Christianity and pagan religions have a complex and intertwined history, leading to debates about whether Christianity "stole" pagan holidays. It is essential to approach this topic with nuance and an understanding of the historical context. Christianity evolved amidst existing pagan practices, and as it gained followers, it sought to establish its presence by adapting local customs and symbols. This process allowed for a smoother transition and the assimilation of new believers. Consequently, some argue that the early Christian leaders incorporated elements from paganism into their own practices, including holidays. Examples often cited include the celebration of Christmas on December 25th, which coincides with pagan winter solstice festivals.

Did christianity steal pagan holidays

Navbar Search Filter Mobile Enter search term Search

• Subject
  • Arts and Humanities
    • Browse content in Arts and Humanities
    • Archaeology
      • Browse content in Archaeology
      • Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Archaeology
      • Archaeological Methodology and Techniques
      • Archaeology by Region
      • Archaeology of Religion
      • Archaeology of Trade and Exchange
      • Biblical Archaeology
      • Contemporary and Public Archaeology
      • Environmental Archaeology
      • Historical Archaeology
      • History and Theory of Archaeology
      • Industrial Archaeology
      • Landscape Archaeology
      • Mortuary Archaeology
      • Prehistoric Archaeology
      • Underwater Archaeology
      • Zooarchaeology
      • Browse content in Architecture
      • Architectural Structure and Design
      • History of Architecture
      • Landscape Art and Architecture
      • Residential and Domestic Buildings
      • Theory of Architecture
      • Browse content in Art
      • Art Styles
      • Art Forms
      • Art Subjects and Themes
      • Gender and Sexuality in Art
      • History of Art
      • Industrial and Commercial Art
      • Theory of Art
      • Browse content in Classical Studies
      • Classical History
      • Classical Philosophy
      • Classical Mythology
      • Classical Literature
      • Classical Reception
      • Classical Art and Architecture
      • Classical Oratory and Rhetoric
      • Greek and Roman Papyrology
      • Greek and Roman Epigraphy
      • Greek and Roman Law
      • Greek and Roman Archaeology
      • Late Antiquity
      • Religion in the Ancient World
      • Browse content in History
      • Cold War
      • Colonialism and Imperialism
      • Diplomatic History
      • Environmental History
      • Genealogy, Heraldry, Names, and Honours
      • Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
      • Historical Geography
      • History by Period
      • History of Agriculture
      • History of Education
      • History of Gender and Sexuality
      • Industrial History
      • Intellectual History
      • International History
      • Labour History
      • Legal and Constitutional History
      • Local and Family History
      • Maritime History
      • Military History
      • National Liberation and Post-Colonialism
      • Oral History
      • Political History
      • Public History
      • Regional and National History
      • Revolutions and Rebellions
      • Slavery and Abolition of Slavery
      • Social and Cultural History
      • Theory, Methods, and Historiography
      • Urban History
      • World History
      • Browse content in Language Teaching and Learning
      • Language Learning (Specific Skills)
      • Language Teaching Theory and Methods
      • Browse content in Linguistics
      • Applied Linguistics
      • Cognitive Linguistics
      • Computational Linguistics
      • Forensic Linguistics
      • Grammar, Syntax and Morphology
      • Historical and Diachronic Linguistics
      • History of English
      • Language Evolution
      • Language Reference
      • Language Acquisition
      • Language Variation
      • Language Families
      • Lexicography
      • Linguistic Anthropology
      • Linguistic Theories
      • Linguistic Typology
      • Phonetics and Phonology
      • Pragmatics
      • Psycholinguistics
      • Semantics
      • Sociolinguistics
      • Translation and Interpretation
      • Writing Systems
      • Browse content in Literature
      • Bibliography
      • Children's Literature Studies
      • Literary Studies (Romanticism)
      • Literary Studies (American)
      • Literary Studies (Asian)
      • Literary Studies (European)
      • Literary Studies (Eco-criticism)
      • Literary Studies (Modernism)
      • Literary Studies - World
      • Literary Studies (1500 to 1800)
      • Literary Studies (19th Century)
      • Literary Studies (20th Century onwards)
      • Literary Studies (African American Literature)
      • Literary Studies (British and Irish)
      • Literary Studies (Early and Medieval)
      • Literary Studies (Fiction, Novelists, and Prose Writers)
      • Literary Studies (Gender Studies)
      • Literary Studies (Graphic Novels)
      • Literary Studies (History of the Book)
      • Literary Studies (Plays and Playwrights)
      • Literary Studies (Poetry and Poets)
      • Literary Studies (Postcolonial Literature)
      • Literary Studies (Queer Studies)
      • Literary Studies (Science Fiction)
      • Literary Studies (Travel Literature)
      • Literary Studies (War Literature)
      • Literary Studies (Women's Writing)
      • Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
      • Mythology and Folklore
