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| Christmas Through The Ages |
| Researched And Prepared by Phyllis P. Gerber Edited by Steven K. Gerber |
| You may take any part of this paper only if you leave the author's name with it. |
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| The customs of Christmas are best presented from two views: that which deals with the history and traditions of the birth of Christ as observed in the remnants of pagan traditions and customs predating the Christian era. These include the Winter Solstice, the Saturnalia and all the attendant ceremonies delegated to the time of the yhear which were observed from November through January. It is customary with many people to confuse paganism with Christianity. Often, in an attempt to blend these widely diverse kinds of observance, they lose sight of one and play up the other. To best understand our Christmas customs, we need to see and understand the roots from which this season emerged. The accounts found in the Bibole do not give a specific date as to the birth of Jesus. This fact may lead some to wonder why we celebrate Christmas on December 25. There was no specific record of the birth of the Christ Child. In looking back, it is easy to understand why. The ruling powers among the Greeks and the Romans certainly had no time for the birth of a messiah, nor did they want one. Any threat to their temporal power was a threat to their comfort and security, as we see by the dominant rule of King Herod and his attempt to destroy the male infants of that time. Francis X. Weister in The Christmas Book states that about the year 320, "the church of Rome definitely assigned December 25 for the celebration of the birth of Christ." For awhile, many Eastern churches continued to keep other dates, but toward the end of the fourth century, the Roman custom became universal. The church did not rule that we know the precise date of Christ's birth, but assigned a certain day in order to unify the celebration. The date of December 25 was chosen, not so much for historical findings, but in the desire to replace the popular pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice." This date for the Christmas celebration has been observed since the year 400 throughout the world with the exception of the Greek Orthodox Church. They adhere to the Epiphany date, thirteen days later. (They have never accepted the change made in the calendar by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582.) Epiphany, often referred to as "Little Christmas," was to commemorated the manifestation of Christ's glory to the Magi. Christmas is known by various names in different countries. In Latin, it is the Feast or Birthday of Our Lord. The English word Christmas, meaning the Mass of Christ, is close to the Dutch equivalent of Kersmis as it is to any of the names by which the season is known. X-mas, an abbreviated form of Christmas in which the X represents the Greek letter X, usually transliterated into English as "CH", has become common. The German Weinacht means sacred night but is generally accepted to refer to it as the Holy Night. The term "Noel", from the French, means birthday, or it may derive from a word meaning news. In either case, the reference is to the birthday of Christ or to news of the event. Yule is another term used for Christmas and is derived from the Scandinavian languages. Like many ancient terms, its origin has been disputed. If the root is from Old German (as most historians suspect), it means turning wheel, referring to the sunwheel after the Winter Solstice, or it may come from Solstice. In any event, as handed down to us, Yule is used today in reference to the Feast of Christmas. Since Christmas occurs between two great pagan festivals, it is only natural that down through the ages it should have taken awsome aspects of each. The Saturnalia, extending from December 17 to December 24, was an age-old observance of tribute to the god Saturn, whose name means plenty or bounty. It was a time of rejoicing and merrymaking. All work ceased, and children were released from school. Misunderstandings and battles between tribes ceased this time of year. Masters and slaves assumed euqality for the season. It was a time of feasting, giving and receiving gifts, drinking, and decorating with evergreens. Punishments were suspended and gambling with dice, at other times illegal, was allowed. The general merriment was helped by an extravagance of fancy dress. The seven days in which Rome gave itself up to the festival were a tribute to utopia, kept popular perhaps by a natural love of the foolishness and mimicry. Such merrymaking was not removed when, as the Saturnalia became corrupt, The Roman church stepped in and diverted its purpose by the adoption of the same season for Christmas. The buffoonery of the festival was continued under Roman church which was for a time the special subject of mockery as in the "Feast of the Ass." An ass was dressed in sacred garments and was driven into Egypt. It lent itself to flippancy in the hands of the insincere. The feast of the Ass survived until the twelfth century in France, and was so popular that it couldn't be completely prohibited until 1435. An ass is still introduced in the simple Nativity scenes perhaps as a reminder of the feast. Some of the spirit of warmheartedness and kindness expressed at this time of year comes to us directly from the Saturnalia. With the celebration changed to accommodate Christmas, it was refined of its cruder aspects. In the midst of the gaiety of the Saturnalia, one day was set aside to pay tribute to the birth of the unconquered sun, and that occurred on the day we know as Christmas Day. It was the greatest feast of the Mitharic religion, the state religion of the Roman Empire, and the competitor of budding Christianity. A Jewish feast that took place at this time of year was the cleansing of the Temple, whicb occurred n the latter part of December. Its significance must not be overlooked, since the followers of Christ professed Judaism and the dedication of the Temple was a custom they had long known. In adapting much of the Saturnalia, the early fathers captured the spirit of the festival, which was the rebirth, and transformed it to signify the coming of Christ. Christmas was a pagan festival which some churches have given a new meaning. Yule and Kalends In the cold North, the Teutons observed the Winter Solstice, calling it Yule. Because the nights were long, it was also referred to as the Twelve Nights. In early January came the Kalends, marking the beginning of the new year. It was a time for elections to public office and feasting. There was a comic note by actors called mummers, who dressed up in grotesque costumes made from animal skins and paraded through the streets. Wishes of happiness and prosperity were also exchanged. In the writings of Libanius, we find this description: "The festival of the Kalends is celebrated everywhere as far as the limits of the Roman Empire extend... The impulse to spend seizes everyone... People are not only generous themselves, but also toward their fellowmen. A stream of presents pours itself out on all sides... The Kalends festival banishes all that is connected with toil, and allows men to give themselves up to undisturbed enjoyment. From the minds of young people it removes two kinds of dread: the dread of the schoolmaster and the dread of the stern pedagogue... Another great quality of the festival is that it teaches men not to hold too fast to their money, but to part with it and let it pass into other hands." On every side we find pagan customs and practices coloring the great festival that we know as Christmas. Sometimes the merrymaking was raucous and coarse and men of all ages and situations in life went to excesses, much to the displeasure of the early Christian leaders. Their opposition was aimed not so much at the simple practices themselves, as the superstitions and the spirit of abnandon which accompanied these observances. Yet, many of these heathen customs, refined and stripped of their coarser elements, envelope our homes and are accepted by us, since they have been divested of their original intent and purpose. As the early teachers of Christianity made their way from country to country spreading the Gospel of Christ, the Christmas observance became known in the old world. By the twelfth century all the nations of Europe were familiar with Chriustianity and Christmas was celebrated with true devotion and joy. During this period many of our oldest carols, the Christmas plays and dozens of colorful costumes were developed and expanded from the Christian point of view. Traditions and legends began to grow in a period when the faith was very close to the populace at large. |
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