Why Do We Do That? Christmas Traditions & Their Roots

Most Christmas traditions have nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus, so why are they part of the celebration of his birthday? Most of these practices have their origins in Paganism and winter celebrations predating Christianity. They were assimilated by the church as it sought to convert Europe to Christianity. What do those Pagan traditions symbolize, then? Well, I'll tell you.

Decorating the Tree & Decking the Halls

The evergreen tree is a symbol of the Earth's vitality. These beauties remain green year-round, even when the world is covered in snow. It is a reminder, when all seems cold is dead, that life goes on and that spring will return. This is why evergreen trees are decorated at the Winter Solstice, known as Yule to modern Pagans like me. This is why red and green are traditional Christmas colors, because as everyone knows, the evergreen plant holly has green leaves and red berries. According to Wikipedia, it provides shelter to birds during the frosts, which sweetened the hollyberries, and so it was believed to shelter fairies as well. According to About.com, holly was a part of many holiday rituals, including the story of the Oak King and Holly King which was acted out. Holly stood out in winter because of its bright colors. It's prickly leaves became associated with Jesus' crown of thorns, hence its significance to Christian Christmas celebration.

Star atop the Tree

The pentagram, a five-pointed star, represents Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit-- the elements of Life--to Pagans. Stars have always been an important part of Pagan belief, including astrology. They are significant to Christmas now because of the star that guided the Wisemen, or Maji, to visit the Christ child. I wear a pentacle around my neck for protection, and the star atop my tree is meant to protect my home. To my Christian home, it is a reminder of the Nativity Story.

Festival of Lights

Lights are hung as decoration because winter is the darkest, coldest time of the year. Long ago, fire was used to light homes, and it also gave warmth. It was used as décor for the Winter Solstice celebration because of this, but it also has a symbolic meaning, too. Fires were lit to summon back the light and thus the warmth. They were another reminder that spring would soon return now that the longest night of the year had passed. They were meant to light and warm our hearts during this difficult time of year. Many Pagans such as myself still light candles and fires at Winter Solstice. It is relevant to Christianity's Christmas because, as the Bible tells us, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light.

Yule Log

This is not a common American tradition, except perhaps in cake themes, but it is still common in Europe. The Yule Log is another ancient Pagan tradition. The feasting and celebrating continued as long as a large log burned, usually for 3 days. The log gave warmth and light during the party. It eventually became a tradition of the Twelve Days of Christmas, Twelfth Night, and Christmas in general. Many Pagans such as myself still practice this tradition at Yule.

Don We Now Our Gay Apparel

Any celebration is usually a cause for looking one's best, but this tradition of Christmas is probably best credited to the Roman Feast of Saturnalia. It was mostly a celebration for the rich nobles of Rome, but also for the servants who were often treated as though they were above their station during the feast.

Christmas Ham

We know we have turkey at Thanksgiving, but why do we have ham at Christmas? According to Selfhelp Magazine, Yule was celebrated with the ritualistic slaughter of a boar. Oaths were also sworn at this time over the boar, which may be where the tradition of New Year's resolutions came from. This was because a sun god led a hunt through the sky, his chariot guided by a golden boar.

Feasting

Again, nearly any celebration is a cause for a feast. This tradition comes both from Yule and of the Feast of Saturnalia, as a feast was held at each. The birth of a baby, especially Jesus, is also a cause for celebration. Feasting would probably have been a part of Christmas regardless, like dressing up, as those things go with most holidays. It's relativity to Christmas is probably increased by the significance of the Last Supper.

Kindness & Charity

While kindness and charity are very Christian in nature, certainly the best way to follow in Jesus' footsteps, these customs originated in the Feast of Saturnalia and the celebration of Yule. Winter brought hard times for the farmers and villagers, and they had to band together to survive. In Rome, however, the Feast of Saturnalia served as a sort of equalizer, a time when roles were reversed according to National Geographic. Servants were treated like kings, and their masters vied to be the most charitable patrons in the city.

Gift-Giving

Most believe that gift-giving is done because gifts were given to baby Jesus at his birth and because of the gift Christ gave by dying for our sins. Certainly this is part of it, but gift-giving originally became a part of winter celebration through the Roman Feast of Saturnalia. Gift-giving was common during this time and at Yule in some Pagan communities, according to the 11th Edition of the Encylopaedia Britannica.

Mistletoe

Legend says that the Norse goddess Frigga made everything promise not to hurt her son, but forgot mistletoe. Her son was killed by a spear of mistletoe, bringing winter. The gods revived him, and in her joy, Frigga declared mistloe sacred. Some say she kisses all who pass under it, blessing them. About.com describes how it became custom for people to kiss when meeting under mistletoe, so that it would bring love and not death. Mistletoe bears fruit that is white (like human semen) and then red (like menstrual blood), which may be why such a legend was born about the plant. It easy to confuse mistletoe with holly, which may be another reason for this legend and thus mistletoe's association with the Winter Solstice. Wikipedia says some believe mistletoe was once a tree, from which Jesus made his Cross, and that it became a plant after the Crucifixion.

Santa Clause

Unbeknownst to many, Santa Clause is both a Christian and Pagan figure. The name came from Sinterklaas, a contracted Dutch form of Sint Nicolaas. Saint Nicholas was a bishop known for his generosity, who became the patron saint of children. Nicholas liberated an Ethiopian slave boy named Piter, whence comes the term Zwarte Piet (a servant whose face is blackened by soot from climbing through chimneys). Odin led a hunting party in the sky at Yule, and children would fill their boots with food for Odin's eight-legged horse. In return, Odin would leave sweets and presents for them.

Santa Clause looks and dresses similar to both Odin and Saint Nicholas. Like Odin, he flies through the sky near Midwinter--but he has eight reindeer, not an eight-legged horse. Like Saint Nicholas, he is generous, especially to children. Also like Odin, he leaves gifts in return for the offerings children make. Because of Saint Nicholas' adoption of young Piter, Santa Clause comes down the chimney. Characteristics of both Odin and Saint Nicholas were modified and combined to form the modern depiction of Santa Clause, according to the North Pole.

Now you know at least some of the story behind each secular Christmas tradition. Many of them find their origins Paganism. Some have little to do with Christmas, but with celebration in general. The most popular Christmas legend, Santa Clause, is both a Christian and Pagan figure. Each of these traditions plays a role in how Christmas is viewed and observed today. Though most have Pagan roots and origins, some have Christian meanings as well. Christmas is thus a holiday that belongs to both Pagans and Christians alike, each group practicing many of the same customs-but for their own religious reasons.

* The author has been a practicing Pagan for ten years, and most of this information comes from her own knowledge of Pagan customs.

Joanna Poppink, "Holidays: Modern Pagans, Part 2: Winter Solstice." Selfhelp Magazine
David Beaulieu, "Oak King, Holly King, and the Winter Solstice." About.com
Maria Cristina Valsecchi, "Olympics to Climax With Carnival, Felliniesque Fantasia." National Geographic
Unknown Author, "Feast of Saturnalia." Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition.
David Beaulieu, "Norse Myths and the History of Mistletoe." About.com
Unknown Author, "History of Santa Clause." NorthPole.ca