Saturnalia
According to Judaism Online, Roman pagans celebrated a festival of "lawlessness" between 17th and 25th December each year. Customs of this festival include murder, promiscuity and human sacrifice. In the 4th Century, Roman Catholic leaders adopted the festival as a Christian holiday, in a bid to influence the pagan worshippers. To remedy the tension between Roman pagan practices and Roman Christian beliefs, the final day of Saturnalia, December 25th, was used to observe Jesus' birth.
So, About Christmas...
It appears that Christmas is an amalgamation of various pagan festivals. It is difficult to ascribe a "direct line" conclusion, because so many Christmas traditions--yule logs, evergreen trees and mistletoe--are from different pagan beliefs from different eras and times. Notably, Encyclopaedia Britannica states that evergreen trees symbolised eternal life in ancient Hebrew, Chinese and Egyptian cultures. Imagine that: a small evergreen tree, encompassing three geographically and culturally disparate regions!
So, what does this all mean? Should Christians stop celebrating Christmas? Should society stop calling it a "Christian" holiday and show some respct to the various pagan groups who gave this holiday to us? What about the atheists? Why should they be burdened with all this talk of gods and festivals?
Well, it's your choice. Christmas is a lovely time of year, people seem happier and more at ease. It's a time that people can spend with family, relfecting on the year before and the year to come.
Remember the homeless and people living on the streets. Or those without families who spend the holiday season alone. It can be a difficult time for them.
If you didn't do so this Christmas, why not volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen next year? The origins of the holiday may be cloudy, but the present is crystal clear. As we're living now we can aim to be the positive changes in our communities, and spread a little Christmas cheer to others.
Tree worship was a common practice in pagan Europe, and when the various winter festivals were adopted by the Church, the tree remained with the holiday. Mistletoe customs are adapted from Druid mythology.
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Tree worship was also a common aspect of pagan Europe, and when the various winter festivals were adopted by the Church, the tree remained with the holiday. And the mistletoe customs are adapted from Druid mythology.
Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica: 'Christmas', 'Tammuz', 'Christmas Trees'.; Judaism Online,
Yamauchi , E. (1965) 'Tammuz and the Bible' in Journal of Biblical Literature