The History of Christmas

I'm going to preface this article with a few caveats:

1) I find the celebration of Christmastime to be very important, on many different levels, not the least of which is showing love. In the darkness of winter, with the despair of so many souls, the offer of love at this time is paramount.
2) This is not written with the intent of offending anyone; rather, teaching Truth beyond legend.
3) I offer this to you with an open heart, hoping for an open mind.

Having said that, I'd like to address what many consider to be a profoundly "Christian" holiday, that actually has pagan roots in nearly all of its traditions.

Think of what you often see at Christmastime:

• Evergreen trees brought inside
• Glass balls decorating the tree
• Yule logs burning in the fireplace
• Large meals or feasts
• Claims of December 25 as the birth of Christ, the worshiped god of Christians
• Santa Claus

Now let's look at the origins of each of these (click here for source video and here for written source):

• Evergreen trees: In the Norse Country, on December 21st (Winter Solstice), fathers and sons dragged in evergreen trees indoors as a reminder of life.
• Glass balls on the tree: Apples were tied to the branches of trees to remind themselves that spring and summer would return. Gradually, these were replaced by the Christmas balls we see now. After Christianity began adopting these pagan traditions, the apples were said to be signs of the Garden of Eden.
  
• Yule logs: Along with bringing evergreen trees inside, the Norse burned logs as a sign of good fortune.
• Large meals or feasts: Originating in Rome, with their feast of "Saturnalia," the Romans would begin a week before the Winter Solstice and have an orgy of food and drink in honor of Saturn, their god of Agriculture.
• December 25: Originally the birth date of Mithra, the Sun God. This date was considered to be the holiest day of the year. Isn't it interesting how this date went from the birth of the "Sun God" to the birth of the "Son of God"?
  
• Santa Claus: Ironically, this character is most often considered to be the most "secular" aspect of Christmas, yet he originates in the Christian tradition. His roots trace back to Saint Nicholas, a real Christian saint from long ago. Thanks to Clement C. Moore and his poem "The Night Before Christmas," he morphed into a supernatural character and his legend expanded to include a sleigh, reindeer, etc.
  

Now, as I said before, I am not against these celebrations whatsoever. It is an important time of year, and for many, it is a once a year reminder of those less fortunate who are in need of charity. Thanks to "A Christmas Carol," and its main character Scrooge, it is intensely popular to give of one's time and resources at Christmas.

However, I disagree that "Jesus is the reason for the season." He's not. The seasonal celebrations for this time of year were around long before he was even born. The importance of bringing light and love to the world over at the darkest time of year has been imprinted in history long before Christianity even existed.

Now, having said that, I could go along with a modified version of this modern catchphrase. Instead of plastering "Jesus is the reason for the season" on greeting cards, bumper stickers, signs, etc., I would propose that these instead say, "Jesus is OUR reason for the season." Because this is more accurate. For Christians, Jesus IS the reason for their season. But it is only the reason for the season to THEM. Much as many Christians hate to admit it, the world is not entirely Christian, and those who choose to be something other than Christian are not necessarily evil satan-worshipers.

Rather, the majority of them are people seeking their own path to Truth, one that should be respected and acknowledged. Some of these paths include but are not limited to:

• Judaism
• Paganism (no, paganism does NOT equal devil-worship)
• Buddhism
• Wicca
• Islam
• Etc. etc. etc.

By respected, I mean shown the same rights that you yourself want for your own traditions. Just as you would not want a Jewish Community stuffing the menorah down your throat, why thrust your beliefs on them? They have every right to place their symbols of worship in public places as do Christians who place Nativity scenes in public places. And just as you would not want someone telling you you're going to hell for your beliefs, why express that to others? I personally find it wholly arrogant of any of us as humans to presume who is or is not going to hell. No matter what we believe on this earth, it is ultimately up to the Father to determine who does or does not join him in the afterlife.

As far as respect, it is no different with the phrase, "Jesus is the reason for the season." This is their season too, is it not? Yet Jesus plays no part in their celebrations, and is obviously NOT the reason for their season.

Once again, I will reiterate that this is not directed at any one person, and is not meant to be offensive in any way. I just suddenly got tired of that phrase and all the misleading concepts that it represented. I think all of us deserve to look at and know the Truth.

Christmas is a very special holiday season, but it is not owned by, nor did it originate with, the Christians. It is, in fact, a unique holiday season that seems to span all religions worldwide, making it a most unique time period when all of us can be joined as one, walking in Truth, Seeking the Light, and Sharing the Love we receive.

I encourage all of you to open your hearts to Truth, watch for the Light of the Divine, and share Divine Love with everyone. For as it says in the Christian Bible, "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal."