Although Christmas is today a Christian festival, its origins, including many of our beloved Christmas traditions, are rooted in much more ancient rituals designed to celebrate the winter solstice. These pagan European traditions bear many similarities with winter solstice celebrations from around the world.
Pagan Solstice Celebrations in Ancient Europe
Long before the birth of Jesus Christ, many European tribes such as the Vikings, the Celts, ancient Germanic Tribes as well as the Romans held important festivals around the time of the winter solstice. When the Romans sought to convert the rest of Europe to Catholicism in the 4th Century it was important to incorporate as many existing festivals as possible into the newly dominant religion in order to win hearts and minds. Christmas was first celebrated in 336 AD, with the date of 25th December as the birth of Jesus being given by Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus, protege of Roman Emperor Severus Alexander. Christmas replaced the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia. Celebrated for 7 days from 17th December, Saturnalia was dedicated to the god Saturn and incorporated worship of Sol Invictus, the supreme sun god with ‘Dies Natalis Solis Invicti‘ (The Birth of the Unconquerable Sun) being celebrated on December 25th. According to The History Channel, Saturnalia was a time of parties, feasting and gift giving.
What is the Winter Solstice?
The Winter Solstice represents the shortest day of the year, when the sun is at its lowest point. After this point, the days will become longer again and nature starts to ‘give birth’ again as we move into Spring and then Summer. This festival was significant for ancient people all around the world. With no other light but the sun and a dependance on the movement of the sun for food and warmth, it is no wonder that this time of year was of such importance to our ancient ancestors. The intriguing thing is the similarities between the winter solstice festivals from all around the world and how important this festival has been and still is to human beings.
Winter Solstice Festivals from around the World
- Yule: Yule was a festival with Norse roots that was also adopted by many Celtic & Germanic tribes. According to Britannica it is thought that Yule was originally called Jol in ancient Norse times. Yule was a celebration of the rebirth of the sun at the Winter Solstice and traditions included feasting, bonfires and exchanging gifts. Farmed animals would find it hard to survive the winter so were slaughtered and this resulted in a feasting of meat over this period. Our modern tradition of decorating trees at Christmas time originates from the Yule Tree which was decorated with berries and pinecones. The Yule Tree was thought to represent the Tree of Life in Norse spirituality. At Yule, houses were also decorated with other plants such as Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe each having its own sacred significance in ancient pagan traditions.
- Makar Sakranti: The Hindu festival of Sakranti usually falls on around 14th January and represents the transition of the zodiac moving from Sagittarius to Capricorn and is dedicated to the sun deity Surya. Traditional celebrations include feasting, dancing, traditional sweets, kite flying and bonfires. It is often also traditional to travel to sacred lakes and rivers and give thanks to the sun.
- Yalda Night: Also known as Chelle Night, this ancient Persian festival is celebrated in Iran and other Persian influenced countries such as Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey. It is celebrated on the Winter Solstice and is when friends and family get together to eat and drink with a particular focus given to berries and other red fruits such as pomegranate. The red of these fruits represents the crimson dawn or ‘the glow of life’. In Iran there is also a mix between the ancient solstice festival and the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The word Yalda is the word for ‘birthday’ in an ancient aramaic dialect known as Syriac. Aramaic was the ancient language of Jesus and his followers and it is thought that early Christains who sought refuge from persecution in modern-day Iran began to mix the local traditions with their own religious beliefs.
- Dongzhi Festival: Dongzhi is the Chinese Winter Solstice Festival, dating back over 3,000 years and literally means ‘Winter’s Arrival’. There is a strong link between DongZhi and the concept of Yin and Yang, with the belief that after the winter solstice, all things come back into balance. There are various traditions associated with Dhongzi including a traditional food called Tangyuan which are glutinous rice balls that are believed to represent unity and also traditional winter solstice dumplings that are believed to represent reunion. It is a time when friends and family gather together to celebrate.
- Soyal: The Hopi Tribe of North America celebrate Soyal to honour the Winter Solstice. Traditions include dancing and singing. During Soyal, the Hopi welcome the Kachinas, the protective mountain spirits who are believed to bring the sun back to the world after the solstice. Children are often given dolls that represent the Kachina spirits as gifts. It is a time where traditional stories are told to teach the younger generation spiritual lessons and to set intentions for the year ahead.
The Importance of the Winter Solstice Today
Ancient people from around the world celebrated the Winter Solstice as one of their most important festivals, all with similar traditions and a focus on the light of life and rebirth. With the merge of Christmas and these ancient festivals we continue, unknowingly to place great importance on the Winter Solstice as a time of feasting, giving and celebrating life with our families. Although all of the reasons for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on 25th December are unclear, it seems fitting to celebrate the birth of ‘the light of the world’ and a symbol of rebirth at this time of year. Despite a change in beliefs over millennia, this incorporation has ensured the continued importance of the celebrations of the winter solstice to most of the human population. As we move into The Age of Aquarius, many more people are rediscovering the ancient origins of the Winter Solstice Festival.
