The Birth of Tradition
By Abi Jackson
If you were to ask most people "what is Christmas?", they would not hesitate to tell you about a baby born in a manger on December 25th over 2,000 years ago. They would assume that this was the birthday of Jesus, even if they didn't exactly believe in Him, mainly because anyone who has attended primary school in the United Kingdom would have taken part, or seen, the nativity play, which is where the story was first taught to most of us. If you were to pose more pointed questions about Christmas trees, mistletoe, yule logs and lights, and ask why these traditions are relevant to a humble birth in a manger, you would most likely be met with silence. This isn't a bad thing, as tradtions go, we learn about them at one forgotten point in our lives, and practice it without thinking for the rest of it. Many self-professed Christians today would likewise be lost for an answer, but their convictions are strong, that Christmas is, and always has been, a solely Christian affair.
In fact, Christmas has its roots in paganism. In modern times it has undergone a much derided commercialised transformation. In England, Christmas is political. Nationalism, patriotism, zenophobia, media spin and Islamophobia is fast becoming a December tradition. Although Christmas is far behind us, vanishing further and further into the folds of basement tinsel, these interesting facs about the holiday are interesting to know throughout the whole year. Surely it can win you some points at your local pub quiz!
Tammuz
In Ezekiel chapter 8 in the Old Testament,, God shows the prophet Ezekiel a vision of the temple of Jerusalem being used for pagan worship. There is a strange name mentioned in verse 14: Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
So who was Tammuz? According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Tammuz is an ancient god of fertility and agriculture. The cult of Tammuz spread in the 1st and 2nd millennia BC throughout Mesopotamia. Two major yearly events were observed in his honour: a festival celebrating his marriage to a goddess; and another lamenting his death. This means that the women in Ezekiel 8:14 were practising the customs of the cult of Tammuz in God's temple . The ancient Babylonians celebrated the death of Tammuz with a six day festival of mourning during the summer solstice--in the southern hemisphere, this would fall between 20th to 23rd December.
Yule
An earlier term for Christmas. This is most likely derived from the Germanic language, which celebrated the winter solstice. This festival is normally observed between 21st and 22nd December each year.
Tammuz (left) was an ancient god of fertility and agriculture.
The festival of Saturnalia (right, Saturn) was a Roman holiday that ran for 8 days, ending on December 25th. Human sacrifice and promiscuity were practiced during this time.