In the Western world, the birthday of Jesus Christ has been celebrated on December 25th since AD 354, replacing an earlier date of January 6th.
The Christians had by then appropriated many pagan festivals and
traditions of the season, that were practiced in many parts of the
Middle East and Europe, as a means of stamping them out.
There were mid-winter festivals in
ancient Babylon and Egypt, and Germanic fertility festivals also took
place at this time. The birth of the ancient sun-god Attis in Phrygia
was celebrated on December 25th, as was the birth of the
Persian sun-god, Mithras. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a festival
dedicated to Saturn, the god of peace and plenty, that ran from the 17th to 24th
of December. Public gathering places were decorated with flowers, gifts
and candles were exchanged and the population, slaves and masters
alike, celebrated the occasion with great enthusiasm.
In Scandinavia, a period of
festivities known as Yule contributed another impetus to celebration, as
opposed to spirituality. As Winter ended the growing season, the
opportunity of enjoying the Summer's bounty encouraged much feasting and
merriment.
The Celtic culture of the British
Isles revered all green plants, but particularly mistletoe and holly.
These were important symbols of fertility and were used for decorating
their homes and altars.
New Christmas customs appeared in the
Middle Ages. The most prominent contribution was the carol, which by
the 14th century had become associated with the religious observance of
the birth of Christ.
In Italy, a tradition developed for
re-enacting the birth of Christ and the construction of scenes of the
nativity. This is said to have been introduced by Saint Francis as part
of his efforts to bring spiritual knowledge to the laity.
Saints Days have also contributed to
our Christmas celebrations. A prominent figure in today's Christmas is
Saint Nicholas who for centuries has been
honored on December 6th. He was one of the forerunners of Santa Claus.
Another popular ritual was the burning
of the Yule Log, which is strongly embedded in the pagan worship of
vegetation and fire, as well as being associated with magical and
spiritual powers.
Celebrating Christmas has been
controversial since its inception. Since numerous festivities found
their roots in pagan practices, they were greatly frowned upon by
conservatives within the Church. The feasting, gift-giving and frequent
excesses presented a drastic contrast with the simplicity of the
Nativity, and many people throughout the centuries and into the present,
condemn such practices as being contrary to the true spirit of
Christmas.
The earliest English reference to December 25th as Christmas Day did not come until 1043.
