As I sit down to write this article, the scene is, I must say, particularly Christmassy. There are significant amounts of snow outside my window, the first mince pie of the season by my side (or what remains of it – survival of snacks upon leaving the snack cupboard is never more than a few minutes) accompanied by warm cup of hot chocolate. The cheese of a Hallmark movie hovers in the air and yet I cannot help but think – why is this Christmas? Why is Christmas now, why does it happen the way that it does? Well, as a sequel to my Halloween article, I thought I should let you know that Christmas is in fact another festival the product theft from Pagan tradition. Yes, once again we see the lack of originality Christianity has to offer – no shade to the Christians themselves of course.
So who was it that the ancient Christians stole from this time? Well, winter solstice celebrations are common throughout the southern hemisphere so its hard to be certain but, in a shocking tern of events, the victims are in fact the Romans (I know, I know, call me a straight, white man, cause I can’t get enough of the Roman Empire – I’m a classist lets move on).
Saturnalia was a Roman festival celebrated to mark the winter solstice as a coming of spring, planting of crops (eventually) and a lengthening of days. The celebrations honored the Golden Age of Italy – a mythical time in which the land was ruled by Saturn, father of the gods (and aptly ruler of seeds), and men and gods worked in harmony. The festival took place originally on 17th December and extended at one point to a week, although Augustus (legendary spoilsport and childish psychopath that he was) shortened it to 3 days. Celebrations included feasts, gambling, partying, closure of the senate, and more parties. In reality, the feasts were really uncharacteristically lovey dovey for the Romans – the slaves were served the meal by their masters, getting to eat first, were a freedman’s felt cap and to even swap clothes with the masters. This show of good spirit (or perhaps torture of the purest kind in showing slaves what they could have but would not get) is something that carries through into our own Christmas, as does the partying, closure of public business and the gambling of some. The felt hats of slaves have even been speculated to be translated in the paper crowns pulled from crackers today. Gifts of sweets, lamps or money would be given, candles lit in trees to symbolize the sun’s return and houses would be decorated with laurel and cypress – evergreen branches.
But why is it called Christmas not Saturnalia? We can see the clear way in which its evolved into modern Christmas buy why was it celebrated by Christians who had no link to Saturn? Well, as I’m sure many know already, some speculate that Christ’s birth was not a chilly night in December but instead in early spring due to the comments made about shepherds watching their flocks (a distinctly spring-like pastime). Christmas moved to the night of Saturnalia which had begun at this point to be called Natalis Invicti, celebrated as a feast for the sun god. Why, though? You see, originally Saturnalia and its likes were banned for Christians who absolutely could not be seen to worship Pagan gods, Christmas, instead of trying to establish itself as a new thing gently seeped into the tradition of Saturnalia, taking away the sacrilegious connotations of a much loved festival.
So, as you eat your mince pie, decorated with an evergreen motif, watch as advent candles are lit and gifts given, spare a thought to the Roman families that celebrated in much the same way. And maybe get less defensive when people tell you its ‘happy holidays’ now not ‘happy christmas’ – celebrations came at this time of year that were not called Christmas, and many of those still exist today be they remnants of Saturnalia, or the ancient traditions of Hanukkah and Diwali.