Today, I
thought we should take a brief look at Christmas celebrations, mainly to make this
point: historically, Christmas was not celebrated as we do it now in our
country, and in much of the world. In
fact, it is instructive to remember that the word itself tells us much about
what the celebration had at its core in the more distant past: the Christ Mass. The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of
Christ. A Mass service (sometimes called Communion or Eucharist) is where
Christians remember that Jesus died as an atonement for human sin and then was
resurrected to a new life. The 'Christ-Mass' service was the only one that was
allowed to take place after sunset (and before sunrise the next day), so people
had it at Midnight! So we get the name Christ-Mass, shortened to Christmas.
(Christmas Customs and Traditions at Why Christmas.org).
WhyChristmas.org,
Wikipedia, and other sources (such as historymedren.about.com, themiddleages.net,
science e20.com, whychristmas.com, history.com, etc.) helped to summarize the
nativity celebration and are used extensively in what follows.
The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336 AD, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (the first Christian Roman Emperor). Just a few years later in 350, Pope Julius I declared December 25th as the official day for celebration of the birth of Jesus. There being no scientific or historic data to enable the Church to name that day as the actual birth day of the Christ child, it is postulated that the Church chose to do so for several possible reasons:
The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336 AD, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (the first Christian Roman Emperor). Just a few years later in 350, Pope Julius I declared December 25th as the official day for celebration of the birth of Jesus. There being no scientific or historic data to enable the Church to name that day as the actual birth day of the Christ child, it is postulated that the Church chose to do so for several possible reasons:
(1) the 25th
of December corresponded with a nine month interval between the Annunciation
(the angel’s announcement to Mary that she would bear the Christ child –
celebrated on March 25th);
(2) it also corresponded with the day (or several days) when one or more polytheistic (pagan) rituals or celebrations occurred, some connected to the Roman winter solstice;
(3) in the Chronology of 354 AD (a 4th-century illuminated manuscript, which was produced in 354 AD for a wealthy Roman Christian named Valentinus), there was some evidence of a Christian liturgical celebration of the birth of Jesus in Rome (in the Eastern Church, the birth was already being celebrated on Jan. 6th, the feast of the Epiphany). Even in the West, the January 6 celebration of the nativity of Jesus seems to have continued until after 380. Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, was much more popular and festive than Christmas in the early middle ages, and was a time for the bestowal of gifts in the tradition of the three Wise Men -- a custom that survives to this day; and finally,
(4) The Jewish festival of Lights, Hanukkah, starts on the 25th of Kislev (the month in the Jewish calendar that occurs at about the same time as December). Hanukkah celebrates when the Jewish people were able to re-dedicate and worship in their Temple in Jerusalem following many years of not being allowed to practice their religion. Since Jesus was a Jew, this could be another reason that helped the early Church choose December the 25th for the date of Christmas!
(2) it also corresponded with the day (or several days) when one or more polytheistic (pagan) rituals or celebrations occurred, some connected to the Roman winter solstice;
(3) in the Chronology of 354 AD (a 4th-century illuminated manuscript, which was produced in 354 AD for a wealthy Roman Christian named Valentinus), there was some evidence of a Christian liturgical celebration of the birth of Jesus in Rome (in the Eastern Church, the birth was already being celebrated on Jan. 6th, the feast of the Epiphany). Even in the West, the January 6 celebration of the nativity of Jesus seems to have continued until after 380. Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, was much more popular and festive than Christmas in the early middle ages, and was a time for the bestowal of gifts in the tradition of the three Wise Men -- a custom that survives to this day; and finally,
(4) The Jewish festival of Lights, Hanukkah, starts on the 25th of Kislev (the month in the Jewish calendar that occurs at about the same time as December). Hanukkah celebrates when the Jewish people were able to re-dedicate and worship in their Temple in Jerusalem following many years of not being allowed to practice their religion. Since Jesus was a Jew, this could be another reason that helped the early Church choose December the 25th for the date of Christmas!
“The
celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix
of pre-Christian, Christian, and secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holiday include
gift giving, completing an Advent calendar or Advent wreath, Christmas music
and caroling, an exchange of Christmas cards, church services, a special meal,
and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees,
Christmas lights, nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly. In
addition, several closely related and often interchangeable figures, known as
Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, and Christkind, are associated
with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season and have their own
body of traditions and lore.
Many popular
customs associated with Christmas developed independently of the commemoration
of Jesus' birth, with certain elements having origins in pre-Christian
festivals that were celebrated around the winter solstice by pagan populations
who were later converted to Christianity. These elements, including the Yule
log from Norway and gift giving from Saturnalia, became syncretized into
Christmas over the centuries. The prevailing atmosphere of Christmas has also
continually evolved since the holiday's inception, ranging from a sometimes
raucous, drunken, carnival-like state in the Middle Ages, to a much tamer
family-oriented and children-centered theme introduced in a 19th-century
reformation. Additionally, the
celebration of Christmas was banned on more than one occasion within certain
Protestant groups, such as the Puritans, due to concerns that it was too pagan
or unbiblical.”