      • Shakespeare Studies and Criticism
      • Browse content in Media Studies
      • Film
      • Radio
      • Television
      • Browse content in Music
      • Applied Music
      • Composers
      • Dance and Music
      • Ethics in Music
      • Ethnomusicology
      • Gender and Sexuality in Music
      • Medicine and Music
      • Music Cultures
      • Music and Media
      • Music and Religion
      • Music and Culture
      • Music Education and Pedagogy
      • Music Theory and Analysis
      • Musical Scores, Lyrics, and Libretti
      • Musical Structures, Styles, and Techniques
      • Musicology and Music History
      • Performance Practice and Studies
      • Race and Ethnicity in Music
      • Sound Studies
      • Browse content in Performing Arts
      • Dance
      • Theatre
      • Browse content in Philosophy
      • Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art
      • Epistemology
      • Feminist Philosophy
      • History of Western Philosophy
      • Metaphysics
      • Moral Philosophy
      • Non-Western Philosophy
      • Philosophy of Language
      • Philosophy of Mind
      • Philosophy of Perception
      • Philosophy of Science
      • Philosophy of Action
      • Philosophy of Law
      • Philosophy of Religion
      • Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
      • Practical Ethics
      • Social and Political Philosophy
      • Browse content in Religion
      • Biblical Studies
      • Buddhism
      • Christianity
      • East Asian Religions
      • Hinduism
      • History of Religion
      • Islam
      • Jainism
      • Judaism and Jewish Studies
      • Mormonism
      • Qumran Studies
      • Religion and Education
      • Religion and Health
      • Religion and Politics
      • Religion and Science
      • Religion and Law
      • Religion and Art, Literature, and Music
      • Religious Studies
      • Sikhism
      • Theology
      • Browse content in Society and Culture
      • Cookery, Food, and Drink
      • Cultural Studies
      • Customs and Traditions
      • Ethical Issues and Debates
      • Hobbies, Games, Arts and Crafts
      • Humour
      • Lifestyle, Home, and Garden
      • Natural world, Country Life, and Pets
      • Popular Beliefs and Controversial Knowledge
      • Sports and Outdoor Recreation
      • Technology and Society
      • Travel and Holiday
      • Browse content in Law
      • Arbitration
      • Civil Law
      • Company and Commercial Law
        • Browse content in Company and Commercial Law
        • Commercial Law
        • Company Law
        • Browse content in Comparative Law
        • Systems of Law
        • Browse content in Constitutional and Administrative Law
        • Government Powers
        • Judicial Review
        • Local Government Law
        • Military and Defence Law
        • Parliamentary and Legislative Practice
        • Social Law
        • Browse content in Criminal Law
        • Criminal Procedure
        • Criminal Evidence Law
        • Sentencing and Punishment
        • Browse content in Financial Law
        • Banking Law
        • Insolvency Law
        • Tax Law
        • Browse content in International Law
        • Private International Law and Conflict of Laws
        • Public International Law
        • Browse content in Legal System and Practice
        • Courts and Procedure
        • Legal Skills and Practice
        • Primary Sources of Law
        • Regulation of Legal Profession
        • Browse content in Policing
        • Criminal Investigation and Detection
        • Police and Security Services
        • Police Procedure and Law
        • Police Regional Planning
        • Browse content in Property Law
        • Land Law
        • Personal Property Law
        • Browse content in Trusts Law
        • Wills and Probate or Succession
        • Browse content in Medicine and Health
        • Allied Health Professions
          • Browse content in Allied Health Professions
          • Arts Therapies
          • Clinical Science
          • Dietetics and Nutrition
          • Occupational Therapy
          • Operating Department Practice
          • Orthoptics
          • Physiotherapy
          • Radiography
          • Speech and Language Therapy
          • Browse content in Anaesthetics
          • General Anaesthesia
          • Neuroanaesthesia
          • Browse content in Clinical Medicine
          • Acute Medicine
          • Allergy
          • Cardiovascular Medicine
          • Clinical Genetics
          • Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
          • Dermatology
          • Endocrinology and Diabetes
          • Gastroenterology
          • Genito-urinary Medicine
          • Geriatric Medicine
          • Infectious Diseases
          • Medical Toxicology
          • Medical Oncology
          • Nephrology
          • Pain Medicine
          • Palliative Medicine
          • Rehabilitation Medicine
          • Respiratory Medicine and Pulmonology
          • Rheumatology
          • Sleep Medicine
          • Sports and Exercise Medicine
          • Browse content in Medical Skills
          • Clinical Skills
          • Communication Skills
          • Nursing Skills
          • Surgical Skills
          • Browse content in Medical Dentistry
          • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
          • Paediatric Dentistry
          • Restorative Dentistry and Orthodontics
          • Surgical Dentistry
          • Browse content in Neurology
          • Clinical Neurophysiology
