The Winter Solstice is an ancient pagan holiday that has been celebrated by cultures all over the world for thousands of years. It marks the shortest day and longest night of the year and is believed to hold significant spiritual and astrological meaning. In many pagan traditions, the Winter Solstice is seen as a time of rebirth and renewal. It is seen as a turning point where the days start to get longer and the sunlight begins to return. This is often symbolized by the lighting of candles or bonfires, representing the triumph of light over darkness. The holiday is also closely associated with nature and the cycles of the Earth.
There was no ancient religion adhered to en masse in the British isles. There was no pagan religion standing opposed to encroaching Christians. Instead you had many religions based on an individual community’s needs, changeable at particular times, worshipping gods which we might not even recognize as gods today. When we find evidence of commonly recognized gods in ancient Britain, they tend to be northern European, not celtic.
There is no evidence that a thousand years after it was begun, the people finishing the job had any clue about what those who started it were trying to accomplish. Her concept involved a branch of witchcraft which had gone pretty much unchanged and undetected throughout the centuries, and that a careful reading of the transcripts of the witch trials made it possible to understand their belief system.
The holiday is also closely associated with nature and the cycles of the Earth. Many pagans celebrate the Solstice by participating in rituals or ceremonies that honor the natural world. This may involve gathering in sacred places, such as forests or mountains, and engaging in meditation or prayer to connect with the energy of the Earth.
Happy Solstice! Let’s Talk About How Christmas Is Pagan.
Merry Solstice, the day where we recognize that the war on Christmas was won before it even started because all the good stuff about Christmas comes from pagan traditions. Actually we’re here to talk about all the winter traditions that celebrate this, the shortest day.
First, let’s talk about the date and the actual Solstice and why there are festivals of light in all sorts of cultures and faiths thing time of year: it’s dark. The winter solstice is the longest night and shortest day of the year and so a lot of cultures have winter festivals of light: Channukah is certainly one, the Chinese celebrate the Dongzhi festival at the solstice, and so is Diwali in India. The pagan, neolithic Britons built Stonehenge to mark the solstice and look for the light to return and be reborn.
The solstice is primal and having a celebration at this, the literal darkest time of the year to celebrate light is not only logical, in its way, but a natural human response to the world. The date of Christmas as we know it was probably moved to coincide with the Roman festival of Saturnalia. Within that big winter party was a celebration of a sun god, including an assimilated Persian god of light, Mithras or just the sun in general. Romans adopted Christianity and probably moved the date, as with many things. But it makes sense to celebrate the birth of god/light in the darkest time because of the solstice.
This is why there’s Christmas at Hogwarts.
So the date and even the nature of Christmas is not exclusively Christian, but the trimmings and trappings of the holiday are definitely pagan. The tradition of the Christmas tree comes from, yes, solstice traditions, where pagans would bring evergreen branches into their homes as a symbol of life persevering through the Yuletide. The same symbolism applied to holly and mistletoe. The yule log was an actual tree that german pagans cut down and burned through the night (and longer) to keep light alive.
Traditions have a way of evolving and changing of course. The Christmas tree came into popularity in Germany in the 17th century, and made its way over to England in the Victorian era – in fact it was Victoria that popularized it. And now, we don’t burn yule logs but we still keep the light alive in this season…with Christmas lights.
Presents and bounty at Christmas? That’s a long complicated path too. The magi brought gifts, yes, but again it’s about celebrating life and bounty in the darkest, dead season. Also, the solstice has a long association with children. If we go back to that Roman festival of Mithralia, it was part of a larger monthlong solstice adjacent party called Saturnalia. One of the sub-festivals was Juvenalia – a festival of children. So Christmas has always been there…
Which brings us to…Santa.
Saint Nicholas was a fourth-century saint, based on a possibly real Turkish or Greek bishop and a patron of beggars, prostitutes, and children. Santa passed down the years and took on characteristics of various Pagan figures, like, and old man Odin who rides a flying horse and leaves gifts for children in their boots. This is much like the Swedish folk legend of the Tomten – a cute little gnome in red that leaves treats in shoes.
