Christmas ~ The Way It Was ~ The Way It Is

1. 90

   paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

   "Pagan Roots? 5 Surprising Facts About Christmas"
   
   "
   1. Early Christians had a soft spot for pagans.
   2. We all want that warm Christmas glow.
   3. The Church was slow to embrace Christmas.
   4. The Puritans hated the holiday.
   5. Gifts are a new (and surprisingly controversial) tradition
   "
   
   http://news.yahoo.com/pagan-roots-5-sur … 21591.html
   
   What say you?

   replyreport
   1. 72

      aguasilverposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Totally correct, it's a good old pagan festival which Constantine grabbed when he decided Christianity was 'in' for the Roman Empire.
      
      First, Christ was a Jew, Jews don't make a big thing of birthdays. Secondly, all the evidence shows He was born in late summer early autumn....go figure!
      
      When I questioned this at a church leadership meeting about 18 years ago, all hell broke loose! - although they did drop 'Santas Grotto' from the Christmas Fayre some time later.
      
      Christ is a daily relationship, and if we are to follow ANY festivals, better the ones that point towards Christ in Judaic tradition.

      replyreport
      1. 95

         wildernessposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Oh, no, Quicksilver - the date is firmly established.
         
         Sextus Africanus, in the 2 and 3rd century, figured this one out.  Knowing that all old testament prophets died on the anniversary of either their conception or birth, he decided that Christ died on March 25 so that date was also the date of conception.  Nine months later is Dec. 25, so that was the date of birth. 
         
         A little convoluted, and ancient historians and scholars weren't particularly concerned with reality, so there we have it.  Christ was born on Dec. 25.

         replyreport
2. 83

   JMcFarlandposted 6 years ago

   I wrote an entire hub on christianity's pagan roots.  It's fascinating really, how quickly the church is to distance itself from paganism today - when not a single aspect of the christian tradition does not harken back to an older practice, usually found in paganism.

   replyreport
   1. 79

      joanveronicaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      I agree, and I have a very soft spot for the pagan rites, I was brought up to appreciate all things Celtic, including their celebrations, and they were pagans! I like them!

      replyreport
3. 0

   Emile Rposted 6 years ago

   I think it is perfectly acceptable for individuals to allot their particular meaning to their own actions and traditions. I'm happy that pagans had festivals. I hope they still do and that the symbolism of the items they choose to use point toward love, peace and good will.
   
   Bah humbug to anyone who wants to put a damper on a very nice holiday. Happy Holidays to everyone else who finds a blending of traditions over the centuries to be indicative of the true spirit of Christmas

   replyreport
   1. 79

      joanveronicaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Well said, ER, I totally agree!

      replyreport
   2. 95

      wildernessposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      +1  Christmas is, and always has been, what we make of it.

      replyreport
4. 85

   Renee Abbottposted 6 years ago

   Yes, Christmas is a newer version of Yule, which pagans have celebrated before Jesus was born. I have known since my twenties this, and to me if they want to use Yule for Jesus's birthday so be it. After all Yule is the holiday of welcoming in the new sun god, so it only makes sense to me they would attach a new god on to the season.

   replyreport
   1. 79

      joanveronicaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      I have known for a long time that Christ was not born on the 26th December. It makes no difference to me, Xmas celebrates the fact that He was born, the precise day doesn't matter. With all the changes and adaptions the Western calendar has suffered over the centuries, who knows what was when?

      replyreport
5. 81

   Pearldiverposted 6 years ago

   The ONLY thing I would like to say about this... given that here... it is right this moment Christmas Day is:
   
   MERRY CHRISTMAS to: Everyone involved in and part of this site, community and circle of feathers!  Enjoy this festive period and all the peace you may find!   Take Care... PD

   replyreport
   1. 79

      joanveronicaposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Well said, PD! I'll endorse that!

      replyreport
6. 0

   klarawieckposted 6 years ago

   Yeap... it's a pagan holiday... good ol' Yule! But most of us would be considered Pagans by the standards of the early Christians anyways. So drink your wine, spread the holiday cheer, and leave those cookies and milk for Santa. Merry Christmas to all.

   replyreport
7. 0

   ChleotheWitchposted 6 years ago

   Christmas is just a recycled Pagan Celebration. The original "Christmas" is the Winter Solstice that was celebrated back then. There is much proof that Christianity took a lot of its practices and beliefs from Paganism. Christmas is just one of many such as Easter which is Ostara to us. If you really study the religion, you will surely find many things apart from this.

   replyreport