The History of Christmas

I love history and all things old, from furniture, to houses, to places... I absolutely eat up things that feel lived in and have a story.  Thinking about all the people and all the things that could've happened in old places.  Walking down a street and wondering who may have walked there, lived there, worked there, it is all so interesting to me.  I remember as a kid going on walks through the woods with my dad, thrilled when we'd come up on an old telephone pole that had fallen, seeing old wagon trails, or when we'd hunt for arrowheads.  We are all here now, but one day things will be so different than what we all know in this present time.  OK- enough ranting on my end.  Just know that I love history.

Each year, the History Channel replays its special on Christmas.  The show runs practically every other hour during the month of December, so if you missed it last year, you can definitely catch it this year (at least twice).  I think it is fascinating.  Hubs picked on me last year because I watched it about 5 times before deleting it from the DVR.  The show covers everything we now know to be the holiday season.  From the yule log, to the time of year we celebrate, to the lighting of a tree, to family, ol' Saint Nick, and presents, it is amazing how so many different cultures and celebrations over time have combined into what we recognize as Christmas. I thought I'd give a quick run down of the things I found most interesting. 

Let's start with time of year.  Winter solstice and Saturnalia.  According to HC (and my college history professors), winter solstice was a really big deal.  Huge.  It meant the darkest and harshest part of winter was over, and spring would be coming.  For Romans, that's outstanding news (I can't even imagine, I know I would've been a goner by my 8th birthday back then).  So, surrounding the winter solstice, these Romans celebrated Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn, who they believed was the god of harvest.  They ate, drank, and were really quite merry.  Later (I don't know how many years, you'll have to watch the special for yourself), Pope Julius I chose December 25 to honor the birth of Jesus.  It coincided with the Saturnalia and winter solstice festivities.  I wasn't there, so I don't know if that was on purpose.  (Does it really matter? Not to me.  Everyday is a day I am thankful for Jesus' birth.  If the actual date were important, I figure the Bible would have spelled that out.  I just love the back story on things us humans do for celebration.)

Next, the yule log.  I'd always heard about this yule log thing (even picked on my friend, Melissa Uhl-log Uhl-tide, for it).  There's even a screensaver for your TV on Demand during the holidays called the "Yule Log" (it's a crackling fireplace scene, and some of them play Christmas music... come on, I did used to live in a condo... we didn't have the luxury of an actual fireplace).  The yule log also relates to.. what else.. the winter solstice.  During winter solstice in Scandanavia, these people called the Norse brought large logs to their homes and set them on fire in honor of the sun and long days returning (see, winter solstice, a really big deal).  This festival was called "Yule".  Hence, the yule logs we know now. 

And did you know, Christmas time used to be a carnival type, eat (some figgy pudding), drink (and drink a lot), and be merry (actually, be crazy) holiday (for real, you'll need to see the special for this scoop... it even led to England banning Christmas- say what?).  It wasn't until the 19th century that the holiday truly became family-centered.  We can thank wonderful writers like Washington Irving and Charles Dickens for this.  Who doesn't know the holiday classic "A Christmas Carol"?

There are so many traditions we follow in our country today that are mentioned on the show.  Santa Claus was once a small mischevious elf, so how did he become the jolly old man that visits our children?  And the Christmas tree, why do we haul these guys into our homes, followed by a smothering of twinkling lights and ornaments?  And commercialization.  Why has the holiday become so much about the gifts we give and buy?  Well, you'll just have to watch the show. 

For me, Christmas is a time I go all out in celebration of my Savior (yep, He is my reason for celebrating this season).  It's a time I feel truly thankful for my family.  It's a time I can embrace the wonderful traditions passed down by so many different people and beliefs (Lighted tree? check.  Santa? check.  Yule log?  well, we do enjoy a good fire).

I just love history.