          • Neuropathology
          • Browse content in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
          • Gynaecology
          • Obstetrics
          • Browse content in Paediatrics
          • Neonatology
          • Browse content in Pathology
          • Chemical Pathology
          • Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics
          • Histopathology
          • Immunology
          • Medical Microbiology and Virology
          • Browse content in Pharmacology
          • Psychopharmacology
          • Browse content in Popular Health
          • Caring for Others
          • Complementary and Alternative Medicine
          • Self-help and Personal Development
          • Browse content in Preclinical Medicine
          • Anatomy
          • Cell Biology
          • Molecular Biology and Genetics
          • Physiology
          • Reproduction, Growth and Development
          • Browse content in Psychiatry
          • Addiction Medicine
          • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
          • Forensic Psychiatry
          • Learning Disabilities
          • Old Age Psychiatry
          • Browse content in Public Health and Epidemiology
          • Epidemiology
          • Public Health
          • Browse content in Radiology
          • Clinical Radiology
          • Interventional Radiology
          • Nuclear Medicine
          • Radiation Oncology
          • Browse content in Surgery
          • Cardiothoracic Surgery
          • Critical Care Surgery
          • Gastro-intestinal and Colorectal Surgery
          • General Surgery
          • Neurosurgery
          • Paediatric Surgery
          • Peri-operative Care
          • Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
          • Surgical Oncology
          • Transplant Surgery
          • Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
          • Urology
          • Vascular Surgery
          • Browse content in Science and Mathematics
          • Biological Sciences
            • Browse content in Biological Sciences
            • Aquatic Biology
            • Biochemistry
            • Bioethics
            • Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
            • Developmental Biology
            • Ecology and Conservation
            • Evolutionary Biology
            • Genetics and Genomics
            • Microbiology
            • Molecular and Cell Biology
            • Natural History
            • Plant Sciences and Forestry
            • Research Methods in Life Sciences
            • Structural Biology
            • Study and Communication Skills in Life Sciences
            • Systems Biology
            • Zoology and Animal Sciences
            • Browse content in Chemistry
            • Analytical Chemistry
            • Computational Chemistry
            • Crystallography
            • Environmental Chemistry
            • Industrial Chemistry
            • Inorganic Chemistry
            • Materials Chemistry
            • Medicinal Chemistry
            • Mineralogy and Gems
            • Organic Chemistry
            • Physical Chemistry
            • Polymer Chemistry
            • Study and Communication Skills in Chemistry
            • Theoretical Chemistry
            • Browse content in Computer Science
            • Artificial Intelligence
            • Computer Architecture and Logic Design
            • Game Studies
            • Human-Computer Interaction
            • Mathematical Theory of Computation
            • Programming Languages
            • Robotics
            • Software Engineering
            • Systems Analysis and Design
            • Virtual Reality
            • Browse content in Computing
            • Business Applications
            • Computer Security
            • Computer Games
            • Computer Networking and Communications
            • Databases
            • Digital Lifestyle
            • Graphical and Digital Media Applications
            • Operating Systems
            • Browse content in Earth Sciences and Geography
            • Atmospheric Sciences
            • Environmental Geography
            • Geology and the Lithosphere
            • Geophysics
            • Maps and Map-making
            • Meteorology and Climatology
            • Oceanography and Hydrology
            • Palaeontology
            • Physical Geography and Topography
            • Regional Geography
            • Soil Science
            • Urban Geography
            • Browse content in Engineering and Technology
            • Agriculture and Farming
            • Biological Engineering
            • Civil Engineering, Surveying, and Building
            • Electronics and Communications Engineering
            • Energy Technology
            • Engineering (General)
            • Environmental Science, Engineering, and Technology
            • History of Engineering and Technology
            • Mechanical Engineering and Materials
            • Technology of Industrial Chemistry
            • Transport Technology and Trades
            • Browse content in Environmental Science
            • Applied Ecology (Environmental Science)
            • Conservation of the Environment (Environmental Science)
            • Environmental Sustainability
            • Environmentalist and Conservationist Organizations (Environmental Science)
            • Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Environmental Science)
            • Management of Land and Natural Resources (Environmental Science)
