A Short History of Christmas

The Season of the Ages

The season in which we celebrate is timeless and literally goes back to prehistory. This very time has always been associated with hope and assurance that the death brought on by the oncoming cold and dark period we know as Winter will pass and life will once again return to overtake its reign. It has always been a joyous time with regard to successful harvests and other blessings that come which take folks through the winter months to the promise of Spring.

This season of festivities and family get-togethers has always been a tradition, as if by nature, and has been celebrated in one way or another, all with the similar theme that we know to this day, in just about every nation under the sun.

It has always been associated with the appeal to the gods and goddesses worshipped and upheld in nearly every nation. It has always been decked with fine foods, festivities, a time of joy and happiness, but also revelry in varying degrees.

Earliest recordings found in writing to this Season are found in the oldest writings known, even though most of thse writings were business-related transactions, inventories and receipts, it was not long before the invention of writing, came the inception of more religious notes. Amongst these are the Akkadians, Assyrians and Babylonians. Traditions from these ancient civilizations live to this day in Christmas.

Up and including (and up into four centuries after the birth of Christ) these secular ordinations were carried on from generation to generation.

First Two Centuries of the Church

A Renaissance Artist's Depiction of the Birth of Christ

Christmas did not exist during the first few centuries after the birth of Christ, though biblical records from which parts of the Christmas story have been derived over subsequent centuries.

These include the birth of Christ (nobody knows when Jesus was born, though biblical records give us some clues, especially that of shepherds coming in from the fields where their animals were grazing, putting His birth in a time other than the winter months, when the animals were kept in barns.) In spite of the Nativity Story we have today, the truth in it is skewed, though many of the tenets do originate from biblical records.

Amongst these, one of which already considered, there were wise men who came to see Jesus. However it is unknown how many there actually were. It is assumed that there were three gifts, there must have been three wise men. The Nativity Scene have these men arriving to see Jesus in the manger where he was born. Biblical record have them visiting Jesus in a house, not a manger. By the time they arrived, Joseph, Mary and Jesus had been staying in a house. A bit more on the Nativity Scene later.

The Birth of Christ Becomes More than Just Curiosity

Temple Furnishings Being Carried Off During Siege of Jerusalem in 70 a.d.

Jerusalem fell in 70 a.d. at the hands of the Romans. They not only destroyed the temple, but obliterated all of the domestic records that had been, up to that time, carefully kept and were very complete - including censuses that have been imposed. It was required of folks at the time of Jesus' birth to return to their towns of origin and register for the census being imposed. This is what puts the family where they were when Jesus was born. Certainly Jesus' birth was recorded in this census, but it, along with everything else got destroyed by the Romans, and if any of these still exist, they are yet to be discovered.

Biblically-speaking, the story of Christ's birth is there, but no date ascribed either biblically or secularly. However, we know with exact precision, when His death occurred, as shown by the circumstances during that time, as recorded. It is his Death that is more important than His Birth. However later, folks were compelled to celebrate the birth of Christ in spite of its absence in apostolic and post apostolic times. Traditions were very different and widely considered as having been the actual date and time He was born. This confusion was caused mainly by destruction of the Jewish records and had literally been forgotten by most people, even when the records were still extant.

The early life of Jesus was obscure and very, very few knew of Him until the days when He began to teach. During the first two centuries, nobody concerned themselves with the date or time of the birth. This information isn't included either in any secular writing of the time, no less biblical text. In fact, festivities that occurred during this time by writers, such as Origen, Tertullian and Irenaeus were mocked as "pagan." No celebrations could be found commemorating the birth could be found nor were heard of.

From Illegal to Legal - The Church Takes Over

The Council of Nicea in Session 325 a.d.

Another fall-out for early Christianity was the well-known and documented persecutions which took place throughout her early existence both in local outbursts and at times, lenthy, hellish empire-wide major outbreaks. Some, but not all, were initiated within Roman administration. There is no further need to elaborate.

By 325 a.d. The church had changed its politcal structure and added offices that were not there during apostolic times. By this time many traditions beyond what was apostolic were added to the church. This caused factions and bickering between writers of the time. Even the Bible itself shows this insidious process already taking place, and are addressed by writers of the New Testament. Church apostasy was very slow and gradual. This would soon change drastically...

The spread of Christianity, in spite of persecution and means of checking it, continued to expand. It started in Jerusalem, spread into Smaria and westward into Greece, up into Asia Minor, into the western regious of the Roman Empire and to a lesser extent, down into southern Mediterraian regions, into North Africa and Egypt. It continued to spread into what is now Western Europe. Growth into Asian regions was inhibited, and would not get into those areas until much later. During this time, the spread would take in almost the entire region we know as the fullest extent of the Roman Empire. There was no stopping it. Christianity got into every class of society and new tactics were employed...

During the late 2nd century, rising concern over the origins of Jesus Christ naturally occurred as the church grew. The vast number of those who attempted to date this event put it in the months corresponding to our months of April and May. Some of these dates, May 20th, March 21, April 15, April 20 or 21, and many others!

From Pagan to Christmas - The Beginnings

This Type of Entertainment Was Outlawed Along with the Pagan Cults.

During the 4th century Emperor Constantine came to power. It is during this reign, in what appears to be for political gain, the ban of Christianity was lifted leading to it become the state religion of Rome. One of the issues discussed during the Council of Nicea in 325 a.d. was the on the widespread confusion of the date Jesus was born.

