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Christmas, Ancient Holy Days

By Robin DuMolin

In ancient cultures farming not only provided food but also a secure way of life. Commun-ities could be formed, no longer was it necessary to lead a nomadic life. It is no wonder that feasts and celebrations sprang up observing and honoring the seasons.

Ancient Babylonians had a festival called Sacaea, which Persians also celebrated. During this time masters and slaves exchanged places. In each household one slave was picked to be the master. In the palace, a mock king ruled in place of the true king.

Around 2,000 BC. Greeks were settling into the Balkan peninsula. They learned to grow grains, grapes and olives here. They learned about the god of the harvest... Cronus. These ancient Greeks adopted other culture's gods and goddesses. The name Cronus was similar to the Greek word chronos which means time. So the harvest god and the god of time became one, Father Time. His festival, the Kronia, was celebrated in mid-summer after the wheat was harvested. The Kronia took on the customs of the Sacaea.

Around 1,000 BC. a wandering tribe called Latins settled into the Italian peninsula. Rome grew and expanded. Early Romans were a stern people. Saturn was their god of agriculture. His festival, Saturnalia, was on December 17th. Saturn became identified with Cronus, and Saturnalia began to resemble Kronia. During Satur-nalia slaves and masters exchanged places. Satur-nalia went from 1 to 3 to 7 days of celebration. Only the first day was religious, the other days were party days. Gifts were exchanged. As Saturnalia became longer it came closer to another Roman holiday, the Kalends, or New Year.

What was lacking in these festivals was a spiritual overview. As the Roman empire expanded certain Eastern cults became popular. The most notable of them was the religion of Mithra, the sun god. He was an ancient Persian god symbolizing the fighter of battles. Originally he helped the god of goodness and light against darkness. Mithraism was a man's religion. Military men identified with the warrior god, who protected the world. In 274 AD. emperor proclaimed a new holiday on December 25. It was celebrated as the birthday of the unconquered sun, but it was also the date of the winter solstice on their calendar. Aurelian was a former army officer and Mithraism convert. He came from the Danube area where the sun was worshiped. Now that he ruled the empire, he was looking for a way to unite all the different religious cults.

Rising of the Son

And it came to pass, in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be registered (taxed)... And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David), to be registered with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child... And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in the manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were very much 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, who 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 toward men... . --Luke 2:1-14

What did these surroundings look like 2,000 years ago? Most likely the stable Joseph and Mary resided in was a cave. It was not unusual for people back then to use caves as a dwelling. Joseph had a few days probably to fix up this cave. The swaddling cloth Jesus was wrapped in was probably similar to a receiving blanket. The manger was a feeding trough probably made out of clay and placed on a wooden support.

During these times shepherds were not highly regarded and were poorly paid. Prejudice against them went so far that they were not allowed to give testimony in a trial. Ironically, they were the first to hear about Christ's birth. How did the people of Bethlehem react to the news of the Messiah being born there? Probably with mixed feelings of hope and cynicism. Other young men claimed the same thing. The cave where Christ was born is now called a Grotto. During the Roman persecutions of early Christians, Emperor Hadrian ordered a sacred grove to the god Adonis planted around this site. This only heightened the fame of the Grotto.

What was the star the Magi recognized and followed? Most people in biblical times referred to all objects in the sky as stars. It couldn't have been a comet they saw. Comets were omens of upcoming disasters. The most likely explanation is a conjunction of several planets. Jupiter and Saturn were in conjunction on May 27, 7 BC. and again on October 5 and December 1 of that year. The Magi believed the planets to be gods. Saturn was the protector of the Jews. Jupiter was the king of the gods. It was very unusual for a conjunction of the planets to happen three times in a year. Then in February 6 BC. Mars joined in this conjunction. All planets were in the constellation of Pisces, believed by astrologers to be the House of the Hebrews. To the Magi, an event like this would be incredible and have easily hastened them on their journey.

Early Christians, the Beginning of Christmas

Early Christians did not celebrate the pagan festivals, or even the birth of Christ, believing that the celebration of birthdays was worldly. Christians always lived with the threat of persecution, many were executed for not celebrating various pagan rituals. But as Christianity spread across the now expanded Roman empire, the taboo against holidays waned. Epiphany was celebrated before Christmas was. In Greece and Egypt it was originally a pagan festival associated with river gods. Christians replaced the pagan festival with the Feast of the Epiphany. This celebrated Christ's baptism, his first miracle and the coming of the Magi. In 567 a council of bishops in France proclaimed the days between Christmas (December 25) and the Epiphany (January 6) to be a sacred season. The 12 days of Christmas officially began. December 26 was the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr and December 28 was to honor the Holy Innocents, the children of Bethlehem murdered by Herod in search of the Christ child.

The earliest Christian custom associated with Christmas was the midnight mass. In the 5th century the Roman Pope carried out midnight mass at the Church of Mary Major. The feasting, gift giving and good times of Saturnalia and the Kalends persisted and gradually blended with the Christian celebration. Pagan and Christian ideas coexisted for generations and Christmas was enhanced by this. The custom of the wassail bowl is Anglo Saxon. Waesheil - "Be Well" was first a toast between friends. In medieval England the bowl was brought out at Christmas, New Years and the Epiphany. The poor would go from door to door with a cup and beg in rhyme for some wassail. Wassailing then came to mean caroling.

