| Christmas is a conundrum for most people. It's | | | | declared an official US holiday in 1870. The first |
| like a rich, octogenarian uncle. You love him, he's | | | | "official" use of Christmas decorations to lure in |
| insanely funny and provocative, he gives you | | | | shoppers was at a NYC department store in |
| really nice presents and just might leave you an | | | | 1900. |
| Italian villa in his will. But he needs to be taken to | | | | So what does that mean today? Basically, it |
| the bathroom regularly, requires a lot of attention, | | | | means that there is no historical "truth" to any of |
| is opinionated and makes you absolutely crazy | | | | the familiar observations we've come to embrace, |
| when you have to take him to a fancy cocktail | | | | whether we're talking about the pagan |
| party because you never know when he'll pass | | | | celebrations or the religious ones. They are all |
| gas or say something really outrageous, both of | | | | made up. Not much sense in fighting, or fretting, |
| which he does loudly. | | | | over any of them if you ask me. |
| On the one hand, we all have some gleeful | | | | No One Has Taken The Christ Out Of Christmas. |
| anticipation of the season - the silly and | | | | He's still there if you want Him to be, but it never |
| heart-warming movies and TV specials, the | | | | has been His private domain. What's the problem? |
| decorations, kids singing carols at the mall and all | | | | The Church snaked on the pagans to begin with, |
| those paid days off. And on the other hand, | | | | and it was a pretty successful strategy. Today, |
| many of us dread the pressure and pace of | | | | more people around the world practice the |
| Christmas cards, shopping, the crowds, and | | | | Christian traditions than ever before. Isn't that |
| ultimately (gulp) the obligatory family gatherings. | | | | enough? Remember, the Romans tried for about |
| This social psychosis complicates the season | | | | 1,000 years to make Christmas a purely Christian |
| enough, but when you add in the rhetoric from | | | | holiday and all they did was divide and antagonize |
| the religious community The War on Christmas, | | | | the millions of people for whom it means |
| Jesus is the Reason for the Season, etc. you | | | | something different. Don't make the mistake that |
| introduce even deeper layers of | | | | old Cromwell made. Go ahead and have it your |
| self-condemnation and anxiety. What to do, what | | | | way, it's a beautiful tradition. But, let everyone |
| to do? | | | | else enjoy it their way. |
| A good starting point is to unravel the | | | | Yes, Christmas Is Also About the Money. And for |
| multi-layered hairball of traditions and religious | | | | those who shake their heads with disgust about |
| implications that have come to define Christmas. | | | | the commercialization of it, you guys need a quick |
| Like most of our modern heritage, there's more | | | | reality check. Christmas shopping is the single |
| to this kaleidoscopic than meets the eye. Once | | | | most significant economic cycle in America. |
| we can see what all is going on, then maybe we | | | | Hundreds of thousands of businesses rely on if |
| can bring some sanity and fun to the celebration | | | | for their very existence. From a commercial |
| of it. | | | | health point of view, if it didn't already exist, |
| The History of Christmas. Actually, we're talking | | | | someone would need to invent it. The money |
| about the History of the Winter Solstice | | | | that gets spent around Christmas, for everything |
| celebrations, which date back over 4000 years. | | | | from twinkley little lights to airline tickets and |
| Most of our "Christmas traditions" were originally | | | | pretty new cars is the fuel that keeps our |
| rituals celebrated centuries before Christ was | | | | economy plugging along all year. Forget the new |
| born. The giving of gifts, carnivals, parades, | | | | homes, it's the HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS of dollars |
| carolers going from house to house, holiday | | | | spent at Christmas that keep America |
| feasts, and church performances can all be traced | | | | economically strong. |
| back to the early Mesopotamians (1500 BC). | | | | Christmas has a huge positive impact on other |
| Persians, Babylonians, Scandinavians, Greeks, | | | | aspects of our culture. People are nicer and more |
| Romans and Egyptians all had elaborate rituals that | | | | tolerant. There have been truces and cease fire's |
| were celebrated at the Winter Solstice intended | | | | called during times of war for the sake of |
| to pay tribute to the mythological importance of | | | | Christmas. More than half the charitable donations |
| the sun and to the perennial cycles of nature. But, | | | | collected for ALL organizations in the US roll in |
| don't be too quick to dismiss the ancient traditions | | | | during the Christmas season. Yes, I know, some |
| as being simply pagan rituals. In fact, they were | | | | of that has to do with end of year tax breaks, |
