Surviving Christmas

Well, let's see... Christmas history is a very broad subject... So, I guess we'll start with why December 25th was chosen as the date for Christmas in the first place!

In the very beginning, the Christian church didn't even celebrate the birth of Christ. Christmas history as such did not begin until late in the third century after the Crucifixion.

Nothing in writing has been found as to what possible Christmas observances were actually held, if any, during the first three hundred years of the church.

During the late second, and much of the third century after Christ's death, many prominent elders argued about the Nativity, and whether or not it should be observed. They argued about the date of the nativity, the method of observance, and just about everything else.

Some elders favored dates in spring, because of the references in the Bible to the shepherd's being in the fields with their flocks 'by night'. One Latin treatise written in 243 suggested March 21st, the date the church tells us that God created the Sun. April 18 and 19, as well as May 20 were favored dates by some.

Others favored the reputed date that the Three Kings arrived to honor the Christ Child at Bethlehem, which on today's calendar is January 6th - recognized as Epiphany. Christmas history was full of quarrels and dissension for quite some time.

It was in the year 273 that December 25th was finally chosen as the official date of the Nativity of Christ. So, Christmas history records this as the date of the Nativity of Christ.

Origen, an early church leader, feared a celebration, as he felt that Christ should not be honored in the same way as Pharaoh and Herod were.

Thus, December 25th was to be a solemn day of thanksgiving in the very early church. There were no gifts exchanged, no carols, no Christmas trees. It was a day of prayer and introspection. Since these early days of Christmas history, we seem to have lost the religious significance of the holiday.

There was also the problem of bringing the pagan populations to Christianity. They were not likely to give up some of their most favored holidays. Even those who were beginning to look upon the Christian church with more curiosity were not willing to give up the feasting and other celebrations they'd grown up with.

Well, the church back then identified Christ with the celestial sun. Most of the pagan celebrations were held at and around the time of the winter solstice on December 21. The pagan festivities were loud, boisterous, and featured many of the traditions we currently consider as Christmas traditions.

Christmas history would change them, of course, and give them new meanings, but they are still very much a part of our celebrations, even today!

Part of the church leadership felt that by choosing the December 25th date, Christians could honor their savior without worry of persecution or other problem from the pagan populations. At the same time, some of the others who were curious about Christianity might just make the leap of faith required to convert.

December 25, incidentally, was also the reputed date of birth of the god Mithras, whose cult flourished in Rome at the time.

Another Roman celebration, Natalis Solis Invicti (the birth of the invincible sun) was also celebrated on December 25.

And, this was also the middle of the festival of Saturnalia, in which gift-giving and feasting were prominent features, as well as the lighting of candles and the decoration of the home with evergreens.

And finally, after all, December 25th is exactly nine months after the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25th).

Gradually customs became increasingly mingled together... The first truly 'western' Christmas was celebrated in 336, once Constantine had declared Christianity to be the official religion of Rome.

By this time in Christmas history, lit candles and practical small gifts had become more acceptable to some Christians, though by no means were a major part of the occasion of observing Christ's birth.

Many Blessings
GrannySue