With all the bickering about Christmas and the reason for the season...

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Stolen from Rob on OH, written by Mike Nichols, no link available:

Midwinter's Eve: YULE

Their Christian friends are often quite surprised at how enthusiastically Pagans Celebrate the ‘Christmas’ season. Even though they prefer to use the word “Yule”, and their celebrations may peak a few days before the twenty-fifth, they nonetheless follow many of the traditional customs of the season: decorated trees, caroling, presents, Yule logs, and mistletoe. They might even go so far as putting up a ‘Nativity set’, though for them the three central characters are likely to be interpreted as Mother Nature, Father Time, and the baby Sun God. None of this will come as a surprise to anyone who knows the true history of the holiday, of course.

In fact, if truth be known, the holiday of Christmas has always been more Pagan than Christian, with its associations of Nordic divination, Celtic fertility rites, and Roman Mithraism. That is why John Calvin and other leaders of the Reformation abhorred it, why the Puritans refused to acknowledge it, much less celebrate it (to them, no day of the year could be more holy than the Sabbath), and why it was even made illegal in Boston! The holiday was already too closely associated with the birth of older Pagan Gods and heroes. And many of them (like Oedipus, Theseus, Hercules, Perseus, Jason, Dionysus, Apollo, Mithra, Horus, and even Arthur) possessed a narrative of birth, death, and resurrection that was uncomfortably close to that of Jesus. And to make matters worse, many of them predated the Christian Savior.

Ultimately, of course, the holiday is rooted deeply in the cycle of the year. It is the winter solstice that is being celebrated, seedtime of the year, the longest night and shortest day. It is the birthday of the new Sun King, the Son of God—by whatever name you choose to call him. On this darkest of nights, the Goddess becomes the Great Mother and once again gives birth. And it makes perfect poetic sense that on the longest night of the winter, “the dark night of their souls”, there springs the new spark of hope, the Sacred Fire, the Light of the World, the Coel Coeth.

That is why Pagans have as much right to claim this holiday as Christians. Perhaps even more so, since the Christians were rather late in laying claim to it, and tried more than once to reject it. There had been a tradition in the West that Mary bore the child Jesus on the twenty-fifth day, but no one could seem to decide on the month. Finally, in 320 C.E., the Catholic fathers in Rome decided to make it December, in an effort to co-opt the Mithraic celebration of the Romans, the Yule festival of the Saxons, and the midwinter revels of the Celts.

There was never much pretense that the date they finally chose was historically accurate. Shepherds just don’t “tend their flocks by night” in the high pastures in the dead of winter! But if one wishes to use the New Testament as historical evidence, this reference may point to sometime in the spring as the time of Jesus’ birth. This is because the lambing season occurs in the spring and that is the only time when shepherds are likely to “watch their flocks by night”—to make sure the lambing goes well. Knowing this, the Eastern half of the church continued to reject December 25, preferring a “movable date” fixed by their astrologers according to the moon.

Thus, despite its shaky start (for over three centuries, no one knew when Jesus was supposed to have been born!), December 25 finally began to catch on. By 529, it was a civic holiday, and all work or public business (except that of cooks, bakers, or any that contributed to the delight of the holiday) was prohibited by the Emperor Justinian. In 563, the Council of Braga forbade fasting on Christmas Day, and four years later the Council of Tours proclaimed the twelve days from December 25 to Epiphany as a sacred, festive season. This last point is perhaps the hardest to impress upon the modern reader, who is lucky to get a single day off work. Christmas, in the Middle Ages, was not a single day, but rather a period of twelve days, from December 25 to January 6. The Twelve Days of Christmas, in fact. It is certainly lamentable that the modern world has abandoned this approach, along with the popular Twelfth Night celebrations.

Of course, the Christian version of the holiday spread to many countries no faster than Christianity itself, which means that “Christmas” wasn’t celebrated in Ireland until the late fifth century; in England, Switzerland, and Austria until the seventh; in Germany until the eighth; and in the Slavic lands until the ninth and tenth. Not that these countries lacked their own midwinter celebrations. Long before the world had heard of Jesus, Pagans had been observing the season by bringing in the Yule log, wishing on it, and lighting it from the remains of last year’s log. Riddles were posed and answered, magic and rituals were practiced, wild boars were sacrificed and consumed along with large quantities of liquor, corn dollies were carried from house to house while caroling, fertility rites were practiced (girls standing under a sprig of mistletoe were subject to a bit more than a kiss), and divinations were cast for the coming spring. Many of these Pagan customs, in an appropriately watered-down form, have entered the mainstream of Christian celebration, though most celebrants do not realize (or do not mention it, if they do) their origins.

For modern Witches, Yule (from the Anglo-Saxon yula, meaning “wheel” of the year) is usually celebrated on the actual winter solstice, which may vary by a few days, though it usually occurs on or around December 21. It is a Lesser Sabbat or Low Holiday in the modern Pagan calendar, one of the four quarter days of the year, but a very important one. Pagan customs are still enthusiastically followed. Once, the Yule log had been the center of the celebration. It was lighted on the eve of the solstice (it should light on the first try) and must be kept burning for twelve hours, for good luck. It should be made of ash. Later, the Yule log was replaced by the Yule tree but, instead of burning it, lighted candles were placed on it. In Christianity, Protestants might claim that Martin Luther invented the custom, and Catholics might grant St. Boniface the honor, but the custom can demonstrably be traced back through the Roman Saturnalia all the way to ancient Egypt. Needless to say, such a tree should be cut down rather than purchased, and should be disposed of by burning, the proper way to dispatch any sacred object.