Until the
late Middle Ages, the celebration of Christmas Day actually ranked fairly low
among the major festivals of the Christian world. Twelfth Night celebrations
far surpassed the rather solemn, low key observance of the birth of Christ,
while more festive Yule celebrations (originally a pagan observance) persisted
into the Christian era.
Beginning
with the rise of the cult of the Virgin Mary in the twelfth century, a trend
can be discerned away from the importance of local saints and towards emphasis
on the major figures of the Church, especially on the Holy Family. The
fourteenth and fifteenth century cycle plays, presented in English towns by
local guilds on or about Corpus Christi day (a movable feast sometime between
May 21 and June 24) were one result of this trend. These plays focused on the
life of Christ and sometimes included elaborate staging of the nativity. The first
Christmas carols were also connected to the performance of these plays. We
don't normally think of Christmas as a midsummer tradition, but this, indeed,
was at its roots.
Slowly, the
emphasis on the nativity in the cycle plays led to a rise in interest in
Christmas itself. Yule became synonymous with Christmas, and customs such the
Yule log and decorating with evergreens, despite their non-Christian origins,
became associated with this holiday
Other
customs developed as part of Christian belief. For example, Mince Pies (so
called because they contained shredded or minced meat) were baked in oblong
casings to represent Jesus' crib, and it was important to add three spices
(cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg) for the three gifts given to the Christ child by
the Magi. The pies were not very large, and it was thought lucky to eat one
mince pie on each of the twelve days of Christmas (ending with Epiphany, the
6th of January).
The ever-present threat of hunger was triumphantly overcome with a feast,
and all manner of food
would be served at Christmas. The most popular main course was goose, but many other
meats were also served. Turkey was first brought to Europe from the Americas
around 1520 (its earliest known consumption in England is 1541), and because it
was inexpensive and quick to fatten, it rose in popularity as a Christmas feast
food.
The Christmas
pudding of Victorian and modern times evolved from the medieval dish of
frumenty -- a spicy, wheat-based dessert. Many other desserts were made as
welcome treats for children and adults alike.
The tree was
an important symbol to every Pagan culture. Evergreens, which in ancient Rome were thought to have special
powers and were used for decoration, symbolized the promised return of life in
the spring and came to symbolize eternal life for Christians. In the middle
ages, the Church would decorate trees with apples on Christmas Eve, which they
called "Adam and Eve Day." However, the trees remained outdoors. In
sixteenth-century Germany, it was the custom for a fir tree decorated with
paper flowers to be carried through the streets on Christmas Eve to the town
square, where, after a great feast and celebration that included dancing around
the tree, it would be ceremonially burned.
Holly, ivy,
and mistletoe were all important plants to the Druids. It was believed that
good spirits lived in the branches of holly. Christians believed that the
berries had been white before they were turned red by Christ's blood when he
was made to wear the crown of thorns. Ivy was associated with the Roman god
Bacchus and was not allowed by the Church as decoration until later in the
middle ages, when a superstition that it could help recognize witches and
protect against plague arose. Christmas
may owe its popularity in medieval times to liturgical dramas and mysteries
presented in the church. The most popular subject for such dramas and tropes
was the Holy Family, particularly the Nativity. As interest in the Nativity
grew, so did Christmas as a holiday.
Carols,
though very popular in the later middle ages, were at first frowned on by the
Church. But, as with most popular entertainment, they eventually evolved to a
suitable format, and the Church relented. The Twelve Days of Christmas may have
been a game set to music. One person would sing a stanza, and another would add
his own lines to the song, repeating the first person's verse. Another version
states it was a Catholic "catechism memory song" that helped
oppressed Catholics in England during the Reformation remember facts about God
and Jesus.
Pantomimes and mumming were another form of popular Christmas
entertainment, particularly in England. These casual plays without words
usually involved dressing up as a member of the opposite gender and acting out comic
stories. A popular custom was mumming,
in which revelers put on masks or the clothes of the opposite sex and,
accompanied by minstrels and musicians, traveled from house to house.
In some
countries such as Italy and Malta, and many South American countries, the crib
is the most important Christmas decoration. The city of Naples, in Italy, has
used cribs to decorate houses and Churches since the 1020s! Naples is also the
home to the world’s largest nativity crib scene. It's in the 'Museo Nazionale
di S. Martino' and has 162 people, 80 animals, angels, and about 450 other
smaller objects. In the past, it was
common for live animals including an ox and donkey and other farm animals to be
used in the plays. Sometimes they still are, but it is now more common for
children to dress up as the animals in costumes or to have animal props.