            • Natural Disasters (Environmental Science)
            • Nuclear Issues (Environmental Science)
            • Pollution and Threats to the Environment (Environmental Science)
            • Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Environmental Science)
            • Browse content in Materials Science
            • Ceramics and Glasses
            • Composite Materials
            • Metals, Alloying, and Corrosion
            • Nanotechnology
            • Polymers
            • Browse content in Mathematics
            • Applied Mathematics
            • Biomathematics and Statistics
            • History of Mathematics
            • Logic
            • Mathematical Education
            • Mathematical Finance
            • Mathematical Analysis
            • Numerical and Computational Mathematics
            • Probability and Statistics
            • Pure Mathematics
            • Browse content in Neuroscience
            • Cognition and Behavioural Neuroscience
            • Development of the Nervous System
            • Disorders of the Nervous System
            • History of Neuroscience
            • Invertebrate Neurobiology
            • Molecular and Cellular Systems
            • Neuroendocrinology and Autonomic Nervous System
            • Neuroscientific Techniques
            • Sensory and Motor Systems
            • Browse content in Physics
            • Astronomy and Astrophysics
            • Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
            • Biological and Medical Physics
            • Classical Mechanics
            • Computational Physics
            • Condensed Matter Physics
            • Electromagnetism, Optics, and Acoustics
            • History of Physics
            • Mathematical and Statistical Physics
            • Measurement Science
            • Nuclear Physics
            • Particles and Fields
            • Plasma Physics
            • Quantum Physics
            • Relativity and Gravitation
            • Semiconductor and Mesoscopic Physics
            • Browse content in Psychology
            • Affective Sciences
            • Clinical Psychology
            • Cognitive Psychology
            • Cognitive Neuroscience
            • Criminal and Forensic Psychology
            • Developmental Psychology
            • Educational Psychology
            • Evolutionary Psychology
            • Health Psychology
            • History and Systems in Psychology
            • Music Psychology
            • Neuropsychology
            • Organizational Psychology
            • Psychological Assessment and Testing
            • Psychology of Human-Technology Interaction
            • Psychology Professional Development and Training
            • Research Methods in Psychology
            • Social Psychology
            • Browse content in Social Sciences
            • Anthropology
              • Browse content in Anthropology
              • Anthropology of Religion
              • Human Evolution
              • Medical Anthropology
              • Physical Anthropology
              • Regional Anthropology
              • Social and Cultural Anthropology
              • Theory and Practice of Anthropology
              • Browse content in Business and Management
              • Accounting
              • Business Ethics
              • Business Strategy
              • Business History
              • Business and Technology
              • Business and Government
              • Business and the Environment
              • Comparative Management
              • Corporate Governance
              • Corporate Social Responsibility
              • Entrepreneurship
              • Health Management
              • Human Resource Management
              • Industrial and Employment Relations
              • Industry Studies
              • Information and Communication Technologies
              • Innovation
              • International Business
              • Knowledge Management
              • Management and Management Techniques
              • Marketing
              • Operations Management
              • Organizational Theory and Behaviour
              • Pensions and Pension Management
              • Public and Nonprofit Management
              • Sales
              • Strategic Management
              • Supply Chain Management
              • Browse content in Criminology and Criminal Justice
              • Criminal Justice
              • Criminology
              • Forms of Crime
              • International and Comparative Criminology
              • Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice
              • Browse content in Economics
              • Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resource Economics
              • Asian Economics
              • Behavioural Finance
              • Behavioural Economics and Neuroeconomics
              • Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
              • Economic History
              • Economic Systems
              • Economic Methodology
              • Economic Development and Growth
              • Financial Markets
              • Financial Institutions and Services
              • General Economics and Teaching
              • Health, Education, and Welfare
              • History of Economic Thought
              • International Economics
              • Labour and Demographic Economics
              • Law and Economics
              • Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
              • Microeconomics
