Winter's Night: An Alternative to Christmas

The last few years have seen a few more choices come to light in the category of holiday celebrations. The general public has become more informed about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, but the traditions of Winter holidays and festivals can be traced back to well before the time of Christianity. In fact, most bible scholars agree that Jesus was more likely born in the Spring. Many historians of religion state that most Christian holy days were arranged to coincide with, and overshadow, the traditional Pagan celebrations of the time, allowing the masses to more easily assimilate. Christmas was intentionally placed in December to coincide with the Pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice or "Winter's Night."

In a time before there was "one true God," many held sacred those forces of Nature that they did not understand. The predominant deities were the warming, life-giving Sun and the fertile Earth, provider of all things. In the colder months, as the Sun's warmth diminished, nomadic tribes in Northern Europe would share warmth, conserve fuel and seek the safety of numbers in a dangerous climate by bedding in large communal tents.

Trapped inside during the worst of it, primitive man must surely have sought relief from his boredom. Some must have carved rudimentary toys from bits of scrap wood, not just for his own children but the dozens of others underfoot. Meals were most likely prepared by the females as a community effort, each wife offering her own recipes to the fare. This togetherness and community spirit may have been the precursor to many of the traditions we enjoy during the holiday season, such as feasting, being with family, and the exchanging of gifts.

The Pagans, lovers of nature, revered the harvest, the hunt, and the rain that nourished their crops. The yearly cycle of Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer was referred to as the Wheel of the Year. Certain ceremonies and rituals were performed in the dead of Winter to encourage the Sun god to return from his yearly exile and bring new life to the world. This rebirth is celebrated in the Spring and called Ostara. It coincides with the Christian holiday Easter (notice the similarity in names). This is the real origin of the Easter egg, but that is another article entirely.

As a student of life, I have studied many religions, like most others, looking for what suited me best. My family and I have been celebrating Winter's Night for several years now. As the true holiday spirit supersedes the boundaries of organized religion, we find comfort in a more Pagan tradition, but with all the expected activities like feasting and gift giving. You may be surprised how many of your Christmas traditions have their roots in the Old Religion.

One of the things my family enjoys most during the blustery winter holidays is a popular punch called Wassail. This brew is generally made from apple cider which is warmed and spiced with cloves, allspice, nutmeg and garnished with a cinnamon stick. Wassail has its origins in the Germanic countries and was originally made from a mulled beer or, more likely, mead.

The hanging of wreaths, a well known Christmas tradition, was originally a way for the Pagans of Eastern Europe to show their spirit of goodwill during the less hospitable winter months. Weary travelers, cold and hungry, would see this sign of hospitality on the door of a home and know that they would be welcomed with open arms to food, warmth, and companionship. The wreath, whether plaited from holly or evergreen boughs, stayed green through the cold months and represented both the Wheel of the Year and the Pagans' entreaty to the Sun god to bring back the verdant beauty and warmth of spring.

So this season, when you and yours hang your wreath, trim your tree, brew the wassail and yes, even when you tromp through the snow to sing in front of your neighbor's house, try to remember that some of the things that define Christmas have actually been around since long before the birth of Christ. But whatever and however you choose to celebrate, be safe, love each other and remember "Peace on Earth and goodwill toward all men (and women)".