The first Nativity Play was performed in a cave by Monks in Italy! St. Francis of Assisi and his followers acted in the first play in 1223 to remind the local population that Jesus was born for them, as he was born into a poor family like theirs and not to a rich family. St. Francis played the part of each character in the story himself using wooden figures in the play. After a couple of years, the play had become so popular that real people played the parts of the characters in the story. Songs were sung by the people taking part and they became what we call Christmas carols today! Now cribs or crèches are used in Churches all over the world and even in some homes.
It's hard to imagine now, but at the beginning of the 19th century Christmas was hardly celebrated. Many businesses did not even consider it a holiday. However by the end of the century it had become the biggest annual celebration and took on the form that we recognize today. The transformation happened quickly, and came from all sectors of society.
Many attribute the change to Queen Victoria, and her marriage to the German-born Prince Albert who introduced some of the most prominent aspects of Christmas. In 1848 the Illustrated London News published a drawing of the royal family celebrating around a decorated Christmas tree, a tradition that was reminiscent of Prince Albert's childhood in Germany. Soon every home in Britain had a tree bedecked with candles, sweets, fruit, homemade decorations and small gifts.
The first Nativity Play was performed in a cave by Monks in Italy! St. Francis of Assisi and his followers acted in the first play in 1223 to remind the local population that Jesus was born for them, as he was born into a poor family like theirs and not to a rich family. St. Francis played the part of each character in the story himself using wooden figures in the play. After a couple of years, the play had become so popular that real people played the parts of the characters in the story. Songs were sung by the people taking part and they became what we call Christmas carols today! Now cribs or crèches are used in Churches all over the world and even in some homes.
It's hard to imagine now, but at the beginning of the 19th century Christmas was hardly celebrated. Many businesses did not even consider it a holiday. However by the end of the century it had become the biggest annual celebration and took on the form that we recognize today. The transformation happened quickly, and came from all sectors of society.
Many attribute the change to Queen Victoria, and her marriage to the German-born Prince Albert who introduced some of the most prominent aspects of Christmas. In 1848 the Illustrated London News published a drawing of the royal family celebrating around a decorated Christmas tree, a tradition that was reminiscent of Prince Albert's childhood in Germany. Soon every home in Britain had a tree bedecked with candles, sweets, fruit, homemade decorations and small gifts.
In 1843 Henry Cole commissioned an artist to design a card for Christmas.
The illustration showed a group of people around a dinner table and a Christmas
message. At one shilling each, these were pricey for ordinary Victorians and so
were not immediately accessible. However the sentiment caught on and many
children - Queen Victoria's included – were encouraged to make their own
Christmas cards. In that age of industrialization, color printing technology
quickly became more advanced, causing the price of card production to drop
significantly. Together with the introduction of the halfpenny postage rate,
the Christmas card industry took off. By the 1880s the sending of cards had
become hugely popular, creating a lucrative industry that produced 11.5 million
cards in 1880 alone.
Decorating
the home at Christmas also became a more elaborate affair. The medieval
tradition of using evergreens continued, however the style and placement of
these decorations became more important. The old custom of simply decking walls
and windows with sprigs and twigs was not enough. Uniformity, order and elegance were
encouraged. There were even instructions books on how to make elaborate
synthetic decorations for those residing in towns.
Gift-giving had moved from Epiphany in January as Christmas became more important to the Victorians. Initially gifts were rather modest following earlier medieval tradition– fruit, nuts, sweets and small handmade trinkets. These were usually hung on the Christmas tree. However, as gift giving became more central to the festival, and the gifts became bigger and store-bought, they moved under the tree.
The Christmas feast has its roots from before the middle ages, but it's during the Victorian period that the dinner we now associate with Christmas began to take shape. Examination of early Victorian recipes shows that mince pies were initially made from meat, a tradition dating back to Tudor times. However, during the 19th century there was a revolution in the composition of this festive dish. Mixes without meat began to gain popularity within some of the higher echelons of society and became the mince pies we know today.
Gift-giving had moved from Epiphany in January as Christmas became more important to the Victorians. Initially gifts were rather modest following earlier medieval tradition– fruit, nuts, sweets and small handmade trinkets. These were usually hung on the Christmas tree. However, as gift giving became more central to the festival, and the gifts became bigger and store-bought, they moved under the tree.
The Christmas feast has its roots from before the middle ages, but it's during the Victorian period that the dinner we now associate with Christmas began to take shape. Examination of early Victorian recipes shows that mince pies were initially made from meat, a tradition dating back to Tudor times. However, during the 19th century there was a revolution in the composition of this festive dish. Mixes without meat began to gain popularity within some of the higher echelons of society and became the mince pies we know today.
