Question about Christmas and easter origins

[Momo-P]

I'm pretty sure everyone is aware how they were originally pagan holidays, but I'm just curious...does anyone have more details about this? Like...around when did they suddenly adapt into Christianity? And exactly why was it done?

I once heard it was a case of "overshining pagan beliefs by making a Christian holiday that same day" or something like that, I mean...in the end I don't think it matters much. Those pagan beliefs died out long ago and I don't know ONE person who looks at Christmas or easter as anything but Christian anymore (even in countries who hate Jesus), but...does anyone know?

I only ask because I recently just found out exactly where the whole bunny+eggs thing came from. XD I know, kind of slowpoking on that, but I never really sat around and cared to know so when I did stumble onto it I just got curious.

[Technomancer]

The timing of the Christmas was indeed chosen to coincide with pre-existing pagan holidays. There were some theological/calendrical reasons for this, as well as for the more practical need to overshadow, or at least be somewhat in sync with, the world in which they lived. There is also the fact that the winter solstice would be a more instructive and emotionally satisfying day to celebrate Christ's birth (the darkest days of the year are now past after all). Much of our Christmas symbolism is certainly pagan in origin, although once again it is readily adapted for Christian purposes (evergreen -> ever-living, etc).

This was done with full consciousness on the part of the Church authorties, and with the specific advice of Pope St. Gregory the Great.

There are some people who make an issue of this, as if it were some kind of secret. "Christmas" is an artificial invention of perfidious Christians, and is therefore simply fake. Such a view is nonsense of course, as most of us are well aware of the pagan origins of the timing and outward forms of Christmas celebration. However, these issues are inconsequential when compared to what is being celebrated, and that is what is genuine. The other matters are merely accidents of history and geography.

[ShiroiHikari]

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Great post, Technomancer.

[LadyRushia]

Pretty much what Technomancer said. Also, pagan beliefs aren't dead and they still celebrate solstice and all that.

[termyt]

Maintaining holidays was a big issue for Middle Ages Christians. Christianity had become a dominate political force as well as a spiritual one - a force powerful enough to outlaw pagan worship. With the loss of pagan beliefs, the holidays around those beliefs disappeared as well.

Christianity had no holidays, really, so to give much needed relief and a bit of hope to the people, holidays needed to be put back into the calendar.

It was much easier to use existing holidays and simply re-invent them with Christian meanings than to start from scratch - better to transform what the people already know than to try to make them forget one thing to remember another.

On top of that, many of our traditions for Christmas are less than 200 years old. Christmas was a time of drunken revelry where bands of the working class would be allowed to wander from house to house and demand items from the rich. The rich would give good gifts out of charity and/or fear.

This tradition of wassailing was one of the factors that lead the Puritans in England to outlaw the holiday. I’ve even heard it said that the monarchy was re-established in England at least in part because of the puritan Oliver Cromwell’s ban of the holiday.

Christmas was also outlawed in at least one American puritan colony.

By the 19th century, the celebration had a lot more to do with rioting than celebrating leading civic leaders to seek some new traditions so a concerted effort was made to change the way we celebrate Christmas. So, traditions emphasizing family and piety were devised and promoted while wassailing and revelry downplayed. A Visit from St. Nicolas (aka ‘Twas the Night before Christmas) was apparently born out of this movement (or latched onto by it) to provide a unified view of who Santa Claus was and what he was about.

Of course, hold old and where traditions come from is not so important as what they represent in the hearts and minds of those practicing them and in the impressions of those watching. We do not intend nor does anyone think were are worshipping Saturn or Bacchus, or some fertility goddess with our celebrations.

[RobinSena]

Also, pagan beliefs aren't dead and they still celebrate solstice and all that.

Quite right. I'm glad someone said this, or I would have had to.

[Doubleshadow]

holiday - Holy Day
Christmas - Christ Mass

Anybody heard of Michaelmas? Anybody?

There are numerous resources regarding the history of Christmas as it pertains to its origins as a holiday and adaptations by different cultures. The history channel has a good page on it.

I don't think our modern twist on Christmas is any better than the stunts the ancients pulled. The trappings were always beside the point and a distraction. It's way I avoid the pomp and circumstance if I can. Not because I think it makes me more holy, but because I really feel the distraction.

[Ingemar]

Anybody heard of Michaelmas? Anybody?

I would address this, but my rent is due.

At any rate, there are some Eastern sects of Christendom that celebrate the Nativity during the spring.

Funny how no one brought up any sort of controversy re: Easter. But considering it, unlike Christmas, is Biblically calendarizable, perhaps that is not surprising.

[minakichan]

I don't know ONE person who looks at Christmas or easter as anything but Christian anymore (even in countries who hate Jesus)

Uh, I dunno... Christmas and Easter are pretty secularized. Nonbelievers get Santa presents and go Easter egg hunting...

[Stephen]

Uh...100% agreeing with Mina here. Most of my coworkers love Christmas and Easter as an excuse to eat way too much, in Christmas case...get stuff....or see Family. Most people that I know don't really associate the holidays with Christianity. Christians are really the only one's that do lol.

[Kunoichi]

I enjoyed reading this (always good to know more).

I have a pagan friend who is now atheist, but he celebrated the winter solstice alot. He still wished me merry christmas and I said happy holiday (not that i agreed with it because he worshipped aphrodite primarily).

Anyways, I think its interesting in any case. Thank you for posting this!

[termyt]

Christmas and Easter are typically only celebrated by Christians and atheists, though. Other cultures tend to ignore it or simply enjoy the holiday from work.

Funny how no one brought up any sort of controversy re: Easter. But considering it, unlike Christmas, is Biblically calendarizable, perhaps that is not surprising.

It only takes place in the same season, though, not necessarily at the same time. Easter in both the Western and Eastern churches as well as Passover all take place approximately two weeks after the first full moon of Spring, but those three institutions all use a different calendar and thus do not always agree when Spring begins, so the two Easters and Passover aren't always at the same time.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

I would just like to point out that I would love it if Wassailing was reinstated.