Christmas Eve

According to Christianity, Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day - Christmas Eve doesn't have any direct mention in the Bible, but became a celebration in itself.

The date chosen (by Pope Julius I) as Jesus' birthdate was actually taken from Pagan winter solstice festivals such as Saturnalia and Yule in an effort to absorb those traditions.

As one theologian said, "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it."

Yule is celebrated from December 22-January 2.  To honor the return of the sun, the Scandinavians would burn large logs, and feast as long as the fire burned, which could take as long as 12 days.

Saturnalia begins December 17 and lasts seven days.  The Romans would honor the god of agriculture with food and drink and general hedonism.

Around the solstice, Romans also celebrated Juvenalia,with a feast to honor the children.

Native Americans, like the Pueblos, would celebrate the harvest and the solstice with feasts and ceremonial dances.  Many tribes, forced to conform with Christianity, now celebrate a mixed holiday that may include church in the morning and dance in the evening.

Americans didn't really celebrate Christmas until the 19th century, aided by the release of Washington Irving's Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent and Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.  Both books set a theme for charity and good will which we consider part of Christmas today.

The Christmas tree, as we know it today, is a tradition taken from Germany.  Devout Christians would decorate trees in their homes, but the practice of bringing foliage inside dates back further than Christianity.

At the solstice, Egyptians would fill their homes with palm rushes, to symbolize the triumph of life over death,

During Saturnalia, Romans would decorate their homes with evergreen boughs.

Construction workers started the Christmas tree tradition in Rockefeller Center in 1931.  The workers decorated a small balsam fir with cranberry string and a few tin cans.

And of course we must mention Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Las Posadas, and Chinese New Year.

So however you celebrate, Merry Season to you and yours.  ❤️

History

NPR