Along with the evergreen, the holly and the ivy and the mistletoe were important plants of the season, all symbolizing fertility and everlasting life. Mistletoe was especially venerated by the Celtic Druids, who cut it with a golden sickle on the sixth night of the moon, and believed it to be an aphrodisiac. (Magically—not medicinally! It’s highly toxic!) But aphrodisiacs must have been the smallest part of the Yuletide menu in ancient times, as contemporary reports indicate that the tables fairly creaked under the strain of every type of good food. And drink! The most popular of which was the “wassail cup”, deriving its name from the Anglo-Saxon term waes hael (be whole or hale).

Medieval Christmas folklore seems endless: that animals will all kneel down as the Holy Night arrives, that bees hum the 100th psalm on Christmas Eve, that a windy Christmas will bring good luck, that a person born on Christmas Day can see the Little People, that a cricket on the hearth brings good luck, that if one opens all the doors of the house at midnight all the evil spirits will depart, that you will have one lucky month for each Christmas pudding you sample, that the tree must be taken down by Twelfth Night or bad luck is sure to follow, that “if Christmas on a Sunday be, a windy winter they shall see”, that “hours of sun on Christmas Day, so many frosts in the month of May”, that one can use the Twelve Days of Christmas to predict the weather for each of the twelve months of the coming year, and so on.

Remembering that most Christmas customs are ultimately based upon older Pagan customs, it only remains for modern Pagans to reclaim their lost traditions. In doing so, they can share many common customs with their Christian friends, albeit with a slightly different interpretation. And, thus, they all share in the beauty of this most magical of seasons, when the Mother Goddess once again gives birth to the baby Sun God and sets the wheel in motion again. To conclude with a long-overdue paraphrase, “Goddess bless them, every one!

[trystelle 3]

Thanks that was very interesting!

[wrk-n-prgrss 0]

There are Christians who dont Celebrate Christmas because of its origins. Its common knowledge Christ did not institute the practice nor did his apostles or members of the first century congregation.

Pagans were the people (simplistically) that practiced sex orgies and threw their kids into the fire to sacrifice to false gods.

Constantine in the 4th century wanted to unite his kindgom thus a melding of Christian and pagan beliefs.

Some Christians feel that anything that was unclean at one time...i.e. pagan practices will not be made clean by calling it Christian.

December 25, was the date chosen for pagan reasons. Any encyclopedia will read that Christ couldnt possibly have been born that day.

Santa Claus, the tree, yule logs, lights, presents given to each other, etc. all have pagan origins.

[Nancy B 0]

There are Christians who dont Celebrate Christmas because of its origins. Its common knowledge Christ did not institute the practice nor did his apostles or members of the first century congregation.

Pagans were the people (simplistically) that practiced sex orgies and threw their kids into the fire to sacrifice to false gods.

Constantine in the 4th century wanted to unite his kindgom thus a melding of Christian and pagan beliefs.

Some Christians feel that anything that was unclean at one time...i.e. pagan practices will not be made clean by calling it Christian.

December 25, was the date chosen for pagan reasons. Any encyclopedia will read that Christ couldnt possibly have been born that day.

Santa Claus, the tree, yule logs, lights, presents given to each other, etc. all have pagan origins.

I totally agree. You are absolutely right!

[Beka 0]

There are Christians who dont Celebrate Christmas because of its origins. Its common knowledge Christ did not institute the practice nor did his apostles or members of the first century congregation.

Pagans were the people (simplistically) that practiced sex orgies and threw their kids into the fire to sacrifice to false gods.

Constantine in the 4th century wanted to unite his kindgom thus a melding of Christian and pagan beliefs.

Some Christians feel that anything that was unclean at one time...i.e. pagan practices will not be made clean by calling it Christian.

December 25, was the date chosen for pagan reasons. Any encyclopedia will read that Christ couldnt possibly have been born that day.

Santa Claus, the tree, yule logs, lights, presents given to each other, etc. all have pagan origins.

I am what might be called a modern day witch or 'pagan' and not once have I thrown any of my kids into the fire (although sure is tempting during school holidays) and man point me in the direction of the sex orgys cause in my 20 odd years of practise haven't come across one yet.

[wrk-n-prgrss 0]

I am what might be called a modern day witch or 'pagan' and not once have I thrown any of my kids into the fire (although sure is tempting during school holidays) and man point me in the direction of the sex orgys cause in my 20 odd years of practise haven't come across one yet.

Well thats interesting about declaring yourself a modern day pagan. Any encyclopedia or history book will tell you what Pagans did through out history. Infact, most of my knowledge comes from history class.

