Besides, it was Christians who actually "stole" Christmas from the Paganism. If we`d were truly celebrating the REAL time of Christ`s bith, that would be somewhere in March. (Can be traced back to the history of the Roman Empire: their own official notes that have remained to these days, their coins of that time plus the astronomical history.) So... long ago there was the pagan feast Yule to celebrate the darkest time of the year and the moment when the days start to get lighter and longer again. Christians have through the centuries stuffed their own stuff and beliefs to the ancient feasts - turning `em eventually to exist as they wanted `em to be: Christian times of celebration. Despite of that there are several features e.g. in our Christian Christmas which originates to the paganism. (E.g. turkey/ham, x-mas tree and even the word "yule" which nowadays is intepred more as a synonym for Christmas.)
Additional Information: Paganism vs. Cristianity
Date: 2008-10-28 06:44 pm (UTC)So... long ago there was the pagan feast Yule to celebrate the darkest time of the year and the moment when the days start to get lighter and longer again. Christians have through the centuries stuffed their own stuff and beliefs to the ancient feasts - turning `em eventually to exist as they wanted `em to be: Christian times of celebration. Despite of that there are several features e.g. in our Christian Christmas which originates to the paganism. (E.g. turkey/ham, x-mas tree and even the word "yule" which nowadays is intepred more as a synonym for Christmas.)