Did you know there are 29 religious holidays between November and January? That figure only counts the big seven world religions, not all the smaller sects. One of the big ones is Christmas, celebrated across the world on December 25th.
Until 336 A.D., the birth of Christ was not actually celebrated. Epiphany (Easter) was the major religious holiday instead. Since so much time elapsed between the birth of Jesus and the establishment of Christmas as a holiday, the religion lost the exact date. Instead, Pope Julius I chose a date that was closely linked with many earlier rebirth holidays at the end of the year.
The tradition of the evergreen tree can also be traced back past Christmas. In Scandinavia, the Vikings cut down giant trees which they then burned starting around the winter solstice. These logs would burn for days, and feasting occurred. In many parts of Europe, it was also traditional to keep boughs in the house for color. The tree as it is known today really kicked off in the mid-1800s when British royalty took up the tradition.
Since Christmas occurs during the darkest time of the year, light became a symbol of joy. Extended candle use was necessary for many parts of Europe. Once the winter solstice passes, the days grow longer again. Eventually, strings of lights replaced candles. Today, both trees and homes are decked out in celebration.
There are many Christmas traditions, from feasting to decorating. These traditions evolved over time. Like many holiday traditions, they trace back to older festivals and occasions. These origins in no way take away from the celebrations, but rather add to them. Understanding history makes the holiday season a shine little brighter.
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References
Davis, Heidi. A Brief History of Christmas Lights. 21 December 2012. Web. 3 December 2018.
History.com Editors. history of Christmas. 2 September 2018. Web. 3 December 2018.
Malanowski, Jamie. Untangling the History of Christmas Lights. December 2016. Web. 3 December 2018.
Newsround. Why do we have Christmas trees? 20 December 2016. Web. 3 December 2018.
Pruitt, Sarah. Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25? 24 December 2012. Web. 3 December 2018.
Robinson, B. A. Holidays, observances, and conflicts at Christmas time. 7 December 2015. Web. 2018 December 2015.
Travers, Penny. The Christmas tree: From pagan origins and Christian symbolism to secular status. 18 December 2016. Web. 3 December 2018.