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Celebrating the Winter Solstice, and Christmas In the northern hemisphere in pre-Christian times there were festivals to help pass the short winter days. Fire and light relieved the darkness, and houses were decorated with evergreens which remained alive in the middle of winter. With the coming of Christianity evergreens came to symbolise everlasting life. Holly and ivy were traditionally used, holly was thought to be masculine and ivy feminine. Mistletoe was sacred to the Druids and was believed to bring good luck and fertility and provide protection from evil spells. Later mistletoe was incorporated into the kissing bough. We are all familiar with Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, but who is he and where did he come from? Father Christmas may have originated in Odin, the Norse god, brought to this country by the Vikings. Odin brought with him either gifts or punishments, whichever was appropriate, had a long white beard and wore a blue cloak with a hood. Much later in the 4th century, Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor. Nicholas was renowned for his generosity to the poor and kindness to children. After his death he was canonised as St. Nicholas, his legend grew and he is still remembered in some countries on 6th December. One of Statue in Bourcq France St.-Nicholas - nobility.org
Het Sint-Nicolaasfeest, by Jan Steen, c.1663–65 - The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
these countries is the Netherlands, where St Nicholas was pronounced as Sinterklaas. Children put food for his horse in their shoes or clogs, which were left on the hearth. In the morning the food was gone and a gift was found in its place. This ties in with St Nicholas dropping a bag of gold down the chimney of a poor man who could not afford a dowry for his daughter as without a dowry a girl could not marry. Gift giving also ties in with the Three Wise men bringing gifts of gold frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. When Dutch settlers went to America they took these stories with them and Sinterklaas became Santa Claus! Now we all know about Santa, his sledge and his 8 reindeer, thanks to the poem ‘A Visit from St Nicholas’ by Dr Clement Clarke Moore (‘It was the Night before Christmas, and all through the house … etc) Christmas is celebrated on December 25th although the Bible gives no date for the birth of Jesus and there have been arguments about this. The first time December 25th was celebrated was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine, and Pope Julius 1 declared this as the official date a few years later. This date may have been chosen to coincide with Saturnalia and Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, (birthday of the unconquered sun) ancient Roman midwinter festivals at the time of the Winter Solstice. In the Bible a prophesy about the Jewish Saviour, Jesus, is called ‘Sun of Righteousness’. We all look forward to the special food prepared at Christmas, and most of us accept turkey and Christmas pudding as traditional. However, turkey only arrived in Europe from the Americas in the 16th century, via Spain, and at first only the very wealthy could have afforded to eat it. In the medieval period the wealthy would eat swan, with the permission of the King, but more usually woodcock, goose or venison, while the poor made do with the leftovers. The poor may have been fortunate enough to be given the parts such as heart, liver, tongue, ears and brain, known as ‘umbles. With these they would make ‘umble pie. melbournmagazine
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