The Holiday's Continuing Evolution

By the early Middle Ages Christmas was a solemn and joyous, sacred and festive day. Kings favored it as a day for coronations. William the Conqueror in 1066 chose it for his coronation as King of England. Eventually, customs early Christians had rejected were eventually blessed and accepted. The Roman symbol of candles were accepted in the Christian celebration. They could be easily accepted as a symbol for Christ the Light of the World. Mumming or guising (from disguising) was very popular in England and France. It's origin is from Saturnalia. Merrymakers disguised in all kinds of costumes took to the streets. Animal masks were popular and so were men dressing up in women's clothes. Singing, dancing and begging were all part of mumming. Later on in England crude plays were performed by mummers. In almost every play two antagonists fought to the death, with the hero being revived. The resemblance to the ancient idea of an agricultural god who dies at the closing of the year only to come alive again in the spring is obvious.

In the thirteenth century a young Italian nobleman who founded the Franciscans, a religious order dedicated to serving the poor, was troubled by the Christian aspect of the holiday to be pushed aside by the pagan customs. This Francis of Assisi wanted to inspire in others the same devotion he had towards Jesus' birth. Two weeks before Christmas he told a friend, "If you desire that we should celebrate this year's Christmas together at Greccio, go quickly and prepare what I tell you; for I want to enact the memory of the infant who was born at Bethlehem, and how he was deprived of all the comforts babies enjoy; how he was bedded in the manger on hay, between an ass and an ox. For once I want to see all this with my own eyes."

"The men and women of the neighborhood, as best they could, prepared candles and torches to brighten the night. Finally the Saint of God arrived, found everything prepared, saw it and rejoiced. The crib was made ready, hay was brought, the ox and ass were led to the spot... Greccio became a new Bethlehem. The night was made radiant like the day, filling man and animals with joy. The crowds drew near and rejoiced in the novelty of the celebration. Their voices resounded from the woods, and the rocky cliff echoed the jubilant outburst. As they sang in praise of God the whole night rang with exultation."

Apparently the ox and ass were added because of this passage in Isaiah 1:3, "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib, but Israel hath not known me and my people hath not understood." The recreation of the manger scene in Bethlehem inspired so many others. Live versions happened first, then it evolved to miniature figures being used. The custom spread from country to country.

The renewed spirit of devotion changed Christmas in another way. Latin hymns were customarily sung in honor of the Nativity, but they had little emotional appeal. The early Franciscans wanted to humanize Christianity with a tenderness and warmth. Jacopone da Todi was the first to write new songs. He joined the Franciscans and became a poet. He described the Christ Child as "our sweet little brother." "Little angels sang reverent, timid, and shy round the little Baby Prince." The common people loved his songs.

The Origin of Christmas Decorations

How did the Christmas tree come about? Pagan Germans were tree worshipping people. Like the old Romans they prized evergreen trees as a sign of life in winter time. Branches were brought inside to give shelter to the wood spirits who dwelled in these trees. Sometimes small trees were brought inside. Religious dramas were performed which taught people who could not read re-enactments of the Bible. In Germany, Paradise plays were usually performed. These plays depicted the creation of humans, Adam and Eve and their outcast from the Garden. It ended with the promise of the coming Savior. These plays required an apple tree. In places where fruit branches were bare in winter, an evergreen was used that was hung with apples. This tree was initiated into some homes and called the Tree of Life, with figures of the serpent and Adam and Eve underneath it. And something that had a huge influence in birthing our modern Christmas tree, was the Christmas pyramid. It was made of a wooden frame with several levels of shelves. It was decorated with candles, evergreen branches and pretty decorations. Later in the sixteenth century these traditions blended and the first decorated Christmas trees appeared in Germany.

As Germans lived abroad they brought their Christmas tree custom with them. By mid-nineteenth century it was a familiar sight in Russia and Scandinavian countries. During Queen Victoria's reign is when more of the English populace came to accept the tradition and copy it. Albert, her husband, was German and he longed for a Christmas tree, like he remembered it from childhood.

In 1850, Charles Dickens gave a description of a Christmas tree to his readers: "I have been looking, this evening, at a merry company of children assembled round that pretty German toy, a Christmas tree. The tree was planted in the middle the great round table, and towered high above their heads. It was brilliantly lighted by a multitude of little tapers; and everywhere sparkled and glittered with bright objects. There were rosy-cheeked dolls, hiding behind green leaves; And there were real watches... dangling from innumerable twigs; there were French polished tables chairs, bedsteads... and various other articles of domestic furniture (wonderfully made of tin) perched among the boughs, as if in preparation for some fairy housekeeping... This motley collection of odd objects clustering on the tree like magic fruit, and flashing back the bright looks directed towards it from every side - some of the diamond eyes admiring were hardly on a level with the table, and a few were languishing in timed wonder on the bosoms of pretty mothers, aunts and nurses - made lively realization of the fancies of childhood; and set me thinking how all the trees that grow and all the things that come into existence on the earth, have their wild adornments at that well remembered time." Merry Christmas. 

I'd like to credit Patricia Bunning Stevens for her wonderful book, Merry Christmas, A History of the Holiday, from which much of this material was gleaned.