After hanging wreaths on doors, and opting for colorful clothing (synthesis), normal activities would come to a halt in favor of gifts, gambling, and other holiday activities. Even enslaved individuals were given a break, many weren’t required to work, and in some cases their masters served them. A mock king (Saturnalicius princeps) was chosen. Typically a lower member of the household, this person would be in charge of creating mayhem during festivities.
While socializing, many gifts were exchanged, typically small ones, such as wax candles (cerei), small toys, exotic foods, books, and dining wear. It was also customary to go knocking door to door, and all houses should have gifts ready for the visitors. On the last day of celebrations, people would exchange Sigillaria, which were wax and clay figurines resembling humans. In addition to gifts, everyone was expected to gift a poem or note to everyone that they knew. Everyone evaluated the value of the gifts they received, and it was frowned upon if the gift was cheaper than the one they received last year. It was even worse if someone did not give a gift in return. Any mistakes were highly noted.
Something that would definitely not be a mistake this time of year would be to host a Saturnalia celebration for your own chapter. Play taberna trivia, create your own Sigillaria, discuss the history of the holiday, and exchange gifts with a secret Saturn. Be sure to greet one another with the traditional greetings of "Io Saturnalia"!
If your chapter celebrates this Ancient Roman festival, be sure to send in photos to [email protected]!
Looking from fall and forwards to winter, many cultures are gearing up for some form of winter festival, perhaps it is an attempt to make the winter months less depressing and to celebrate the finally shortening nights. For our beloved Romans, that festival was Saturnalia. Perhaps the most popular Pagan roman festival on the calendar arose out of midwinter celebrations and later evolved into Christian celebrations of Christmas. The celebrations for Saturn, god of time, were a week-long festival that began on the 17th of December. Preparations would last for all of December, as people went to pop up shops for gifts, planned feasts and wrote notes. The actual statue of Saturn which typically would be bound at his feet by woolen bands would be unbound during the festivities.