For the first 300 years, there wasn’t any Christmas. Birthdays just weren’t that important; not even Jesus’s. Although, many early theologians discussed possible birth dates, the early Christians were more focussed on celebrating Jesus’ death and resurrection. Although popular thinking is that Christmas was deliberately chosen as a replacement of the Roman Saturnalia, Dec 25 was recognised as Jesus’ birth date, before the Roman festival began in 274CE. 

When Christmas became a “thing”, many of the elements of the different celebrations it competed with, and eventually often replaced, were retained: EG:

            The Jews had (and still have) a festival of lights (Hanukkah). 

            The Germans had a yule festival in which logs were burnt and trees were decorated.

            Scandinavians kissed under mistletoe, in honour of their god, Balder. 

            The Romans had Saturnalia, in which they feasted and gave gifts to the poor.  

In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice was celebrated with feasting, music and games.  

We Christians still like to have a good time, within moderation of course, so it’s not surprising these elements hung on. At least they did until the Puritans – the spoil sports -became a thing in England in the late 1500s and first half of the 1600s. And, of course, they took this attitude with them to the New World (USA).  In fact, when they were in power, the Puritans banned Christmas altogether.

That’s right; the first people to ban Christmas were Christians! 

Very early on gift-giving became associated with St Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra in Lycia (Turkey). He was born in 280 AD and died on Dec 6, 343. He was renowned for his acts of generosity. He particularly enjoyed surprising poor families by throwing small bags of money in through their windows or down their chimneys.

When he died, people began to give gifts, particularly to children, on his “Feast Day” (Dec 6) and in many parts of Europe today, people still put out their shoes for St Nick to fill with small gifts of chocolate, money etc. St Nick was the progenitor of Santa Claus. Then  in the 1920s, Coca Cola began featuring Santa Claus in their advertising and things were never the same.

 Although the first known Christmas songs were from the fourth century in Rome, it wasn’t until the thirteenth century that carol singing became a truly popular Christmas tradition.  

By the end of the sixteenth century, Christmas trees were common in Germany. They were mainly decorated with candles. The German members of the English royal family brought the tree to England but at first it was only the lords and ladies who had one. It was Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, in the 1800s, who made it popular. Once the general population saw a picture of the royal family with their tree, they all had to have one, too.

Whether you have faith in the Incarnation of God, or you just like the family gathered together; whether you are surrounded by people or if you are on your own, I hope and pray you will have moments of love, warmth and joy.
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.