The Tradition of Christmas through the Ages!
We all know that we have Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Have you ever wondered how it became what it is today? How our ancestors celebrated Christmas? What traditions other countries and societies have? Well,let’s find out!
The history of Christmas dates back more than 4000 years to the Mesopotamian’s. They celebrated the New Year in hope that their chief god would do battle with the monsters of chaos. Festivals would start that lasted for 12 days, in which master’s and slaves would even switch places. Throughout the years these traditions were handed down to other cultures such as the Babylonians and Persians. Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome.
Early Europeans feared the Sun would not return during the winter solace and started new rituals to celebrate the return of the sun. After 35 days a scout of people would be sent to the mountaintop, when they spotted the sun reappear a great festival called the Yultide was held around a fire burning called the Yule log. It was said that this log had magical powers and was kept as protection over the house for the year and to ignite the new log the next year. People even went as far as tying apples to their trees in some cultures as a reminder that Spring would return.
Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.
The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. The shortest day of the year was celebrated as a time of rebirth. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking. However, it is more probable that Jesus was born sometime in the Spring as we are told that “shepherds where abiding in their fields.”
Amazingly early Christians did not celebrate Christ birth until 125. His crucifixion was celebrated more than his birth. Christians wanted to keep the birth of Christ a sacred event and were alarmed when these pagan rituals made their way into the festivities as Christianity spread. Finally after some time it was decreed that some of these rituals could be combined with the solemn occasion.
The exact day of the Christ child’s birth has never been pinpointed. Traditions say that it has been celebrated since the year 98 AD. In 137 AD the Bishop of Rome ordered the birthday of the Christ Child celebrated as a solemn feast. In 350 AD another Bishop of Rome, Julius I, choose December 25th as the observance of Christmas. The churches of the area before this had celebrated this occasion on various days.
In 325 AD, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Emperor, declared Christmas an immovable Feast, held on the 25th December. Constantine also introduced Sunday as a holy day and Easter as a movable Feast. The word “Christmas” means “Mass of Christ”. This was shortened to Christ-Mass and in the 1500 to “Xmas”. “Xmas” is taken from the Greek Alphabet, where Christ’s name is Xristos. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia.
Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger. Based on the little we know from the Bible and Roman census practices we know that Jesus was born no where around the time we celebrate his birth. It is most likely that he was born in the spring, “as shepherds were abiding in the field,” however it is possible that he was born much later in the year.
Advent means coming and was adopted by the church in the 6th century, for Christians to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. This was to be used as a time for personal reflection and growth. Both the advent calendar and advent wreath has become popular. Angels are a popular image at Christmas, for they look over and protect you.
The most extreme reaction was that of the Puritans, who felt that the pagan customs had gotten so much out of hand in England, that Christmas itself should be ban. Oliver Cromwell in England, banned Christmas Festivities and Christmas costumes between 1649 and 1660, believing that Christmas should be a solemn day.
It wasn’t until the 1800’s that Christians celebrated the holiday, before hand it was primarily a pagan holiday. Christmas did not become a legal holiday until the last century. An American minister, Clement Moore, wrote a poem titled “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” now known as “The Night Before Christmas” in 1822. It was printed the next year by a New York newspaper, where children were deemed important.
Queen Victoria’s husband,Albert, introduced the Christmas Tree to England in 1834, the same year Charles Dickens published his popular novel “A Christmas Carol.” The story’s message—the importance of charity and good will towards all humankind—struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday. This book was so popular that neither the Church nor the Government could ignore the importance of Christmas. In 1836 Alabama became the first American State to declare Christmas a holiday. In 1860 an American artist Thomas Nash created Father Christmas – Santa Claus, borrowing from stories about St. Nicholas.
Epiphany is actually the official end of the Christmas season. This is the day it is believed that the wise men visited the baby Jesus. We now celebrate this on January 6th.
In English-speaking countries, the day following Christmas Day is called ‘Boxing Day, a day of gift giving and charity ‘. This word comes from the custom which started in the Middle Ages – churches would open their ‘alms boxe’ (boxes in which people had placed gifts of money) and distribute the contents to poor people in the neighborhood on the day after Christmas. The tradition continues today – small gifts are often given to delivery workers such as postal staff and children who deliver newspapers.
Hanukkah, known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over King Antiochus of Syria, who wanted them to reject their religion and worship his gods. After the victory, the Maccabees wanted to rededicate the Jerusalem Temple, but could only find a tiny jug of oil, enough for a single day. They lit the lamp, and the tiny amount of oil stayed lit for eight days. The Jews still celebrate this holiday at Christmas time.
The newest of the December celebrations, Kwanzaa was inspired by the civil rights struggles of the 1960s and based on ancient African celebrations. It was developed by Dr. Maulana Karenga, an African-American scholar and activist, in 1966. Now more than 20 million people celebrate it all over the world. The celebration focuses on seven principles, known by the Swahili phrase “Nguzo Saba.”
How do you and your family celebrate the Christmas season?
Don’t forget to check out my special blogs on Wednesday here at ALookThruTime on the meaning behind Christmas traditions. For the meaning behind Christmas songs check out SingingtheSongInMyHeart.
Pictures courtesy of MorgueFile