2008 Woodie Awards
From Saturnalia to Santa Claus
A brief history of the holiday
Sherri Daus
Issue date: 12/10/03 Section: Features
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Brightly colored baubles dangle loosely from tree branches in store windows decorated with garland and blinking lights. The Fleet Farm catalog is a colorful array of blues, reds, and greens as children eagerly circle toys and other necessities, ensuring there will be no mistakes as to what they want for Christmas. Santas ring bells and regale people with hearty "ho-ho-ho's" as they drop money into red metal buckets. Christmas time has arrived once again, marking the beginning of a tradition that dates back to before Jesus was even born.
During Roman times, winter solstice marked a period of darkness and cold with little harvest for the people, so festivals were held in honor of the god of agriculture, Saturnalia, and gods and goddesses of harvest. Masquerades, parties, and great feasts were held for days. Slaves became masters, schools and businesses were closed, and peasants ruled the city. People threw off the mores of society for a month of festivity and debauchery.
Children were honored around the same time with a special festival called Juvenalia, held in honor of Mithra, the infant god of the unconquerable sun. It was believed the infant Mithra was born on December 25, which was considered the most sacred day of the year.
When Christianity began to spread during the fourth century, Pope Julius I was seeking a way to reach the so-called "pagans," or non-converts. Religious leaders combined Roman religious practices with Christian beliefs and December 25 was transformed from the birth of the sun-god, Mithra, to the birth of God's son, Jesus. Religious leaders knew that by holding Christmas at the same time as the Roman festivals, it would be more readily assimilated into Roman culture and would make the process of converting the people to Christianity easier as well.
Originally known as the Feast of the Nativity (Christ's Birth), the religious custom spread along with Christianity into Egypt by 432 B.C., and to England by the end of the sixth century.
During Roman times, winter solstice marked a period of darkness and cold with little harvest for the people, so festivals were held in honor of the god of agriculture, Saturnalia, and gods and goddesses of harvest. Masquerades, parties, and great feasts were held for days. Slaves became masters, schools and businesses were closed, and peasants ruled the city. People threw off the mores of society for a month of festivity and debauchery.
Children were honored around the same time with a special festival called Juvenalia, held in honor of Mithra, the infant god of the unconquerable sun. It was believed the infant Mithra was born on December 25, which was considered the most sacred day of the year.
When Christianity began to spread during the fourth century, Pope Julius I was seeking a way to reach the so-called "pagans," or non-converts. Religious leaders combined Roman religious practices with Christian beliefs and December 25 was transformed from the birth of the sun-god, Mithra, to the birth of God's son, Jesus. Religious leaders knew that by holding Christmas at the same time as the Roman festivals, it would be more readily assimilated into Roman culture and would make the process of converting the people to Christianity easier as well.
Originally known as the Feast of the Nativity (Christ's Birth), the religious custom spread along with Christianity into Egypt by 432 B.C., and to England by the end of the sixth century.