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Throughout the world, people are celebrating the holidays in a number of ways. There are many beliefs about this holiday and how they originated. We often see their echoes in the traditions we still carry today.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Additionally, the Winter Solstice is our shortest day of the year: actually, when there is the shortest amount of time between sunrise and sunset. This typically occurs between December 21-22nd. This was originally a time when people celebrated the transitioning from winter into spring. In parts of Northern Europe, you had Yule, whereas in the Eastern parts of Europe, it is called Koleda. <\/span> Though the Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah begins on a different date each year: 25 Kislev. This loosely lines up between November and December in the Gregorian calendar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Another theory for why Christmas is on the day that it is involves a Roman festival known as Saturnalia. This celebration honored the Roman God Saturn and took place somewhere between December 17th-23rd, culminating on the 25th. This day was referred to as Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, which translates roughly to \u201cBirthday of the Unconquered Sun\u201d. <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n As a huge wave of Protestant reform swept through England, Cromwell banned these celebrations in the year 1644. This ban was, as you can well imagine: not very popular. It wasn\u2019t just Christmas, though: all of the festival days were banned. Sunday would be the only holy day of the week and the year by 1645. This same strict observance would carry over into the New World. Though in England, once Charles the II was restored to the throne in 1661 these bans would be dropped and celebrations would be renewed, in the colonies, a very real War on Christmas continued.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In around 1681, most of these laws were repealed under pressure from King Charles the II. At that time, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was at risk for losing their royal charter if they didn\u2019t ease up on many of their stricter laws. This would include the full ban on Christmas. The problem was, the people really didn\u2019t relax on that front. As a matter of fact, when Sir edmund Andros would attend celebratory services at the Boston Town House in 1686: he had to have a royal guard, due to the often violent protests. Most businesses and schools would not observe the holiday nor would most of the churches. It wouldn\u2019t be until 1856 before this would change. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Even then, it wouldn\u2019t be until around the time of the Civil War when celebrations would become a widespread thing in response to rising tensions. From there, a number of the old European traditions would then blend with new values would help an early nation to celebrate a sense of hope and community through dark and uncertain times.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Most people understand Christmas as meaning a bit more than simply a season of gift giving. However, you\u2019d be surprised at how some of our most beloved traditions got their start. Of course, Christmas itself is meant to be a special Mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, though midwinter festivals and celebrations have been long standing traditions for many reasons.<\/span>
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A Yearly Turning Point<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n<\/span>There are a number of different cultural celebrations of midwinter. They tend to mark the transition between not just the year before to the year ahead, but also many different variations of the same. <\/span>
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\n<\/span>Yule, or Yuletide is one such celebration. This festival, traditionally celebrated for 12 days was celebrated in pre-Christian Europe. Many of the Christmas traditions you\u2019re familiar with, draw their origins from this festival. Also known as Yulefest, this indigenous midwinter celebration would often stretch from mid-November until early in the new year. <\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\nWinter Solstice<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Happy Hanukkah\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The Romans\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nA Brief History of Traditions\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n<\/span>Why, then, is Christmas celebrated on the 25th? We do know that the first recorded date of its celebration on that date comes from the year 336. It was not long after that, then, that Pope Julius the First made an official declaration that the celebration would be held on December 25th. <\/span>
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\n<\/span>From there, it continued to gain ground. However, the Puritans in both England and the New World attempted to ban the celebration. They felt that the birth of Christ should be observed through pious acts of prayer. The celebrations of the 12 Days of a 17th Century English Christmas were a wonderful time of decorating with all sorts of beauty, lights, and scents. There was singing and special church services. An abundance of food was enjoyed and special games, songs, and dancing was all around, leading up to New Years, when gifts would be exchanged. <\/span><\/p>\nTimes of Change and Difference\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Merry Christmas to you all<\/strong><\/h2>\n