Christmas History. Fun Christmas Historic FactsChristmas was once a moveable feast celebrated many different times during the year. The choice of December 25 was made by the Pope Julius I in the fourth century AD because this coincided with the pagan rituals of Winter Solstice, or Return of the Sun. The intent was to replace the pagan celebration with the Christian one.
In 1752, 11 days were dropped from the year when the switch was from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. The December 25 date was effectively moved 11 days backwards. Some Christian church sects, called Eastern Orthodox, still celebrate Christmas on January 7 (previously Dec. 25 of the Julian calendar.)
Many of the traditions associated with Christmas (giving gifts, lighting a Yule log, singing carols, decorating an evergreen) hark back to older religions.
Some traditions described here are reminiscent of modern day customs, and others, like the Festival of the Radishes in Mexico, are bizarre and fascinating. You are invited to explore the rituals of past and present below:
Years ago, Dutch child took their shoes off at night and put them on a window sill until they rose the next morning. On Christmas Eve, they would put hay or straw in their shoes for the Wise Men's Camels. In turn the Wise Men (or the 3 King's) would leave treats or small gifts in the shoes.
In 1752, 11 days were dropped from the year when the switch was from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. The December 25 date was effectively moved 11 days backwards. Some Christian church sects, called Eastern Orthodox, still celebrate Christmas on January 7 (previously Dec. 25 of the Julian calendar.)
Many of the traditions associated with Christmas (giving gifts, lighting a Yule log, singing carols, decorating an evergreen) hark back to older religions.
Some traditions described here are reminiscent of modern day customs, and others, like the Festival of the Radishes in Mexico, are bizarre and fascinating. You are invited to explore the rituals of past and present below:
Years ago, Dutch child took their shoes off at night and put them on a window sill until they rose the next morning. On Christmas Eve, they would put hay or straw in their shoes for the Wise Men's Camels. In turn the Wise Men (or the 3 King's) would leave treats or small gifts in the shoes.
A similar explanation comes from Burlington, North Carolina: The wooden shoe or "Sabot" was the traditional footwear in many countries. This footwear was great on the farm where the landscape was far from neat and clean. However, the wood in the shoes had to be dried out nightly so children would place the shoes next to the fire place to dry. On Christmas Eve, Pere Noel would place trinkets in the shoes for the good children and a mischievous elf would leave coal in the shoe for bad children.
In Germany, St. Nicholas used to carve toys out of wood and put them in shoes.
Before Christianity the Swedish people celebrated "midvinterblot" at winter solstice. It simply means "mid-winter-blood", and featured both animal and human sacrifice. This tradition took place at certain cult places, and basically every old Swedish church is built on such a place. The pagan tradition was finally abandoned around 1200 AD, due to the missionaries persistence. (Of course they were sacrificed too, by the Vikings, in the beginning.) Midvinterblot paid tribute to the local gods, appealing to them to let go of the winter's grip. The winters in Scandinavia are dark and grim, and these were the days before central heating. And the Gods were powerful. Until this day Thursday is named after the war god Thor. Friday after Freja (fertility) It is interesting to note that to this day the Swedish name for Christmas is Jul (Yule), and the Jul gnome has a more important role than Christmas father or the Christchild. You don't kill those pagan tradition easily. The old Viking religion with Thor and his friends is still practiced by some people, somewhat less bloodily.
Winter Solstice celebrations are held on the eve of the shortest day of the year. During the first millennium in what is today Scotland, the Druids celebrated Winter Solstice honoring their Sun God and rejoicing his return as the days got longer, signaling the coming of spring. Also called Yule, this tradition still lives today in the Wiccan traditions and in many cultures around the world.
A huge log -- the Yule Log -- is brought into an outdoor clearing and becomes part of a great bonfire. Everyone dances and sings around the fire. All the noise and great excitement is said to awaken the sun from its long winter sleep, hurrying spring on its way as the cycle begins once again and the days grow longer than the nights.
Full Moons of the Millenium
The Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, occurred on December 22, 1999. It was special due to the fact that the solstice will coincide with a Full Moon, and not just any Full Moon.
The Moon was within a few hours of its perigee, its closet point to the Earth. This made the Moon appear to be about 14 percent larger than usual.
The Moon also was only ten days from the Earth's perihelion, its closest point to the Sun, and since it shines with reflected sunlight, the moon appeared 7 percent brighter than usual.
These events occurring together are extremely rare. This was probably be the biggest, brightest Moon of the last Millennium. Rare indeed, since the next time these events coincide is around year 2130.
Here's what a friend from Stillwater, Oklahoma, tells me: I sometimes wonder why people are so fancinated with just a full moon and not all the phases. Each on has a significant meaning. I did some research and found that in the year 2000 on the 25th we will have a New Moon, which can be just as beautiful as the stars are easier to see and the moon has nearly disappeared from the sky. Sometimes if you look hard enough you can see the Halo of the Moon during a new Moon: it is beautiful.
Moving onward, we get a full moon on the Dec. 26th of 2004, and Dec. 24th 2007. In the Year 2009 on New Year's Eve we get a full moon. Again on Christmas Eve of 2011 we get a full moon and finally in the year 2015 we will get a full moon on Christmas Day.
The ancient traditions of Pakistan pre-date the Christian era. During winter solstice, an ancient demigod returns to collect prayers and deliver them to Dezao, the supreme being. During this celebrations women and girls are purified by taking ritual baths. The men pour water over their heads while they hold up bread. Then the men and boys are purified with water and must not sit on chairs until evening when goat's blood is sprinkled on their faces. Following this purification, a great festival begins, with singing, dancing, bonfires, and feasting on goat tripe and other delicacies.
Legend has it that the shepherds rejoiced when they learned of the birth of Christ and they waved their hooked staffs about and played Ganna. This is the origin of the game called Ganna that is traditionally played on Christmas Day (January 7 -- the older date of Christmas) by all the men and boys in Ethiopia.
This humorous tradition was documented in 1851in a London Newspaper. In Devonshire, England, on Twelfth Night (January 7), the farmers get their weapons and go to their apple orchard. Selecting the oldest tree, they form a circle and chant:
Here's to thee, old apple tree
Whence thou mayst bud and whence thou mayst blow
And whence thou mayst bear apples enow:
Hats full, caps full,
Bushels, bushels, sacks full,
And my pockets full too!
Huzza! Huzza!
The men drink cider, make merry, and fire their weapons (charged only with powder) at the tree. They return to the home and are denied entrance no matter what the weather by the women indoors. When one of the men guesses the name of the roast that is being prepared for them, all are let in. The one who guessed the roast is named "King for the Evening" and presides over the party until the wee hours.
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