Canada and the World
Current Events with a Canadian Perspective
Last update
19 November 2010
Christmas is a Borrowed Festival
Christians celebrate the birth of Christ at a time that earlier religions considered sacred
Almost every early form of spirituality marked the summer and winter solstices. In the northern hemisphere, the shortest day and the longest night are on 21st December.
Promise of the Sun’s Return
For Aboriginal peoples in the north the depth of winter was a particularly bleak time. The days were short, the nights long, and the food supply would be dwindling.
It would be a few days before they could detect that the Sun was rising a tiny bit earlier and setting a little later. They would be cheered by the knowledge that the warm season would come back and would celebrate this.
Typically, they chose 25th December or close to it by our calendar as the focus of their festivals.
The Roman Emperor Aurelian (214-
At the time, Christianity and Paganism were in a fierce competition for the hearts and minds of the people. So, Christians decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus on the 25th December as well.
When Was Jesus Born?
Nobody knows for sure when Jesus was born, but the best guesses from the Scriptures are that the birth actually took place in late September.
The first mention of 25th December as Jesus Christ’s birthday appears to be 354. The first mass to celebrate the birth, the Christ mass, was held by Pope Sixtus III.
Most of the traditions associated with Christmas have Pagan origins. The feasting comes from Saturnalia, one of the celebrations that Aurelian combined with others.
When the winter solstice arrived, ancient Egyptians brought green date palm leaves
into their homes to symbolize life’s triumph over death. This is one of several practices
from which the origin of the Christmas tree can be traced.
Saturnalia is also the origin of gift giving.
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Mumland
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Orthodox midnight Christmas mass in the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem; traditionally seen as the birthplace of Christ.