Shoes became stockings, Odin and St. Nick and Tomten merged. Things grow and change. Santa also bears some resemblance to the Holly King, one of two aspects of Celtic pagan god that rules half of the year and then succumbs to the oak king. It’s another story of death and rebirth, of light retuning that resonates through the years. Sadly, we can’t find a pagan origin for the little guy that poops in nativities in Spain, but he’s great.
It’s ironic that the Fox News crowd yells so much about the “War on Christmas” because most of what makes the season what it is has decidedly un-Christian origins. From caroling that came from wassailing to decking the halls, it’s all older than they think, and far more about the longest night than what happened away in a manger. But it’s still about life, and giving, and warmth.
To close out, I want to share one last blending of traditions, new and old. In the 70s a show began in Hartford Connecticut called “The Christmas Revels” which blended music and traditions of Christmas and the solstice to create a community experience that celebrates specific cultures and stories of the winter. The revels now happen in cities across the country and at each performance, no matter what, the read the poem “The Shortest Day” by Susan Cooper.
And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us – listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
(image: Radu Andrei Razvan from Pexels)
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In Ancient Rome, the mythical age of Saturn's kingship was a golden age of happiness for all men, without theft or servitude, and without private property. Saturn, dethroned by his son Jupiter, had joined Janus as ruler in Italy, but when his time as earthly king was up, he disappeared. “It is said that to this day He lies in a magic sleep on a secret island near Britain, and at some future time . He will return to inaugurate another Golden Age.”
One of the most well-known pagan traditions associated with the Solstice is the Yule log. This involves bringing a large log into the home and burning it in the fireplace as a way to bring light and warmth into the darkness of winter. The Yule log is often decorated with greenery and symbols of the sun, such as oranges or sunflowers. Another common practice during the Solstice is the exchange of gifts. This tradition can be traced back to ancient Roman celebrations of Saturnalia, a festival of feasting and gift-giving held in honor of the god Saturn. Many pagans see gift-giving as a way to express gratitude and to share abundance with loved ones. Despite its pagan roots, the Winter Solstice has also found its way into many mainstream cultures and religious practices. For example, Christmas, which falls on December 25th, is often thought to have been influenced by the pagan traditions surrounding the Solstice. Many of the symbols and customs associated with Christmas, such as decorating trees and exchanging gifts, can be traced back to ancient Solstice celebrations. In conclusion, the Winter Solstice is a pagan holiday that is deeply rooted in ancient traditions and beliefs. It is a time to celebrate the return of light and the rebirth of the natural world. Whether celebrated in a pagan or more modern context, the Solstice serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of life and the interconnectedness of all things..
Reviews for "Exploring the Solar Eclipse and the Solstice in Pagan Beliefs"
1. John Smith - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Solstice Holiday Pagan". The plot felt disjointed and the characters were underdeveloped. It seemed like the author was trying too hard to incorporate pagan themes and it ended up feeling forced. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, and the writing style was mediocre at best. Overall, I found this book to be a letdown and would not recommend it.
2. Jane Doe - 1/5 stars - "Solstice Holiday Pagan" was one of the worst books I've ever read. The storyline was confusing and the writing was amateurish. I found myself constantly rereading sentences just to understand what was happening. Additionally, the characters were flat and uninteresting. It felt like the author was just throwing pagan elements into the story without any real understanding or purpose. I would advise against wasting your time with this book.
3. Alex Thompson - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Solstice Holiday Pagan", but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The concept was intriguing, but the execution was lacking. The pacing was uneven, with slow moments dragging on and action-packed scenes feeling rushed. The character development was minimal, and I struggled to connect with any of them. The pagan themes felt forced and not well-integrated into the story. Overall, I found this book to be a disappointment and it didn't meet my expectations.
4. Sarah Johnson - 2.5/5 stars - "Solstice Holiday Pagan" had potential, but it ultimately didn't deliver. The writing style was clunky and full of unnecessary descriptions. The plot had promise, but it quickly became predictable and lacked any real surprises. The pagan aspects felt shoehorned in and only served as a superficial layer to the story. While the book wasn't terrible, it definitely left me feeling underwhelmed. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're specifically interested in pagan-themed stories.