Greetings!
It's that time of year when every one is rushing around busily buying Christmas presants and often wondering how they are going to pay off the credit card when it arrives. But what happened before December 25th was declared Christmas day?
The ancients always celebrated Winter Solstice which this year falls on December 22nd. This day officially marks the beginning of the winter season and is the shortest day of the year with the least amount of daylight between sunrise and sunset. Solstice often translated as 'sun stands still' was a time for celebration for after this day the daylight starts to grow longer. The ancient believed that the more celebration they made the greater the chance of the Sun God being pleased for this was a time to welcome the birth of the sun.
The modern day Christmas celebrations are not very different to the Solstice celebrations:-
Holly was used for its magical powers and thought to bring good luck
Mistletoe considered to be a sacred plant was a pledge of friendship and fertility (Careful ladies!)
Ivy was for everlasting life
Yule logs normally came from oak, ash, or cedar and were burned for 12 days (Twelve days of Christmas?) Interestingly the celebrations went on for 12 days! (wonder who changed it to 2)
Evergreen - the ancients held all evergreens in great awe for these plants always survived through the winter. They believed that the more you had in the home was better. (our Christmas trees?)
Roman parties were a time for the slaves and their owners to get together and let down their hair, the slaves were allowed at this time to speak freely (sounds like the office party!
Sacrifice - we are told that nine maidens would dismember a willing male body (any one for a turkey leg?)