Both inside that meeting, which lasted days, and certain church and secular leaders insisted upon December 25th as being the time of Jesus' birth, not because they felt it actually so, but possibly because it was meant to replace the festivities of Mithra and Saturnalia, two pagan practices of the time. These pagan holidays which under scrutiny and being outlawed in the wake of reform.

This did not take hold for some time however but eventually stuck. January 6th was the other timestamp of Jesus birth for those who refused the December 25th date. This would eventually become the celebrations of the Epiphany. The time between these dates would much later on, become what we know today as the "12 Days of Christmas." To this day, January 6th is still deemed the date of Christ's birth in some religious groups.

Though some speculation exists otherwise, the move to adopt the traditions found in the earlier pagan holidays, such as the birth of Sol Invictus, which means "Unconquered Sun," and others mentioned above, under Constantine, were the object of replacing these with that of Jesus Christ to make this cause, the church and her festivities, look more appealing to the populace having been stripped of older cherished holidays, by making these look like the older pagan holidays.

Thus it was more appealing to a much larger number within the population, and a transition easier accomplished. However, what the original motives were are lost to time. Only scant clues to this scenario rests with some writers making note eluding to Christ being the true Sun who overcame the earlier gods of the older orders. That these deliberate actions took place would not be taken up until the 1100s, well into medieval times.

Legalization of Christianity - Christmas Develops

Paganism Creeps into the Church

Though the departure from the apostolic order of things had already long begun, the removal of persecution and legalization of Christianity, even to the point of it being the state religion brought peace, the removal of undesirable conditions that prevailed beforehand, had serious consequences of its own. It is from here we depart from this phase of discussion due to the sheer complications involved.

The earlier adaptations from pagan ritual did not stop here. Many others came into the works over time to our day. From here there will be a timeline and very general statements...

Early-mid 300s a.d.: Nicholas of Myra, was a bishop in this Greek province. He was well-known for his gift-giving to the poor in the region and of sea-farers. This individual began to have folklore surrounding his acts during his lifetime and was celebrated by Christians after this time. He had been imprisoned during the persecutions of Diocletian and released during the reign of Constantine. He attended the Council of Nicea. By the time he was known as "Sinterklaas" by the Dutch and other Germanic countries, there was much folklore surrounding his historical existence on the earth. It goes without saying that Sinterklaas became the American "Santa Claus." During the 15th century, there were month-long celebrations honouring this person.

A Timeline of Christmas - Medieval Times Down to Us.

1223: The first nativity scene as we have it today, was set up by a person by the name of Francis - an icon in the Roman Catholic Church.

1600s: A Christian myth, "Father Christmas" is developed and circulated.

1647: Christmas is banned in England due to the debauchery and revelry that resembled that of the Roman pagan festivals of old times. This was followed suit in the American colonies as well. This lasted some time before it was lifted, beginning in New Amsterdam (now New York City.)

1780: The 12 Days of Christmas are translated into English.

1809: Washington Irving, through his fairytale publications, invents the Santa Claus with elves and reindeer that is well-known and patronized today.

1816: The first Christmas tree in the United States to be erected. The Christmas tree was adopted from several Germanic countries wherein the tree was decorated with fruits and other ornaments, and decked with lighting of the time in commemoration more in line with early pagan celebrations noted near the top of this post. Also true of these adaptations that come our way are the Yule, holly, wreaths, tinsils, etc, to name a few. The Christmas tree, as in old days' use of trees for celebration of this time, meant prosperity and good will. This of course has been carried down to our time.

1823: A fiction, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" brings rise to the familiar Christmas Eve story with the naming of the eight reindeer pulling an air-borne Santa's sleigh.

1843: First Christmas cards produced in London. In reference to Father Christmas, the author Dickens writes "Ghost of Christmas Past," through which we know of the "Scrooge."

1860: Mr. Thomas Nast produces cartoons depicting Santa Claus in the familiar rounded man with the rosy cheeks and red outfit edged with white firs. Note that the hat doesn't come til a bit later.

1872: The first soldier nutcrackers in paintings and wood carvings begin to appear.

1879: Department stores go all out in profiting from Christmas sales and set up Santa's Workshop displays begin to appear.

1882: First electric Christmas lights appear.

1892: The Nutcracker performance emerges, which is still popular today.

20th c: Santa Claus is Coming to Town, a ninth reindeer, Rudolph, created, practice of leaving out milk and cookies for Santa, first artificial Christmas trees, Coca-Cola completes Santa's wardrobe (hat and a bottle of Coke,) and much much more, including films, songs, Frosty the Snowman, Peanuts, Christmas candy, Radar tracking of Santa's flight patterns, the North Pole attractions.

21st c: Christmas, Santa Claus, as well as many more aspects of the Holidays, goes massively digital, beginning with the first Christmas e-cards (actually in 1994.)

In Closing

In the grand theme of things here, one can see that the Christmas Season that we all know are of very modern origins. The Christmas known by those in the centuries just before the collapse of the Roman Empire, and the medieval and renaissance years, preceding the modern era were the the lasting efforts of church and civil government's attempts in curbing pagan religions with a set of festivals given a Christian theme, clad in some of the pagan customs.

All in all, and in every way it can be cut, this season remains what it always has since time immortal - the season in which we all get together with loved ones, mount upon our blessings, hope for the future and reflect upon what has already been. It is the doorway to the time of darkness and dead of Winter, pushing us through with the Hopes of Spring.

Happy Holidays,

Daniel