Activity 1: The history of Christmas
a. Read the introduction to Christmas taken from history.com
Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and
commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have
been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and
secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the
birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of
their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas
trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course,
waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25 – Christmas Day – has been a
federal holiday in the United States since 1870.
Before we visit the site to find out more about the history of Christmas,
what do you already know about its history? Discuss your ideas with a
partner.
b. Now, work with a partner to discover more about the ancient origins of
Christmas.
Both of you should visit the following
weblink: www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas
Student A: Read the first section entitled ’An ancient holiday’ and look for
the answers to the following questions.
1. What did Europeans celebrate long before the birth of Jesus?
2. Why did people celebrate during the winter solstice?
3. Who celebrated Yule from 21 December in Scandinavia?
4. How did fathers and sons mark the return of the sun?
5. Up to how many days was it possible for the Yule feast to last?
6. What did the Norse believe that each spark of the fire represented?
7. Why was the end of December a good time for celebrating?
8. Why were German people terrified of the god Oden? How did they show their
fear?
AN ANCIENT HOLIDAY
The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world.
Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans
celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced
during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and
they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.
In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter
solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and
sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people
would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The
Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that
would be born during the coming year.
The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of
Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not
have to be fed during the winter. For many, it was the only time of year when
they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during
the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking.
In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter
holiday. Germans were terrified of Oden, as they believed he made nocturnal
flights through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would
prosper or perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside.
Student B: Read the second section entitled ‘Saturnalia’ and look for the
answers to the following questions.
1. Who was Saturnalia intended to honour?
2. How did Roman society change during Saturnalia?
3. In what century did the Church decide to make the birth of Christ a holiday?
4. What was the problem with choosing the date of Christ’s birth?
5. Why was 25 December chosen?
6. Why do some churches celebrate Christmas on 7 January?
7. What was the main disadvantage for church leaders of holding Christmas at the
same time as other winter festivals?
8. In what way were Christmas celebrations during the Middle Ages similar to
those of Roman times?
SATURNALIA
In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia
—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated.
Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full
month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and
the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, slaves
would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and
schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.
Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast
honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often
celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on
December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For
some Romans, Mithra’s birthday was the most sacred day of the year.
In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus
was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the
birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for
his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the
celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have
occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of
winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the
church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the
pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom
spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the
end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to
Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is
celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or
Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally
found Jesus in the manger.
By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals,
church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly
embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated. By
the Middle Ages, Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion. On
Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken,
carnival-like atmosphere similar to today’s Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or
student would be crowned the “lord of misrule” and eager celebrants played the
part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand
their best food and drink. If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most
likely terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the
upper classes could repay their real or imagined “debt” to society by
entertaining less fortunate citizens.
Discussion
In what ways is the modern way of celebrating Christmas different from how it
was done in the past?
What do you like most (and least) about Christmas nowadays?