              • Public Economics
              • Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
              • Welfare Economics
              • Browse content in Education
              • Adult Education and Continuous Learning
              • Care and Counselling of Students
              • Early Childhood and Elementary Education
              • Educational Equipment and Technology
              • Educational Strategies and Policy
              • Higher and Further Education
              • Organization and Management of Education
              • Philosophy and Theory of Education
              • Schools Studies
              • Secondary Education
              • Teaching of a Specific Subject
              • Teaching of Specific Groups and Special Educational Needs
              • Teaching Skills and Techniques
              • Browse content in Environment
              • Applied Ecology (Social Science)
              • Climate Change
              • Conservation of the Environment (Social Science)
              • Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Social Science)
              • Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Social Science)
              • Browse content in Human Geography
              • Cultural Geography
              • Economic Geography
              • Political Geography
              • Browse content in Interdisciplinary Studies
              • Communication Studies
              • Browse content in Politics
              • African Politics
              • Asian Politics
              • Chinese Politics
              • Comparative Politics
              • Conflict Politics
              • Elections and Electoral Studies
              • Environmental Politics
              • European Union
              • Foreign Policy
              • Gender and Politics
              • Human Rights and Politics
              • Indian Politics
              • International Relations
              • International Organization (Politics)
              • International Political Economy
              • Irish Politics
              • Latin American Politics
              • Middle Eastern Politics
              • Political Behaviour
              • Political Economy
              • Political Institutions
              • Political Methodology
              • Political Communication
              • Political Philosophy
              • Political Sociology
              • Political Theory
              • Politics and Law
              • Public Policy
              • Public Administration
              • Quantitative Political Methodology
              • Regional Political Studies
              • Russian Politics
              • Security Studies
              • State and Local Government
              • UK Politics
              • US Politics
              • Browse content in Regional and Area Studies
              • African Studies
              • Asian Studies
              • East Asian Studies
              • Japanese Studies
              • Latin American Studies
              • Middle Eastern Studies
              • Native American Studies
              • Scottish Studies
              • Browse content in Research and Information
              • Decision Theory
              • Research Methods
              • Browse content in Social Work
              • Addictions and Substance Misuse
              • Adoption and Fostering
              • Care of the Elderly
              • Child and Adolescent Social Work
              • Couple and Family Social Work
              • Developmental and Physical Disabilities Social Work
              • Direct Practice and Clinical Social Work
              • Emergency Services
              • Human Behaviour and the Social Environment
              • International and Global Issues in Social Work
              • Mental and Behavioural Health
              • Poverty
              • Social Justice and Human Rights
              • Social Policy and Advocacy
              • Social Work and Crime and Justice
              • Social Work Macro Practice
              • Social Work Practice Settings
              • Social Work Research and Evidence-based Practice
              • Welfare and Benefit Systems
              • Browse content in Sociology
              • Childhood Studies
              • Community Development
              • Comparative and Historical Sociology
              • Economic Sociology
              • Gender and Sexuality
              • Gerontology and Ageing
              • Health, Illness, and Medicine
              • Marriage and the Family
              • Migration Studies
              • Occupations, Professions, and Work
              • Organizations
              • Population and Demography
              • Race and Ethnicity
              • Social Theory
              • Social Movements and Social Change
              • Social Research and Statistics
              • Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
              • Sociology of Religion
              • Sociology of Education
              • Sport and Leisure
              • Urban and Rural Studies
              • Browse content in Warfare and Defence
              • Defence Strategy, Planning, and Research
              • Land Forces and Warfare
              • Military Administration
              • Military Life and Institutions
              • Naval Forces and Warfare
              • Other Warfare and Defence Issues
              • Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
              • Weapons and Equipment

