HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS
Christmas
is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial
phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it
with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature.
Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of
Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion.
Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending
church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa
Claus to arrive. December 25 Christmas Day has been a federal holiday in the
United States since 1870.
AN ANCIENT HOLIDAY
The
middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world.
Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans
celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced
during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and
they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.
In
Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice,
through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons
would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would
feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed
that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born
during the coming year.
The
end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At
that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be
fed during the winter. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a
supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year was
finally fermented and ready for drinking.
In
Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid winter holiday.
Germans were terrified of Oden, as they believed he made nocturnal flights
through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would prosper or
perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside.
SATURNALIA
In
Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia a
holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture was celebrated. Beginning in
the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full
month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful
and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, slaves
would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and
schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.
Also
around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast
honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often
celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on
December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock.
For some Romans, Mithra’s birthday was the most sacred day of the year.
In
the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not
celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the
birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for
his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of
the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have
occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?),
Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose
this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan
Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread
to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of
the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia. Today, in
the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after
the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is
the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the
manger.
By
holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals,
church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly
embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated. By
the Middle Ages,
Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion. On Christmas,
believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken,
carnival-like atmosphere similar to today’s Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the
“lord of misrule” and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The
poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink.
If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most likely terrorize them
with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could
repay their real or imagined “debt” to society by entertaining less fortunate
citizens.
AN OUTLAW CHRISTMAS
In
the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas
was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver
Cromwell and his Puritan forces
took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part
of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was
restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the popular holiday.
The
pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more
orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not
a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was
actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined
five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported
that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.
After the American
Revolution, English customs fell out of
favor, including Christmas. In fact, Christmas wasn’t declared a federal
holiday until June 26, 1870.
IRVING REINVENTS CHRISTMAS
It
wasn’t until the 19th century that Americans began to embrace Christmas.
Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday
into a family centered day of peace and nostalgia. But what about the 1800s
peaked American interest in the holiday?
The
early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During this time,
unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often
occurred during the Christmas season. In 1828, the New York city
council instituted the city’s first police force in response to a Christmas
riot. This catalyzed certain members of the upper classes to begin to change
the way Christmas was celebrated in America.
In 1819,
best-selling author Washington Irving
wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon,
gent., a series of stories about the
celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a
squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to
the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In
Irving’s mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing
groups together across lines of wealth or social status. Irving’s fictitious
celebrants enjoyed “ancient customs,” including the crowning of a Lord of
Misrule. Irving’s book, however, was not based on any holiday celebration he
had attended in fact, many historians say that Irving’s account actually
“invented” tradition by implying that it described the true customs of the
season.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Also
around this time, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday
tale, A Christmas Carol. The story’s message-the importance of
charity and good will towards all humankind struck a powerful chord in the United
States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of
celebrating the holiday.
The
family was also becoming less disciplined and more sensitive to the emotional
needs of children during the early 1800s. Christmas provided families with a
day when they could lavish attention and gifts on their children without
appearing to “spoil” them.
As
Americans began to embrace Christmas as a perfect family holiday, old customs
were unearthed. People looked toward recent immigrants and Catholic and
Episcopalian churches to see how the day should be celebrated. In the next 100
years, Americans built a Christmas tradition all their own that included pieces
of many other customs, including decorating trees, sending holiday cards, and
gift-giving.
Although
most families quickly bought into the idea that they were celebrating Christmas
how it had been done for centuries, Americans had really re-invented a holiday
to fill the cultural needs of a growing nation.
CHRISTMAS FACTS
·
Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States
alone. There are 21,000 Christmas tree growers in the United States, and trees
usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.
·
Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated
13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three
Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found
Jesus in the manger.
·
In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous a lot
like today’s Mardi Gras parties.
·
From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and
law-breakers were fined five shillings.
·
Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26,
1870.
·
The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John
Smith’s 1607 Jamestown settlement.
·
Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to
Mexico, who brought the red-and-green plant from Mexico to America in 1828.
·
The Salvation Army has been sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors
into the streets since the 1890s.
·
Rudolph, “the most famous reindeer of all,” was the product of Robert L.
May’s imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to
help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store.
·
Construction workers started the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree
tradition in 1931.
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