| VERY spiritually oriented. | | | | but it also has to do with Salvation Army red |
| It is true that the peoples that populated what is | | | | kettles, angle trees, and Goodwill donations. It's a |
| now the Middle East 3000 years before Christ | | | | time of year when people feel a greater sense of |
| were polytheistic they had numerous gods. But | | | | social conscience and charitable organizations |
| they were also VERY religious. A large part of | | | | benefit from that feeling of good will. Too bad we |
| their culture was focused on seeking to learn the | | | | don't pony up all year through the way we do at |
| will of the gods, and the early Winter Solstice | | | | Christmas. |
| traditions reflected that focus. The Romans | | | | What's wrong with people paying more attention |
| decked the halls with holly and candles as a tribute | | | | to each other, or with being delighted by the |
| to one of their most powerful gods, Apollo. The | | | | decorations and the music? Let's cover our yards |
| Scandinavians built huge bonfires and held feasts | | | | with blow up Santas and mechanical reindeer. Let's |
| that lasted for days as a way to help their | | | | turn our living rooms into little magical wonderlands |
| sun-god defeat the power of darkness. These | | | | of jolly old elves and candles and angels. Maybe if |
| bonfires and feasts are the beginnings of our | | | | we spent more time getting in touch with the kid |
| famous "Yule" log - the "12 days of Yuletide" was | | | | in ourselves we wouldn't have so much interest in |
| a lengthy ceremony which heralded the power of | | | | polluting the planet and killing people who have |
| their gods over the domain of evil. | | | | different political or religious views than we do. |
| These beautiful ceremonies and ancient traditions | | | | Who cares why we have this expanded |
| all sought to do what our modern Christian | | | | consciousness of good will? Whether it comes |
| traditions now do celebrate the dominion of the | | | | from a belief in a particular God (or gods) or |
| supernatural forces of the cosmos over the | | | | whether it is simply a willingness to open |
| earthly world of man. They sought to honor their | | | | ourselves up to the most benevolent parts of our |
| gods, and sometimes even assist them, in the | | | | nature, what difference does it make? IT'S ALL |
| ongoing battle over darkness. | | | | MADE UP! Anything that elevates man's humanity |
| So, Who Put The "Christ" In Christmas In the | | | | to man is a GOOD thing, no matter where it |
| First Place? Well, now, that's an interesting, and | | | | comes from! |
| not fully complete, historical detective story. The | | | | Now, about that family stuff. I know it can be a |
| most popular conclusion by archeologists, biblical | | | | pain in the ass. But, you know what? At some |
| scholars and anthropologists, is that the pagan | | | | core level, we all long for a connection to our |
| traditions were co-opted by the early Christian | | | | roots and our past. Is it so much to ask of |
| Church. In the first three hundred years after the | | | | ourselves to set aside our |
| death of Christ, there was no prescribed "feast" | | | | electro-media-stimulus-fast |
| for the occasion of Christ's birth. This was partly | | | | body-please-entertain-me addiction to the very |
| because no one actually knew when or where | | | | things that destroy the peace and harmony in our |
| Christ was born and partly because the major | | | | lives? C'mon, you've got 364 other days that you |
| Christian celebration was the Crucifixion and | | | | can obsess over getting ahead and being good |
| Resurrection. Some local monasteries and | | | | enough and worrying about every little ounce you |
| churches had their own "birthday" celebrations at | | | | put on this year. You can afford to spend a |
| different times of the year, but it wasn't until the | | | | fraction of your oh-so-important agenda getting in |
| mid-4th Century AD that Christ's birth became an | | | | touch with your bloodline. Even if they're all |
| official celebration, complete with a specific date. | | | | intolerable ass-holes, so what? Practice |
| Why did it happen then? Getting the diverse | | | | forgiveness and acceptance. |
| peoples of the Roman empire to reject their | | | | If you don't want to send Christmas cards, don't. |
| historical religions and raucous merriment in favor | | | | The mailman will love you. The way I see it, |
| of the official religion of Christianity (so decreed in | | | | anyone who keeps a check-list of who sent |
| 350 AD) was no easy matter. Grudgingly, but | | | | Christmas cards and then makes some kind of |
| inevitably, the church accepted the perennial | | | | judgment about it needs to get a real life. And as |
| revelry of its diverse citizenry (pagan though it | | | | for all that pressure to buy gifts… GET |
| was) and wisely decided to include those | | | | OVER IT! It isn't going to kill you to get off your |
| celebrations for their own agenda. In what many | | | | butt and think about other peoples delight. And |