              Navbar Search Filter Enter search term Search

              How Christianity Stole the Winter Solstice

              The solstice is one of my favourite days of the year because it marks the return of light and the “rebirth of the sun” here in the northern hemisphere.

              Tonight is the longest night of the year and starting tomorrow, our days begin to get longer with a few seconds of a sunshine added every day until the summer solstice in June. There is the fascinating astronomical significance of the solstices, which I’ve always been drawn to. But in the last few years, I’ve taken a keen interest in the deeper symbolic meaning.

              The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere

              Examples often cited include the celebration of Christmas on December 25th, which coincides with pagan winter solstice festivals. Similarly, Easter, the Christian celebration of Jesus's resurrection, falls around the same time as pagan spring festivals. Critics argue that these parallels suggest the Church intentionally co-opted pagan holidays to increase its influence.

              Ancient celebrations of the solstice

              Understanding the passage of time was crucial in many ancient cultures. The sun allowed them to see, kept them warm, and fed them by growing crops. The solstices were fundamental to survival. Today we know that November isn’t a good time to sow seeds of our gardens. But before modern calendars, our ancestors relied the sun’s position in the sky to know when to sow versus when to harvest.

              Ancient Egyptians honoured the winter solstice as the birth of Horus, the deity of the sky, which included the sun and the moon. Because the winter solstice is the reversal of the sun’s ebbing presence in the sky, the concept of the rebirth of sun gods made sense to them.

              Other cultures also celebrated winter solstice such as the Romans who celebrated Saturnalia, a carnival-like feast of gift-giving and merriment. In northern European culture, the winter solstice became known as “Yule.”

              It is believed that Stonehenge was constructed by the Neolithic people as a monument aligned to the movements of the sun. Even today, solstice celebrations occur at the site.

              

              However, it is crucial to recognize that the establishment of Christian holidays did not uniformly eliminate pagan traditions. Rather, they often incorporated existing practices into a new framework. Christianity brought its own interpretation and meaning to these events, merging religious beliefs with cultural practices. Another aspect to consider is the calendar reform enacted by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. The Julian calendar developed by Julius Caesar had become misaligned with the solar year, causing confusion. In this reform, Christian holidays were regularized, aligning them with specific dates. This may have reinforced the perception that Christianity co-opted or replaced pagan festivals. Nevertheless, the question of whether Christianity "stole" pagan holidays overlooks the complex nature of religious and cultural adaptation. Religions have historically absorbed elements from one another, resulting in shared practices and customs. The process is not necessarily an act of theft but rather an evolution and synthesis of beliefs and traditions. In conclusion, it is essential to approach the topic of whether Christianity "stole" pagan holidays with care. While parallels between Christian and pagan celebrations do exist, they do not necessarily imply theft. Christianity's history is influenced by and interwoven with pagan practices, highlighting the dynamic and adaptive nature of religious evolution..

              Reviews for "The Symbiotic Relationship Between Christianity and Pagan Festivities"

              - Sarah - 1 star -

              I was really excited to read "Did Christianity Steal Pagan Holidays" as I am interested in the history of religious traditions. However, I was sorely disappointed. The author seemed to have a biased agenda from the very beginning and did not provide enough evidence or objective analysis to support their claims. It felt more like a rant against Christianity rather than a well-researched exploration of the topic. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a fair and balanced perspective.

              - Michael - 2 stars -

              As someone who has studied religious history extensively, I was hoping "Did Christianity Steal Pagan Holidays" would offer some fresh insights. Unfortunately, I found the book to be lacking in depth and critical analysis. The author seemed to cherry-pick certain examples without considering alternative explanations or historical context. While the topic itself is intriguing, this book failed to live up to my expectations. I would suggest looking for more scholarly works on the subject instead.

              - Emily - 1 star -

              "Did Christianity Steal Pagan Holidays" left me feeling unsatisfied and frustrated. The author's arguments were not well-structured, and their reasoning was often flawed. It felt like reading a collection of conspiracy theories rather than a well-researched exploration. The lack of evidence and objective analysis made it difficult to take the book seriously. I would not recommend wasting your time on this one.

              Uncovering the Origins of Christian Holiday Celebrations