No one knows on what day Jesus Christ was born. From the Biblical description, most historians believe that his birth probably occurred in September, approximately six months after Passover. One thing they agree on is that it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December, since the Bible records shepherds tending their sheep in the fields on that night. This is quite unlikely to have happened during a cold Judean winter. So why do we celebrate Christ’s birthday as Christmas, on December the 25th?
The answer lies in the pagan origins of Christmas. In ancient Babylon, the feast of the Son of Isis, the Goddess of Nature, was celebrated on December 25. Raucous partying, gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift-giving were traditions of this feast.
Winter solstice was celebrated many years before the birth of Christ…
In Rome, the Winter Solstice was celebrated many years before the birth of Christ. The Romans called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. In January, they observed the Kalends of January, which represented the triumph of life over death. This whole season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. The festival season was marked by much merrymaking.
It is in ancient Rome that the tradition of the Mummers was born. The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born.
In northern Europe, many other traditions that we now consider part of Christian worship were begun long before the participants had ever heard of Christ. The pagans of northern Europe celebrated their own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the birth of the pagan Sun God Mithras, and was observed on the shortest day of the year. As the Sun God grew and matured, the days became longer and warmer. It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year.
The word Yule means wheel, a pagan symbol for the sun…
Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun. The word Yule itself means “wheel,” the wheel being a pagan symbol for the sun. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual. Hollyberries were thought to be a food of the gods.
The tree is the one symbol that unites almost all the northern European winter solstices. Live evergreen trees were often brought into homes during the harsh winters as a reminder to inhabitants that soon their crops would grow again. Evergreen boughs were sometimes carried as totems of good luck and were often present at weddings, representing fertility. The Druids used the tree as a religious symbol, holding their sacred ceremonies while surrounding and worshipping huge trees.
In the year 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans (who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier with the people, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.
The Puritans banned celebrations on Christmas Day…
The earliest record of an evergreen being decorated in a Christian celebration was in 1521 in the Alsace region of Germany. A prominent Lutheran minister of the day thought the tree was blasphemy and said, “Better that they should look to the true tree of life, Christ.” The Puritans banned celebrations on Christmas Day, as it had become a day of drinking and general bawdiness. That controversy over the Christmas tree and celebration of Christmas continues even today in some fundamentalist sects.
In the Bible, the way was prepared for the birth of Christ by the prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 9:2 – The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
People through the ages have needed times of celebration, times of ritualized joy. And all of the pagan celebrations, and even this prophecy in the Bible, involve the sun and the bringing of light. It has to do with being able to see where before there was darkness, having the hope and warmth that light brings. Jesus is often referred to in the Bible as Light, bringing light for all to see. Light has symbolized the bringing of Life.
In the Bible, the birth of Jesus was peaceful, and subtle, and hidden away. It was told in Luke 2:4-7 that Joseph went with Mary to the town of Nazareth to register for the census. “He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the babe to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
It took over 30 years after that birth for Jesus to even begin teaching.
Say hello to the energy of the planet as it was at the time Jesus was born.
Say hello to the energy of the planet after Jesus had come and gone.
Notice the big shift of energy.
There are many things we can celebrate at Christmas. Be aware of how validating it is to us as beings who have chosen to manifest on this planet that Christ came here – to live, to be, to teach, to love and to heal.
Be aware of the validation this planet received, and validation for what we are all doing here.
Notice that before the birth of Jesus, the religions were very outer-oriented, focused on the outside world. Put your attention completely on the outside world, and notice how that feels.
One of the shifts that Jesus brought to the planet was to refocus our attention inward. Put your attention completely inside from the center of your head and say hello. Notice the difference.
Say hello to how validating it is that all of us learned what Jesus had to teach, which is that God is within every one of us. Say hello to that validation.
Let us celebrate the birth of Christ as a validation of our life.
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Originally published December 18, 2018