| historians consider to be a stroke of public | | | | speaking of butts, it isn't going to kill you to stop |
| relations genius, in 320 AD, Pope Julius I | | | | kissing those of people you don't really want to |
| proclaimed that the pagan celebration of the | | | | buy gifts for but do. Buy gifts for people you |
| December 25th "Festival of the Sun" (Natalis | | | | want to buy them for and be as generous as you |
| Invicti, i.e. "The Nativity" ) would henceforth also | | | | want to be. If you don't want to buy a gift, don't. |
| celebrate the Birth of Christ - ta da! Enter the | | | | Sometimes it may be appropriate to make some |
| Official Birth Day of Christ. | | | | type of gesture, but there are LOTS of things |
| According to the Catholic Encyclopedia The | | | | you can do other than buy the latest electronic |
| Advent, by 402 AD the "Feast of the Birth of | | | | gadget or such. Flowers, plants, candy or fruit |
| Christ" (the new interpretation of The Nativity) | | | | work great. And you can always make a donation |
| was practiced through out the Holy Roman | | | | to YOUR favorite charity in the other person's |
| Empire. The Nativity scene itself (you know, the | | | | name. The No. 1 Rule is to have fun with your gift |
| livestock, the stable, etc.) didn't emerge for | | | | buying and put some personal thought into it. The |
| another 800 years. In 1223, St Francis of Assisi | | | | No. 2 Rule is NO SUFFERING ALLOWED! (By the |
| originated the manger scene based on his | | | | way, if you happen to think that books make a |
| interpretation of some little-known ecclesiastical | | | | nice Christmas gift, then I've got a great one for |
| customs. Somewhere around this time, the | | | | you. Check out my book at "Your |
| donkey that Mary rode to Bethlehem emerged as | | | | MEGAgiNormous Rules .) |
| a character in the Nativity. | | | | The "Time" Complaint. Not enough time, too much |
| But, from its inception, there was dissension within | | | | to do, blah, blah, blah. Look here, if you don't have |
| the Church about Christmas celebrations. For | | | | enough time to have fun at Christmas you're just |
| centuries, many conservative church leaders | | | | confused about what's important. I'm pretty sure |
| condemned the revelry and aggressively criticized | | | | that when you're lying on your deathbed one of |
| the endorsement of the sun-worshippers | | | | the things you WON'T be saying is "Gee, I wish |
| traditions. When the Orthodox pilgrims migrated to | | | | I'd spent more time at the office and less time |
| the Americas in 1620, Christmas revelry and | | | | enjoying Christmas." There are 525,600 minutes in |
| symbolism were outlawed. Back in England in | | | | a year, only about 1500 of which get devoted to |
| 1645, Oliver Cromwell and his Puritans succeeded | | | | really enjoying Christmas. What, are you crazy? |
| in outlawing "the heathen traditions" of Christmas | | | | Surely you can fit your hectic life into the other |
| celebrations throughout England. When Charles II | | | | 524,000 minutes. |
| returned to the English throne in 1660, he | | | | Christmas is too big to be confined to any single |
| restored the popular holiday, but the custom had | | | | ideology. It belongs to all people and to all of |
| only scattered endorsement throughout the | | | | history. It has endured for thousands of years |
| American colonies. After the Revolutionary War, | | | | because it brings people together and celebrates |
| many English customs, including the celebration of | | | | hope and renewal. It's an excellent time of year |
| Christmas, fell out of favor entirely and didn't | | | | that gives us permission to transcend our normal |
| begin to re-emerge in the United State until the | | | | petty natures. We get to be kind and gentle, and |
| 1800s. | | | | care about others and do little things that let |
| When Americans did finally begin to embrace | | | | those others know we care. We get to have fun, |
| Christmas as a family holiday, old customs were | | | | darn it! What, your life is so full of fun you can't |
| unearthed. In the next 100 years, Americans built | | | | stand anymore? |
| a Christmas tradition all their own that included | | | | Stop fretting over what you perceive is wrong |
| pieces of many other customs, including | | | | with it. It's just stupid to turn it into a conflict or |
| decorating trees, sending holiday cards, gift-giving | | | | some type of litmus test that only serves to |
| and the early Christian traditions and stories. In | | | | divide us. Take what you like from it and leave |
| 1836, Alabama became the first state in the US | | | | the rest. And let others enjoy it in their own way. |
| to declare Christmas a legal holiday, but it wasn't | | | | There's something for everyone in Christmas. It |
| until 1907 that Oklahoma finally joined the club and | | | | truly is the most wonderful time of the year, it |
| became the last state to do so. Christmas was | | | | we just allow it to be. Have a holly jolly one! |