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Most ancient people worshipped the sun. They believed winter ended the sun god's rule, allowing the evil powers of darkness to take over and kill things. As the days grew shorter and the night longer, they feared the sun god would not return. Late December was a turning point however. Days and sunlight grew longer and stronger. People held festivals to welcome the sun god's return. They lighted candles and bonfires to make the sun god stronger and drive winter away.

Countries of the Roman Empire had a special holiday on December 25th, called the "Birthday of the Sun." The holiday came at the end of a week-long festival called "Saturnalia," which honored Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture. During Saturnalia no one worked except cooks and bakers. It was decreed that, "Soldiers must lay down their weapons. All men shall be equal -slave and free, rich and poor, one with another." People indulged in much eating, drinking and visiting, even to the point of masked reveling and riots on the streets.

Buildings were decorated with evergreens, symbols of everlasting sunlight. Friends exchanged wreaths made of laurel leaves, the Roman symbol of victory and honor. Peoples sometimes carried small trees trimmed with candles to welcome the sun's return. The Kalends of January, the Roman's New Year festival, lasted from January first through the third. This is when Roman officials were sworn into office. Friends exchanged gifts and good wishes for the coming year. Between Saturnalia and Kalends, they made one c ontinuous festival.

People living in Britain and Scandinavia held similar midwinter sun festivals. They called theirs "Yule" or "Jol," this is where the word jolly comes from. Pagan midwinter festivals remained popular centuries after Christ was born. Christian religion continued to grow strong. Many Christians began to observe Christ's birthday. Since no one knew His birthday, some people celebrated it in the spring and others in the winter. Finally, church leaders in Rome adopted December 25th as Christ's birthday.

This was in the fourth century A.D. Churchmen hoped that by celebrating on December 25th, the pagan customs would be forgotten and everyone would just celebrate Christ's birthday instead. When the Church found it impossible through repeated bans to abolish all pagan customs, it "Christianized" a number of them, divesting them of their worst features, and finally incorporated them into the Christian observance of Christmas.

Early Christian holidays were called feast days. December 25th became the "Feast of the Nativity." Nativity comes from the Latin word "Natalis," meaning birthday. A special church service called a Mass was celebrated to honor the nativity. In England, the day became known as "Christ's Mass," later shortened to Christmas. The first Christmas' celebrated were solemn and holy.

Church leaders made the four week period before Christmas a time to pray and prepare for the coming holy festival. They called it "Advent," which means "coming." January 6th, called "Epiphany," honors the visit of the wise men to the Christ Child. Epiphany comes from the Greek word for appearance. The Twelve Days of Christmas became a time of continuous rejoicing. Each town or village appointed a man to lead all the entertainment. The "Lord of Misrule" had a group of helpers called jesters. Twelfth Night brought the holiday season to a close. Most families had a Twelfth Night cake to honor the three kings.

Saint Nicholas becomes Santa Claus
There really was a Saint Nicholas. He was an early Christian bishop in what is now known as Turkey. He was famous for his generosity and love of children. He used all his money to give gifts to children and the poor. His gifts were given in secret. Whenever anyone received a surprise gift they would say, "Oh, St. Nicholas gave it."

Because of his love for children and his generosity, many chapels have been dedicated to him. Russia and Greece took him to be their patron saint. Dutch seamen are supposed to have carried to Europe reports of his generosity, the result being that Dutch children in Holland received special presents on December 6th, which had been dedicated to the bishops birthday as a feast day. The traditional appearance of St. Nicholas in Europe is that of a bearded saint riding a white horse, and carrying a basket of gi fts for the good children and a bunch of birch rods for the naughty ones.

It seems that the Dutch transformed the saint into the chubby, jolly character we know today. When the Dutch settled in New Amsterdam, now New York, they brought along their tradition of St. Nicholas. On the vessels that brought Dutch settlers his image was portrayed with a broad brimmed hat, a long Dutch pipe, and his long churchly robe was replaced by short breeches.

At the beginning of the 19th century, English influences merged with established Dutch parades in New York. In 1809, Washington Irving wrote of Santa Claus as a jolly, chubby fellow riding through the air in a sleight drawn by reindeer. In 1822, Dr. Clement C. Moore wrote a poem called, "A visit from St. Nicholas." In that year on December 22, Moore, who was a professor in the general Theological Seminary in New York, read his poem to his children. A visitor to his home was so impressed that he had the po em published the next year in the Troy, New York Sentinel. In 1863, a cartoonist, in the Harper's Illustrated Weekly, gave Santa Claus his white beard and red fur trimmed coat.

The Spirit of Christmas
We know how Santa Claus came to be, but what actually inspired St. Nicholas to give like he did? What was that force of energy that caused his deeds to become known far and wide throughout the globe, and continue for so many centuries? It is all illustrated in the first real Christmas two thousand years ago.

And there were in the same country
Shepherds abiding in the field,
Keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the Angel of the Lord
came upon them.
And the glory of the Lord
shone round about them;
And they were afraid.
And the Angel said unto them, "Fear not!
For, behold, I bring you good tidings
of great joy,
Which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day
in the city of David
a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you:
Ye shall find the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes,
Lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the Angel
A multitude of the heavenly host
Praising God, and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace,
Good will towards men."

- Luke 2:8-14

Copyright © 1995. Sterling Rose Press, Inc.