All The Trimmings
"…Evergreen trees were important fertility emblems for
pre-Christian ceremonies marking the winter solstice. People from
ancient
societies believed that by decorating their homes and
temples with evergreen plants, such as holly, ivy and mistletoe, they
were helping to
carry the diminished sun through a critical period. .
. . Mistletoe was the most sacred plant of the Druids. . . . [It] was
given great reverence . . .
because it grows on the venerated oak.
The custom of kissing under the mistletoe comes from the ancient
idea that mistletoe is the oak’s
genitals. And so it was believed
that an embrace under its glistening berries was sure guarantee of a
fruitful union. . . .
The decoration of Christmas trees is a survival of pagan tree
veneration. . . .
For centuries before Christianity, holly was . . . used . . . for
celebrating their midwinter Saturnalia…”
Dallas Morning News (December 6, 1986)
Mistletoe
“The Saturnalia (which means ‘sun-stop’) is the week-long pagan
festival of the winter solstice which began on December the 17th as
the
sun was seen to be rising further to the south and thought of as
“dying”. By December the 25th, the ancient world’s solstice, it
could be
as beginning to turn northwards again and was
said to be “re-born” and therefore was proclaimed to be
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Birthday Of The Sun-Deity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“All of the known sun-deities were ‘born’ on December the 25th,
these include Mithra, Krishna (Vishnu), Osiris, Horus, Hercules,
Dionysus (Bacchus), Tammuz, Indra, Jesus Christ (via the Catholic
church), Buddha as well as the Scandinavian goddesses.”
Aryan Sun Myths, The Origins of Religion ~ S.E. Titcombe
“Holly was the sacred plant of the god Saturn and was used at the
Roman Saturnalia festival to honour him.
Romans gave one another holly wreaths and carried them about
decorating images of Saturn with it.
~ All About Christmas – Mistletoe and Holly
The Celts of the British Isles and Gaul believed the Holly King ruled
over winter and death.”
~ Pagan Yule: Christmas Plants Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe: Traditional
Yuletide Symbols ~by Jill Stefko
“Holly and other evergreens were subsequently adopted by
common
Christians as Christmas decorations in Roman times.
This, despite
protests from disapproving Church Fathers,
who regarded the
decorations as "too pagan."
Such protests notwithstanding evergreen decorations
were well on their way to becoming Christmas institutions,
symbols of the pagan past co-opted by the new religion."
“Ancient pagans fashioned ivy “into wreaths and garlands for decorations during the winter months.”
Ivy had close ties with the Roman god of wine, Bacchus (The derivative of Saturn).
Holly, meanwhile, figured prominently in the Roman celebration of the Saturnalia (upon which the Christmas holiday was
directly modeled), as it was considered sacred to the god Saturn. Among the Celts, holly played a major role in summer and
winter pagan solstice observances.”
~ “The Green Mountain Gardener” Dr. Leonard Perry
The Origin of Santa Claus
Nickolas Born: Parara, Turkey in 270 AD/CE Died: December 6, 345
AD/CE
Though born to wealth he lived a humble and holy life helping the
poor near his home and community
Legendary events in his life include:
He became bishop of Myra and was a senior bishop at the
convening of the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD/CE at the creating of
the New Testament. Persecuted for his Christian faith he died from
his imprisonment at the hands of Roman Emperor, Diocletian. He gained
sainthood in the 19th century.
- ~ Using his wealth to help an impoverished man with three daughter's who had no means of supplying their dowry without which they would be doomed to a life of prostitution as the only means of support. Nicholas supplied gold in three bags and through them at the girls' window.
- ~ During a famine Nicholas visited a local butcher where he was served a meal with meat. Nicholas became suspicious and went to the cellar of his host where he discovered three barrel containing three murdered boys in the brine. However, he was able to restore their lives.
- ~ These and other events spread his reputation to the ends of the Roman Empire. His kindness to children was legendary and influenced the population greatly
In 1087 AD/CE, his bones were moved by a group of followers from
Turkey to a sanctuary in Bari, Italy.
- ~ There his bones supplanted a female deity called Pasqua Epiphania known as 'The Grandmother' who would fill children's stockings with gifts.
- ~ Members of this group would also give each other gifts during an annually festival on the anniversary of Nicholas’ death, December 6.
The Nicholas tradition was adopted by German and Celtic pagans. Here
where the worship of pagan gods were added to this festivity.
Some of these included:
Woden –the chief god and the father of Thor, Balder, and Tiw.