The roast
turkey also had its beginnings in Victorian Britain. Previously other forms of
roasted meat such as beef and goose were the centerpiece of the Christmas
dinner. The turkey was added to this by the more wealthy sections of the
community in the 19th century, but its perfect size for a middle class family
gathering meant it became the dominant dish by the beginning of the 20th
century.
While carols were not new to the
Victorians, it was a medieval tradition that they actively revived and
popularized as Victorians considered carols to be a delightful form of musical
entertainment, and a pleasure well worth cultivating. Old words were put to new
tunes and the first significant collection of carols was published in 1833 for
all to enjoy.
The
Victorians also transformed the idea of Christmas so that it became centered on
the family. The preparation and eating of the feast, decorations and gift giving,
entertainments and parlor games - all were essential to the celebration of the
festival and were shared by the whole family.
While
Charles Dickens did not invent the Victorian Christmas, his ‘A Christmas Carol’ is credited with
helping to popularize and spread the traditions of the festival. Its themes of
family, charity, goodwill, peace and happiness encapsulate the spirit of the
Victorian Christmas, and are very much a part of the Christmas we celebrate
today.
Of course,
it is probably the book written by a theological school professor that stands
out the most for Americans. In 1823 the famous poem 'A Visit from St.
Nicholas' or 'T'was the Night before Christmas', was published. Dr. Clement Clarke Moore claimed that he had
written it for his children. The poem describes eight reindeer and gives them
their names (check out my Blog from December of last year for his story as it
relates to the commercialization of Christmas in this and other nations).
The second point I want to make with all of this is that Christmas is a totality of a lot of history, an abundance of traditions and celebrations from many lands and customs. However, Christmas has emerged as a shopping spree, complete with a Black Friday, Cyber Mondays, and various and sundry sales. There is hardly a Christmas tradition left that hasn’t been commercialized by a retail corporation or some enterprise. Christmas in these United States has regressed to what used to exist in the medieval fairs connected to Christmas – a bunch of merchants selling their wares. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have families and individuals who are maintaining some of the original meaning and traditions of Christmas – not at all.
The second point I want to make with all of this is that Christmas is a totality of a lot of history, an abundance of traditions and celebrations from many lands and customs. However, Christmas has emerged as a shopping spree, complete with a Black Friday, Cyber Mondays, and various and sundry sales. There is hardly a Christmas tradition left that hasn’t been commercialized by a retail corporation or some enterprise. Christmas in these United States has regressed to what used to exist in the medieval fairs connected to Christmas – a bunch of merchants selling their wares. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have families and individuals who are maintaining some of the original meaning and traditions of Christmas – not at all.
It simply
means that Christmas has been captured and used – as so many of our great
traditions and holy days (holidays) have been – by people who believe that
profit is above all else. “Use a holiday
to bring in the customers” seems to be their mantra.
In answer,
perhaps those who believe that the meaning of an event like Christmas ought to
be respected, admired, protected and promoted in quite a different way, should:
(1) Cut back on the number and expense of
gifts and go back to a simpler form of gift-giving;
(2) Attend
the worship service that celebrates the religious meaning of this Day;
(3) Boycott
the Black Fridays, the Cyber Mondays and the big retailers that promote them
while simultaneously paying their employees less than a living wage and either
denying or reducing their pensions; (4) Shop at small local businesses whenever possible;
(5) Do away
with gaudy lights and plastic figurines that give off a message of ostentation,
not of sacrifice (huge, overwhelming and complicated light display competitions
are an abomination);
(6) It’s
time to put St. Nicholas back to his day of Dec. 6th and not patronize
him on any other day; Santa and his reindeer are not appropriate symbols of the
Christ as much as they are of the celebration and capture by our capitalist
system of this Holy Day for the sheer commercialization of it.
(7) Revive some
of the traditions and more meaningful practices of the past and enjoy a
revitalization of this Holy day. Try
joining a caroling group; or, bake a mince pie; or, participate in a Christmas
Pageant or crèche scene.
(8) Instead
of a light display, how about a display of a nativity scene with some lights
just for illumination.
(9) Invite
someone less fortunate to enjoy your dinner or perhaps to enjoy some delicious
left-overs
(10) Why not
go a little farther and celebrate Christmas traditions on Dec. 25th
and then move gift-giving and sharing to January 6th. (Just think of the after-Christmas sales of
which you can take full advantage even though you are cutting back and
patronizing smaller businesses).
Too bad all
of these suggestions are little more than fantasy. They would simply constitute a return to
symbolism and activity that might more appropriately represent the message of
the Day. However, we are so mired in
commercialism and meaningless traditions (like Santa Claus, Rudolph and the
other reindeer) that undertaking even a small change in our habits and made-up modern
traditions presents incredible difficulty.
It is hard to go against a rip tide.
We are captured and arrested by forces greater than ourselves and dare
not move in another direction, even though such moves are hardly revolutionary
(not unlike our political situation).
So forget I
said anything and have a Merry Christmas!
