Christmas pagan origins Christmas is a widely celebrated holiday that marks the birth of Jesus Christ. However, many of the traditions and customs associated with Christmas have pagan origins. The origins of Christmas can be traced back to ancient pagan winter solstice celebrations. Winter solstice was a significant event in many ancient cultures as it marked the longest night of the year and the return of longer days. Pagans celebrated this event, often referred to as Yule or Saturnalia, with feasting, drinking, and the lighting of bonfires. The decorations used during these celebrations included evergreen plants such as holly, ivy, and mistletoe, which were believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.
No, Christmas is not a pagan holiday. Christmas is the Christian remembrance and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that, in Christ, God entered the human race and so deserves the title Immanuel or “God With Us” (Matthew 1:23).
Never mind board games, charades and kipping on the sofa at 4pm the Romans marked the winter festivities with raucous parties, rampant gambling and turning all social norms upside down. Celebrated on varying dates every November and or December, Hannukah is grounded in verifiable historical fact, yet some have drawn comparisons between this Festival of Lights the lights harkening back to the miracle of the lamp and pagan celebrations involving the lighting of candles in the depths of winter.
The decorations used during these celebrations included evergreen plants such as holly, ivy, and mistletoe, which were believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. As Christianity spread throughout Europe, the early Christian church adopted many of the existing pagan customs and celebrations in an effort to convert pagans to Christianity. In the 4th century, Pope Julius I officially declared December 25th as the date to celebrate the birth of Jesus, coinciding with the existing pagan celebrations.
Do some Christmas traditions have pagan origins?
There is no doubt that some of what we now refer to as Christmas traditions can be traced back, in some form, to pagan cultures and celebrations. The ringing of bells, for example, is generally thought to have had its origin in the early pagan winter celebration of ringing of bells to drive out evil spirits. In later centuries, bells were rung on Christmas Eve to welcome in the spirit of Christmas with joyful noise (Psalm 95:1). When Christians enjoy the beauty of a glorious bell choir ringing Christmas carols, we are reminded of the coming of Jesus into the world, not the driving out of evil spirits.
Similarly, there was an early pagan tradition of lighting candles to drive away the forces of cold and darkness. However, is it likely that our hearts are drawn to those early pagans rather than rejoicing in our Savior, the Light of the World (John 1:4-9) as we light candles? Of course not. Nor is it likely that when I give gifts to my loved ones at Christmas, the gifts will have less significance to either of us because some Druid somewhere in time offered a gift to his goat as part of some pagan ritual. No, we remember, as we should, the gifts given to the Christ-child by the Magi (Matthew 2:11). Jesus was the greatest gift ever given, and therefore His birth is worthy of celebration.
So obscure are the beginnings of many Christmas traditions that reference books and internet sites contradict one another on the details. Some of our most popular and beloved Christmas symbols are entirely Christian, and were never part of any pagan religion anywhere. At the same time, some Christmas traditions undoubtedly do have their origins in the pagan past. What is important is not the origins of traditions, but their significance to us today as believers in the Son of God. December 25 was not mentioned in the biblical narrative as the day Jesus was born, and, as such, we cannot be dogmatic about it one way or the other. But even if the date is completely wrong, there is still the opportunity for thousands of people who wouldn’t go to church any other time of the year to go on Christmas day and hear the gospel of Christ.
If you are fully convinced that you cannot, in good conscience, observe a particular Christmas tradition, do not observe it. If you are fully convinced that a particular tradition is too steeped in paganism to honor God in any way, by all means forsake that tradition. At the same time, if you are fully convinced that you can honor and worship God through a particular tradition, honor and worship God (Romans 14:5)! For Christians, Christmas traditions can be an important part of the celebration of the birth of our Savior, and they remind us of that momentous event that changed the world forever. More importantly, they bring to mind the miracle of new birth He created in us when He came into our hearts, saved us from our sins, and made us children of God by the shedding of His blood on the Cross (Colossians 1:20). It is this amazing truth that enables us to say with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).
Scholars have argued about the exact year and date of Jesus of Nazareth’s birthday for a long, long time. These arguments can get incredibly nerdy and forehead-clutchingly complex, involving the kinds of Biblical code-breaking and cunning conjecture which would make Dan Brown proud. Take the whole issue of the Star of Bethlehem, which shone so brightly and led the wise men, or 'Magi', to the infant Christ. There have been numerous interpretations of what the Star really was, and what its appearance can tell us about the timeline of Christ’s life. A paper published by an astronomer back in the 1990s, for example, suggested it was actually a comet which had been observed by other sources in the year 5 BC.
Many of the traditions associated with Christmas festivities today can be traced back to these pagan origins. The tradition of decorating evergreen trees, for example, evolved from pagan tree worship. Gift-giving, feasting, and the use of mistletoe are also customs with pagan roots. Despite these pagan origins, Christmas has become a significant holiday in the Christian calendar, and the birth of Jesus is the central focus for many. The blending of pagan and Christian traditions has resulted in the diverse and colorful celebrations we see today. Christmas is a time for family, joy, and giving. Whether one celebrates it from a religious or secular perspective, the essence of the holiday remains the same: spreading love and kindness..
Reviews for "Pagan Menw Traditions Across Different Cultures: A Global Perspective on Christmas"
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