Folklore reveals Woden a long white beard fellow rode through the
heavens on a horse one evening each Autumn. Here revisions were made
to Nicholas' apparel and merged with Woden. No longer Mediterranean
in appearance, he grew a beard, mounted a flying horse, now flew in
December, and wore heavy winter clothing.
At the time of Martin Luther children received gifts on December 6th
St. Nicholas Eve until 1545 when they came from the Christkindl.
Christkindl originates with Martin Luther, who sought his own version
to replace the Roman Catholic Saint Nicholas. This German term
"Christkindl," means, "Christ child."The
Reformation was making a concerted effort to get back to the Bible
and remove all the feasts and Saints' Days festivals, including St.
Nicholas' on December 6th. Regardless, through out of the church St.
Nicholas continued in popularity in the streets and homes from the
Continental Reformed.
Contributions from the Continental Reformed:
- ~ The Dutch Sinterklaus came to America along with the German Lutherans' Advent wreaths and Christmas Trees. Sinterklaus (St. Nicholas – also known as Father Christmas, Pere Noel, and Kris Kringle) who reward the deeds of mankind, children especially, for good behavior and rewards them with sweets.
- ~ Washington Irving, novelist and author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle; wrote in 1809 Knickerbocker History a satire of Dutch culture. It is here where St. Nickolas transitions into Santa Claus. It refers to a white bearded man on a flying-horse using his Dutch name, Santa Claus.
- ~ Looking for pagan adherents in Northern Europe, the Catholic Church adopted the Nicholas practices and taught that he did and they should distribute gifts on December 25th instead of December 6th.
In America, Dr. Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863), a professor at
Union Seminary read Knickerbocker History. From it, in 1822 he
created:
- ~ "A Visit From St. Nicholas” for his children; publishing the poem based on the character Santa Claus.
- ~ St. Nick (Nicholas) now transformed into a “chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, his horse replaced with eight tiny reindeer and he now is capable of going down chimneys. Stockings continued to be hung by the chimney according to tradition.
From 1862 through 1886 Bavarian illustrator Thomas Nast in his work
for Harper's Weekly drew more than 2,200 cartoon images of Santa
Claus. He also placed Santa's home at the North Pole with elves and a
workshop who worked off his list of the good and bad children of the
world.
In 1931, the Coca Cola Corporation contracted American commercial
artist of Finnish and Swedish descent Haddon Sundblom to create a
coke-drinking Santa. He modeling his interpretation of Santa based on
one of his cheerful, chubby faced friends. The corporation insisted
that Santa’s fur-trimmed suit be bright Coca Cola be red.
The name Kris Kringle is an Americanized version of Martin Luther's
Christkindl. Kris Kringle and Santa Claus became synonymous with one
another in 1947 based on the move Miracle on 34th Street wherein the
determination to find out if there was indeed a Santa Claus.
From a benevolent Turk to bishop to pagan god to living at the North
Pole with elves in a workshop bringing gifts to children to selling a
soft drinks. Christianity has used every excuse to sanction and
incorporate all of the above in addition to spending exorbitant
amounts of money even going into debt and celebrating on a day known
to not be the His day of coming however historically identified as a
pagan god date believing that it does not interfere in worship to God
who became incarnate to be sacrificed for our sin. Truly this is
insulting.
This is the focus of December 25 for most of the secular world. It
is a major focus for practicing Christians who have not stopped to
consider how pagan it is. Some go to church only at this time; sing a few
carols, listen to a teaching on Luke 2 about the birth of Christ then it is off to
the gift unwrapping and feasting in the home complete with decorating
as the pagans of yore hand in hand.
The Holy One in hand and the
pagan in the other.
And we think God does not see?
I have repented and asked the LORD Jesus Christ forgiveness for not searching out all these 'traditions' sooner and turning from them.
I have been forgiven.
You can be too, for these and all your sins!
Satan is indeed crafty and we are indeed stiff necked to continue spending fortunes
and holding on to these "Traditions" which have nothing to do with following Jesus Christ
and holding on to these "Traditions" which have nothing to do with following Jesus Christ
believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died on the cross for our
sins,
He was resurrected to life on the third day and lives forever.
Ask
Him to baptize you with His Holy Spirit,
right now, to change your heart and renew your spirit.
Completely forgive others who have hurt and wronged you.
Invited Jesus Christ into your heart to change you, save you and be
LORD of your life, right now.
Amen and amen