How
The Winter Solstice Became Christmas
By Robin DuMolin  The
Winter Solstice
“The winter solstice was the turning point of time and the birthday
of the sun, the moment of new beginnings. All of nature was poised then
to step over the border of the year. When it became the birthday of Christ,
Christmas night became the hinge of the year. It commemorated the timeless
moment when heaven… came in contact with the earth, and each year
the anniversary… recreated once again the circumstances of the first
Christmas.” E.C. Krupp
It is believed that Christ’ birth was celebrated on January 6 until
around 336 AD. In 567 AD the Council of Toures formally declared the twelve
days from Christmas to Epiphany (January 6) a festival tide, including
the birth and baptism of Christ into a single celebration. Originally,
the celebration of a “Child of Wonder” included the birth of
Mithras (Rome), Aion (Greece) and Attis (Syria).
Solstice-the soul’s journey
The importance of the solstices up to the Middle Ages is viewed as a belief
that the human soul entered and exited life through the gates of the solstices.
Natural philosophers named Capricorn and Cancer “the portals of the
sun” because the solstices happened during the seasons of these two
zodiac signs. One is called the portal of men and one the portal of gods.
Cancer the portal of men, because through its descent is made to the infernal
regions; Capricorn, the portal of the gods, because through it souls return
to their rightful abode of immortality.
Saturnalia
The ancient festival from which we derive many of the traditional celebrations
associated with midwinter is the Roman Saturnalia. It is from Saturnalia
that we have the idea of gift giving at Christmas, and not from the gifts
of the Magi which came much later. This celebration was in honor of Saturn,
the Roman god of agriculture and time. His feast was celebrated from December
17 through December 24. Masters served their slaves, law courts and schools
were closed. The whole community feasted, gambled and drank. The festival
began with the sacrifice of a young pig. Gifts exchanged that were very
popular were wax candles (representing eternal light), terra cotta dolls
which could have represented past times when there were human sacrifices
at mid winter offered to the gods. During Saturnalia it was the custom
to choose a mock king who ruled over chaos not order. This was a gesture
of rebellion towards Roman rule. This king’s purpose was to behave
as foolishly as possible, insulting guests, chasing women and wearing
flamboyant clothing. The hiding of coins in puddings date from this period.
Birthday celebrations
One of the gods whose birthday was celebrated was Apollo. Apollo’s
father was the god Zeus, his mother a mortal, Leto. So, he was seen as
half god and half mortal. Jesus whose physical mother was Mary has God
as his Father. Apollo was born in a cave at the time of the winter solstice.
Jesus was born in a cave (manger) in Bethlehem. Apollo was also seen as
a shepherd and was often represented as a young man with a sheep around
his shoulders - so there are parallels here and with Jesus as “the
good shepherd”.
Mithras was a Persian deity living in the 6th century BC. Like Apollo
he was a sun god, he had been sent to earth by the supreme god of light
to slay a huge bull whose blood was the source of all fertility on earth.
Mithras’ birth was attended by shepherds. When his time on earth
was nearing the end he had a last supper before returning to his father.
His last supper believers said was a communion of bread and wine. He was
believed to not have died but gone to heaven, and then he would return
at the end of time to raise the dead for the final judgement.
Osiris was an Egyptian born god. He and his love Isis brought peace, order,
arts and crafts to the world. Osiris was murdered by his jealous brother
Set. He dismembered his body and hid it’s different parts around
Egypt. Isis gathered his remains and restored him to life on December
25. His life represented the rising and setting of the sun. Horus, the
son of Osiris and Isis was represented as sitting on Isis knee. Later
this same image was transferred to the Virgin Mary and Jesus.
The Wise Men and Their Gifts
There are various beliefs and evidence of who the Wise Men were and how
many there were. In the book of Adam there are three called, Hor, King
of Persia, Basantar, King of Saba, and Karsundas, King of the East. From
another source there are twelve wise men listed. Twelve men, like the
twelve zodiac signs… And they took from them gold, and myrrh, and
frankencense… the gold was for a king, the myrrh for a physician,
and the frankencense for a priest, for the Magi knew who He was, and that
He was king, and a physician, and a priest.
The Origin of Santa Claus
There was a Medieval bishop named Nicholas. He had a very poor parish
and wanted to do something for his parishioners. He started secretly giving
gifts to poor children, leaving the gifts in their shoes. He did this
throughout the year. His fame grew into a legend and he became the first
Saint Nick.
An earlier origin of Santa Claus comes from the shaman, the first priests
and magicians. The idea of a gift giver descending from a high place bearing
gifts (Santa Claus at the North Pole) originated from the shamans climbing
up the world tree and bringing back down with him (down the chimney) the
gifts of prophecy and wisdom to give to the world.
Christmas Trees
 The
first record of Christmas trees is from Germany in 1605. “At Christmas
they set up fir trees in the parlours of Strasbourg and hang thereon roses
cut out of many coloured paper, apples, wafers, gold foil, sweets, etc…”
A. Tille, Yule and Christmas, London 1899. Actually there was resistance
and condemnation of Christmas trees. Here’s one comment, “Whence
comes this custom I know not; it is child’s play… far better
were it to point children to the spiritual cedar tree, Jesus Christ.”
A. Tille, Yule and Christmas. It wasn’t until 1840 when Queen Victoria
and Prince Albert brought a Christmas tree to Balmoral that it became
popular. December 24 in early times used to be Adam and Eve day. Medieval
people believed when Adam and Eve left Eden they took a bit of the tree
of life, that later grew into the tree which Christ’s cross was made.
With the belief of Christ as the tree of life and the light of the world,
all that is brought together in the candle lit evergreen tree.
The Essence of Christmas
As above, so below. We have all heard this phrase before. Here’s
how it applies to the energy or essence of this time of year. During this
season of the year the Christ Force energy or Universal energy which energizes
this whole planet and everything on it is furthest away from us, so we
feel its absence. During the fall this energy begins to descend to the
center of the earth, at the winter solstice it hits the center of the
earth. In spring the direction has already reversed and this energy hits
the surface and in the summer it is at its zenith where we receive the
most energy and the most sunlight. The amount of light corresponds to
the direction and closeness of this energy. Light happens on the physical
and metaphysical. Just as ancient people watched for the return of the
sun to warm them and make their crops grow, we look forward to the spring
where the strength of the sun and light increases and life force energy
hits the surface of the planet and we feel re-energized. Why does it leave
us temporarily (fall and winter months)? To give us time to reflect, to
spend more time indoors with less distractions and to review how we’ve
been living our lives. It is also a time where many people experience
depression, yet it is the holidays (Holy Days). Holy means committed.
How committed are we to reflect his life flowing through us?
“‘The Winter Solstice and/or Christ Mass is when the former
life (of the personality) becomes re-acquainted with death. Likewise,
the former death becomes re-acquainted with the reality of spirit life.
“Christmas is the time of year where people have the opportunity
of playing Santa Claus or grow up in awareness and unfold the stature
of being charitable to everyone upon earth. To be in the place, position
and glory of the Greatest Giver of all time, The Lord of Hosts. A time
to dress up and have fun in His name. It is His Day For One And For All.
That’s why it is considered a sacred holy time or holiday. It is
time for Christ to be spiritually dressed in your heart by you, using
you, giving through you unto Himself for blessing of others, where he’s
resting for a sure reminder that He will arise in their spiritual maturity”
- Rev. William H. Duby
Sources: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas, John Matthews
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