Merry Christmas on a summer day in NZ

It is Christmas eve. The sun is shining and the palm trees in my yard are green. I have many great memories from years of sharing the spirit of Christmas with friends and family...

While Christians celebrate the birth of Christ, the origins of celebrating Christmas go back much further and originate in pagan traditions. Can this be acknowledged without offending Christians?

Pagan origins of Christmas

Christmas, as a Christian day of celebration, is traced back to the 3rd and 4th centuries at a time the growing church institution began to define theological beliefs as an ordered system. December 25th, coming only four days after the Winter Solstice (depending on which calendar style is being used), corresponded to a number of ancient celebrations honoring the sun.

The decorated Christmas tree is traced back to the pagan peoples of barbarian Europe, particularly the Germanic groups, that hung gifts meant for their deities on sacred trees. Similarly, the Yule log is frequently traced to Scandinavia where a large tree trunk was burned on the night of the Winter Solstice. The etymology of the word “jolly” finds roots in the Nordic term “jol” which is associated with yule.

More on "Yule"and Norse origines

The word itself “Yule” is sometimes attributed to a similar Scandinavian word that means “wheel”. However, this seems unlikely, as the word Yule predates the introduction of the wheel by more than a thousand years. Still, the association to the wheel of the year is apt. To the Celts, arriving late to the northern latitudes, the Winter Solstice was called Alban Arthuan, after the Arthurian legend that placed the birth of King Arthur on the Solstice. The term means, literally, “Light of Arthur”.

To celebrate this longest night and the return of the sun, the Celts lit huge fires, as on Beltane and Samhain. Burning the Yule log comes from this custom. The ceremony starts by lighting the new log with the remains of last year’s fire—thus confirming the unbroken cycle of the seasons. If the log burnt for twelve hours it was said to be a good omen for the coming year.

When the missionaries arrived on the backs of the Roman invaders they usurped the Pagan holidays and gave them Christian themes. The winter solstice became the birth of Christ—Christmas--though Christ was most likely born in a warm month since the Romans never called for a census in the winter.

Later Martin Luther adapted a Pagan custom when he wrote of a silent night when stars shone through the boughs of a fir tree giving him the idea for the Christmas tree. The practice was already in use a thousands of years before in the Celtic custom of placing small torches in the branches of trees on the night of the solstice.

Today Christmas, primarily commercial, hangs on by a thread to its spiritual roots. In celebrating Yule we regain our connection with the seasons of the year and the Wheel of Life. The shortest day is also the longest night. Balance and harmony prevail in the realm of our Pagan Gods and Goddesses.

On what day was Christ born?

No one knows what day Jesus was born, or even exactly what year, but in 336 A.D., the Western Church, based in Rome, chose December 25 to celebrate as Christmas, meaning "Christ's Mass." The Eastern Church chose January 6. The day was named Epiphany, meaning "appearance." Eventually the period from December 25 to January 6 became known as the Twelve Days of Christmas.

There was an ancient pagan festival of lights at the winter solstice (Dec. 21-22) to celebrate the days beginning to get longer rather than shorter. During the 4th and 5th centuries A.D., many pagans were converted to Christianity, often by force, and the pagan and Christian traditions became intermingled because they occurred at the same time of year. The lights and feasting of Christmas may have originated from the pagan traditions.

Does any of this matter or can we all just get along?

In both religions, the holiday is a time to celebrate, to get together with friends and family and experience joy. It is a time when the earth is renewed, either through the natural return of the sun or by the birth of Christ. It is celebrated by both religions in a joyous manner, with good food, drink, religious services, and the giving of gifts.

Any attempt at snatching the Christmas tradition away from the hands of the Christian religious is futile. Denying the practices of modern pagans is just as disrespectful. Instead of arguing about who started it, or who owns the symbolic items of the holiday, perhaps people should concentrate on the most important aspects of the holiday: joy, generosity, new beginnings, and love.

Perhaps hidden meaning of Christmas might be found in nature, the sun and the stars:

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night...