Merry Christmas

There's nothing particularly magic about the date of December 25th in itself. Most scholars agree that's probably off by two or three months from the actual birth date of Jesus of Nazareth. The best consensus is, early Christianity moving into Europe found a highly engrained Winter Solstice celebration among the pagans, so adopted that date to change the emphasis of the Solstice celebration to a Christian celebration. On the shortest day and longest night of the year when the landscape is barren and bleak, the pagans brought in signs of green (evergreens, holly, mistletoe) in a ritual of supplication to the nature gods to bring back the green and fertile times of the other three seasons. Hence we still have these traditions. Of course St. Nicholas or Santa Claus came later and has evolved radically as us capitalists glommed onto the idea of selling the gifts others wish to give. He's a great advertising gimmick. He's changed a lot since the earliest mentions of St. Nick. Blame Coca Cola.

Of course the same is true of Easter. At least Christmas is derived from Christ-Mass. Easter is derived from a pagan goddess' name. Easter was the spring equinox fertility rituals, hence the rabbit, eggs, nest symbolism.

The whole point is, you can celebrate Christmas in whatever fashion you choose, with Santa, flying reindeer, elves, trees, gifts, lighted houses and the like, and many stop right there. Or you can celebrate the fact we have set aside this date to memorialize the birth of Jesus the Christ, and the beginning of Christianity in the world. There is nothing wrong or sinful about gift giving, Christmas trees, lighted houses and the like, but set aside a little time during the busy holiday season to think about, and honor in your own way, the reason we hold this celebration.

Merry Christmas Everyone.