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| Origin of Christmas Tradition & why I celebrate it; A pagan origin that is mostly forgotten | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 22 2008, 05:24 PM (111 Views) | |
| Kilo | Dec 22 2008, 05:24 PM Post #1 |
Macro Fox
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I know some of you might wonder why an Atheist like me would celebrate Christmas? First because its an important family day for me and a time I gather with family I don't get to see much anymore and get to spend time with them =3. So it holds a very big part in this way to me. But second and foremost, because our traditions for this celebration themselves AREN'T Christian, at least not originally. A sadly forgotten part of Christmas history is the origin of these traditions. It originally started as Yule, which is a PAGNANIST CULTURAL holiday started by the Germanic Paganists, though we mainly picked up the celebration mainly from the Scandinavian/Eastern Europe Paganists, who were the last ones to convert to Christianity (in fact the Scandinavian word for Christmas is Jul, which is pronounced like Yule). Yule was of course the celebration of the the Winter Solstice. Originally they would burn a log (a Yule Log) and keep it burning for 12 days and celebrate Yule for 12 days. This 12 days of Yule is what became the basis of the "12 days of Christmas" song, and we still use Yule in allot of Chirstmas songs, like the phrase "Yuletide Carols". The reason they celebrated it was, to the ancients, Winter symbolized death, and the death of the sun as well because ofcourse, the plants and crops are all dead, the weather is harsh, and the days get shorter and shorter as the sun moves south (in the northern hemisphere). They celebrated Yule, or the Winter Solstice, as the beginning of the rebirth of life, as the beginning of the sun moving back north (in the northern hemiphere) and days getting longer and warmer. And the Pagans celebrated this event the same way we celebrate Christmas today, with decorating a evergreen pine tree (which symbolized life to them as it lives in the harsh climate of winter), giving gifts to one another, preparing a large dinner/feast, and even the kissing under mistletoe. Pretty much, Yule started Christmas as we know it today though this is sadly forgotten. In fact Christians considered it hearsay to celebrate Yule (later on Christmas as we know it now) until around 730AD or so and then they picked up the traditions as their own to help celebrate the birth of Jesus, or the Christ Mass, which we would later shorten down to Chirstmas in English. You have to remember, most of the Western World during ancient times were converted to Christianity from centuries of Pagan beliefs, most of these people by force due to Constantine Rome (it was sadly "convert or die" for the most part), so they weren't going to give up those celebrations and traditions easily. So they just brought these celebrations them over to Christianity. Like what we do on Easter, which they celebrated as Eastre, or the Spring Equinox, which Eastre was also the name of the Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility they were honored on that day as well as she, and this time, symbolized the completion of the rebirth of the planet. The traditions associated to this event were the celebration of the rabbit, coloring eggs (painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring), and they used the eggs in rolling contests or given as gifts. Naturally we still color eggs, give gifts (such as candy) which include the colored eggs normally, some places have egg rolling contests and ofcourse we have the "Easter Egg hunt", and of course we have an "Easter Bunny", and whatnot today. Infact, the Bible itself condemned the Christmas Tree, and naturally Yule itself. This phrase in the Bible is naturally talking about the Pagans celebrating Yule by cutting down and decelerating a tree, which is now the biggest icon of Christmas. From the Bible itself: "Thus Sayeth the Lord, learn not the way of the Heathen... for the customs of the Heathen are vain, for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with an axe. They deck it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers, that it move not...Be not afraid of them, for they can not do evil, neither is it in them to do good" Jeremiah 10:2-5, Bible KJV. So all in all, now these days we again, celebrate it as more of a cultural holiday that religious anymore. Of course most devote Christians celebrate it as the birth of Jesus, and rightfully so. But almost everyone in the West celebrate it the same way the Paganists celebrated Yule thousands of years ago, as a cultural holiday with a decorated tree, giving gifts to family and celebrating. So this is exactly why I celebrate it, because for me its a cultural holiday I celebrate and enjoy with my family, which makes me very happy =3. The Japanese Atheists (60% of their population) do the same with holidays of Buddhist and Shinto origin, like Obon/お盆 (aka the day of the dead, when they honor their deceased family members), because its a deep part of their culture. More about Yule here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule , and Christmas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas Either way, have a happy Winter Solace, Yule, Christmas or Hanukkah, and have a happy new year ^-^. |
| I'm an Atheist and support science and evolution and the influential people dedicated to accelerating scientific progress. | |
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| Missy | Dec 22 2008, 05:52 PM Post #2 |
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mrow
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Wow that's interesting ^^ I never heard of it until now. I celebrate the birth of Jesus, and of course, presents XD Have a good holiday Kilo =D |
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| Kilo | Dec 22 2008, 05:58 PM Post #3 |
Macro Fox
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Yea, like I said, its sadly barely mentioned at all anymore :(. And of course you have every right to celebrate that and for very good reason =3, but I just wanted to point out that the origin of what we do on Christmas, like your gifts, came from Pagans originally celebrating the Winter Solstice and has like the Japanese with Obon, become a very deep part of our culture and I feel anyone in Western culture should happily celebrate it, no matter if your a Christian or an Atheist like myself. I just wish we focused on more about family and not who gets the biggest and best gifts. Thanks and you have a great holiday too ^-^. |
| I'm an Atheist and support science and evolution and the influential people dedicated to accelerating scientific progress. | |
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| sonic-GT | Dec 22 2008, 06:34 PM Post #4 |
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They all float....
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This is really interesting as Missy said. I still celebrate it as the birth of Jesus as well, but also my family get's together. It's fun having them around. I must say I learned alot about this holiday's origin. I should get out more.. XD Well Happy Holidays to you both. =3 |
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| groshonee | Dec 30 2008, 05:28 AM Post #5 |
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iRage
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Eh, xmas if just a oppertunity for retailers to cash in on their crap now. |
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12:34 AM Jul 11