[skmsu 0]

Hey I thought that you and Wendell were responsible for all of the bickering over on OH! And before that it was Vicki and Dee. I just can't keep up with that board.....

[skmsu 0]

Excuse me? What does OH have to do with this thread? I am not even sure what you are talking about. Wendell who?

I am talking about history class.

My reply was to the OP and had nothing to do with your reply.

[wrk-n-prgrss 0]

My reply was to the OP and had nothing to do with your reply.

Susan you scared the crap out of me! I forget on LBT when you get a response on a thread it isnt necessarily a response to your own post! So sorry! call me an A$$ now. I jumped to a conclusion right of a cliff.

[Beka 0]

Well thats interesting about declaring yourself a modern day pagan. Any encyclopedia or history book will tell you what Pagans did through out history. Infact, most of my knowledge comes from history class.

Maybe they teach very different things in history class here in NZ -more balanced approach maybe since I heard also many horrors of what many (notice I don't say all) early christians did ie: anyone heard of witch hunts, persucution of others not of same religion. But I am also intelligent enough to know history is always written from someones perspective and not always necessarily right. Also I figure generalisations (lumping everyone into categories) just shows how ignorant some of our world still truly is. Anyway each to their own and I understand people will believe what they believe and me not here to convert.

Blessed Be!!

[skmsu 0]

Susan you scared the crap out of me! I forget on LBT when you get a response on a thread it isnt necessarily a response to your own post! So sorry! call me an A$$ now. I jumped to a conclusion right of a cliff.

No worries, I should have quoted her post.

[kagoscuba 0]

"Look honey, I unwrapped an orgy...SWEET!!" Nope, that probably wouldn't go over very well. Besides, she'd probably say, "Who said the gift was for you!"

I'd imagine the whole child-in-the-fire thing would need to be suspended from ages 12-18, or we'd never advance as a culture.

[AlysonRR 0]

Maybe they teach very different things in history class here in NZ -more balanced approach maybe since I heard also many horrors of what many (notice I don't say all) early christians did ie: anyone heard of witch hunts, persucution of others not of same religion.

But I am also intelligent enough to know history is always written from someones perspective and not always necessarily right. Also I figure generalisations (lumping everyone into categories) just shows how ignorant some of our world still truly is.

Anyway each to their own and I understand people will believe what they believe and me not here to convert.

Blessed Be!!

I don't know what kind of history classes she's been to, but I definitely learned the more balanced history you speak of, Beka.

It's inaccurate to generalize about historical pagans - there were many different philosophies and rituals, etc. I think it's fair to say that the vast majority of ancient pagan religions did not include orgies or child sacrifice. It's also fair to say that the majority of historical christian sects did not kill infidels or torture unbelievers for their God, though certainly a fact that some did.

What people do in the name of their religion is a huge topic, and I agree that simplistic generalizations are completely worthless in such a case.

I know quite a few modern Pagans and they don't participate in ritual sacrifice of any kind. I also know quite a few modern Christians and they're not out killing or torturing non-believers (though some of them try to talk me to death when they find out I'm an atheist, lol). There are always individuals who think they hear the voice of God and are convinced to do harm, but thankfully nowadays most of them don't find enough followers to do a huge amount of damage...

Alyson

[green 6]

There are Christians who dont Celebrate Christmas because of its origins. Its common knowledge Christ did not institute the practice nor did his apostles or members of the first century congregation.

Pagans were the people (simplistically) that practiced sex orgies and threw their kids into the fire to sacrifice to false gods.

Constantine in the 4th century wanted to unite his kindgom thus a melding of Christian and pagan beliefs.

Some Christians feel that anything that was unclean at one time...i.e. pagan practices will not be made clean by calling it Christian.

December 25, was the date chosen for pagan reasons. Any encyclopedia will read that Christ couldnt possibly have been born that day.

Santa Claus, the tree, yule logs, lights, presents given to each other, etc. all have pagan origins.

Now, do you seriously think that pagan folks were in the habit of chucking their children into fires on a regular basis in order to satisfy some kind of Supreme Being, be He alive or dead? Uh, I think not. Use your tiny brain. People tend to rebel when asked on a routine basis to sacrifice their children. One or two kiddies might be toasted for the common good but no tribe will accept sacrificing an entire kindergarten's worth of kids. Has it not occurred to you that some of the early missionaries may have invented some pretty lurid stories in order to attract folks to their brand new religion? There were no governmental laws in place at that time about truth in advertising, you know.

[midnightblue 0]

Now, do you seriously think that pagan folks were in the habit of chucking their children into fires on a regular basis in order to satisfy some kind of Supreme Being, be He alive or dead? Uh, I think not. Use your tiny brain. People tend to rebel when asked on a routine basis to sacrifice their children. One or two kiddies might be toasted for the common good but no tribe will accept sacrificing an entire kindergarten's worth of kids. Has it not occurred to you that some of the early missionaries may have invented some pretty lurid stories in order to attract folks to their brand new religion? There were no governmental laws in place at that time about truth in advertising, you know.

You know a troublemaker is a troublemaker no matter what forum they hang on. I agree with you about Pagans Green. This poster is known to continually stir the pot and cause trouble everywhere she goes.