebrating this holiday season. The next time you hang an ornament on the Christmas tree, remember that hundreds of years ago, people of very different beliefs and cultures were doing the exact same thing.