Years ago we had a couple living next door to us. Around Christmastime, the husband vehemently refused to allow his wife to have a tree in their home. His reason? For him, it stood for everything he loathed: Christianity. Yes, even Jews mistakenly equate the Christmas tree with the birth of Jesus instead of it representing the SPIRIT of the season.

But way before Jesus was born and Christianity was formed, the evergreen tree held special significance for Humankind – especially those who lived in colder climates.

10,000 BC – 1,295 BC

Since prehistory, the Winter Solstice has been a significant time of year in many cultures, marked by festivals and rites, and was observed by some cultures as far back as the Neolithic/New Stone Age.

The Winter Solstice is an astronomical phenomenon which marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year. In the Northern Hermisphere is occurs in December (21 or 22), while the Southern Hemisphere experiences it in June (20 or 21).

Note: Much like the confusion over Midsummer (Summer Solstice, the 1st day of Summer, and Midsummer), the Winter Solstice is not “midwinter”. Going down THAT rabbit hole gave me a headache so I’ll not be discussing it further.

Some important Neolithic and early Bronze Age archaeological sites in Europe are associated with the Winter Solstice such as Newgrange in County Meath, Ireland. Built around 3100 BC, this prehistoric monument was constructed so that its passage tomb is aligned with the rising sun on the Winter Solstice. As dawn breaks on that day, a narrow beam of sunlight enters the chamber, illuminating it in a breathtaking spectacle and demonstrating the Celts’ astronomical knowledge and reverence for the sun at this time.

Stonehenge is another prehistoric megalithic structure located in Wilshire, England. Stonehenge was constructed in several phases beginning about 3100 BC and continuing until about 1600 BC. The famous circle of large sarsen stones was placed between 2600 BC and 2400 BC. ). It is significant that at Stonehenge the Great Trilithon was oriented outwards from the middle of the monument, i.e. its smooth flat face was turned towards the Winter Solstice sunset.

Several ancient Egyptian temples are aligned with the Winter Solstice sunrise, including the Temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak (dates from around 2055 BC to around 100 AD), the chapel of Ra-Horakhty at Abu Simbel (completed around 1265 BC), and the Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Luxor (built during the Eighteenth Dynasty, 1550/1549 to 1292 BC).

In various pagan cultures, the evergreen was more than just a plant; it was a powerful symbol. Ancient folks celebrated the winter solstice by bringing these plants into their homes. The greenery symbolized everlasting life and the promise of the sun’s return.

497 BC – 1 BC

Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival celebrated in honor of the god Saturn, an agricultural deity said to have reigned over the world in the Golden Age of peace and plenty. Though no specific date exists, Titus Livius connects the dedicating of the Temple of Saturn around 497 BC to the institution of Saturnalia.

Originally held on December 17, by the 1st century BC the festivities were extended until December 23, for a total of seven days of celebrating.

From 100-1 BC the Winter Solstice was marked as
December 25
on the ancient Roman Calendar.

Most biblical scholars and ancient historians believe that the birth of Jesus occurred from 6 BC – 4 BC, although there is much speculation about whether December 25th was the actual day. The most likely time would’ve been in Spring (“shepherds watching over their sheep”)

Most of the December holiday traditions that we celebrate today can be traced back to the Ancient Roman holiday of Saturnalia. The earliest mentions we have of a tree associated with a spiritual or religious celebration is the fir tree brought indoors in the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia during the third week of December. The ancient Romans decorated evergreen trees with trinkets and topped them with an image of their sun god, Sol Invictus. Many of the ornaments decorating Saturnalia trees were also in the shapes of stars or suns. Romans also adorned their homes and temples with evergreen boughs.

Meanwhile, to celebrate the Winter Solstice, the Druids (the priests of the ancient Celts) hung golden apples and lit candles on oak trees, and decorated their temples with evergreen boughs. Their evergreen plant of choice? Mistletoe. In the Ritual of Oak and Mistletoe white-clad druids climbed a sacred oak, cut down the mistletoe growing on it, sacrificed two white bulls, then used the mistletoe to make an elixir to cure infertility and the effects of poison.

The Romans associated mistletoe with peace, love, and understanding and hung it over doorways to protect the household. Mistletoe continued to be associated with fertility and vitality through the Middle Ages, and by the eighteenth century it had also become incorporated into Christmas celebrations around the world. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe is referred to as popular among servants in late eighteenth-century England.

YULE

The winter festival of Yule (or Yuletide) can be traced back to the history of the Germanic peoples in a Gothic language calendar of the 5–6th century CE (401 AD – 600 AD).

On the Wiccan calendar, Yule is celebrated on the Winter Solstice.

Holding on to pagan traditions, around the same time as Saturnalia, people in Northern Europe would get a Yule tree, decorate it, and light it up. The first decorated indoor trees surfaced in Germany during the 16th century (1501-1600). It is generally agreed that the use of an evergreen tree as part of Christian Christmas celebrations started 400 years ago in Germany and spread to most of northern Europe by the 19th century.

Originating around 1184, the Yule log is a specially selected log burnt on a hearth as a winter tradition – a tradition that’s celebrated by Christians and modern pagans on or around Christmas or Yule.

Most Christian holidays were pagan holidays first.
Christmas trees and Easter eggs have absolutely nothing to do with Jesus. They are pagan symbols.
Christianity is thinly disguised Paganism.
– Oliver Markus Malloy

The Christmas tree is an allegory that was adopted by Christians who wanted to make it easier for pagans, heathens and savages to digest the gospel. Conquering Christians found out that it was futile to use the method of slaughtering their way into conversion since the threat of death wasn’t as effective as the death of an idea.

So, finding a similarity in the pagan beliefs and tying that into the Christian ethos was found to be the far more effective method – one that would eventually be replaced entirely as future generations arrived.

At no time in the history of the early Christian church was it ever thought that the birth of Christ took place on 25 December. (See above.) In fact, Jesus’ birthday was not celebrated at all until the mid-4th century 301 CE – 400 CE).

The 12th century Syrian bishop, Jacob bar Salibi, records, “It was a custom of the Pagans to celebrate on the same 25 December the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these solemnities and revelries the Christians also took part. Accordingly when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnised on that day.”

It wasn’t until the 20th century that the masses started confusing 25 December for Christ’s actual birthday.

[source]

‘Kayso, although the connection to the birth of Jesus is doubtful, we can still revel in the meaning of the Yuletide/Christmas season: Peace, love, and the lengthening of daylight hours. In spite of what these MOFOS are trying to do, nothing they do will suppress the coming Spring. (Indeed, I’ve been hearing Rock’s sing-song resonating through the neighborhood these past few early morns.)

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