What are the Pagan Connections to Christmas?

[Ederico]

Could someone help uncover the Pagan connections to Christmas? The Romans held the festival in honour of Saturn called the Saturnalia for example at this time of the year. Can you please shed some more light on such Pagan connections to Christmas?

[Alekzander-RU]

chrismas is celebreated on this day because of christian roman atempts to convert more pagans to christianity

on december 25 pagan romans celebreted their sun god wich was their mostinportant holiday

so christian romans some why decided to celebrate one of their most important holidays on the same day

no one knows the real day jesus was born

why? dont know did it help? dont know


not realy familiar with catholic tradition and history

i am russian orthdox christian

ho i helped u a little bit

[Demigorgona]

"Personally I think Yule should be changed back to Yule...the Celebration our ANCESTOR'S celebrated.

"The choice of December 25 was made by the Pope Julius I in the fourth century AD because this coincided with the Pagan rituals of Winter Solstice, or Return of the Sun. The intent was to replace the Pagan celebration with the Christian one.
The Christian tradition of a Christmas tree has its origins in the Pagan Yule celebration. Pagan families would bring a live tree into the home so the wood spirits would have a place to keep warm during the cold winter months. Bells were hung in the limbs so you could tell when a spirit was present.
Food and treats were hung on the branches for the spirits to eat and a five-pointed star, the pentagram, symbol of the five elements, was placed atop the tree.
The colors of the season, red and green, also are of Pagan origin, as is the custom of exchanging gifts.
A solar festival, The reindeer stag is also a reminder of the Horned God. You will find that many traditional Christmas decorations have some type of Pagan ancestry or significance that can be added to your Yule holiday. Yule is celebrated by fire and the use of a Yule log. Many enjoy the practice of lighting the Yule Log. If you choose to burn one, select a proper log of oak or pine (never Elder). Carve or chalk upon it a figure of the Sun (a rayed disc) or the Horned God (a horned circle). Set it alight in the fireplace at dusk, on Yule. This is a graphic representation of the rebirth of the God within the sacred fire of the Mother Goddess. As the log burns, visualize the Sun shining within it and think of the coming warmer days. Traditionally, a portion of the Yule Log is saved to be used in lighting next year's log. This piece is kept throughout the year to protect the home."

[Ederico]

Thanks for the feedback. Is Yule a Germanic Pagan Festivity?

[Rahul]

Originally posted by Nazzjonalist
Thanks for the feedback. Is Yule a Germanic Pagan Festivity?

Something like the Yule is celebrated in Bharat as the Uttarayan. But this is celebrated on the 14th of January. This is indeed the celebration of the mid winter sun turning.

[GreenHeart]

I used to have a good site for information on the subject. Let me see if I can find it. I also remember that the reason we have bunnies and eggs on Easter is because of pagan beginnings, also the very name Easter comes from "Ostara"

More to come......

[The Philosopher...]

Originally posted by Nazzjonalist
Could someone help uncover the Pagan connections to Christmas?

I assume you mean Heathen?

THERE ARE "NO" CONNECTIONS!

There you have it.

[GreenHeart]

Here is one very interesting site about all the holidays and their connection to the nordic gods.

http://www.webcom.com/~lstead/RBHolidays.html

To whoever reads the link: I'd like to add to that, I always thought we were missing an important holiday in the summer. The summer is way too hot and miserable to not have a day for celebrating.

[The Philosopher...]

Well in the religious converting process of the great North we still find many survived remnants from Ancient Heathen times, but as they do find them self submerged into unnatural presentation and pollution leading their essence astray, I do not see the great potential in announcing those (obvious to the blind) contrasts. Our societies are rabidly deteriorating, and you wanna highlight the Christian regimes analogue to our culture when there remain none in my opinion.


Those you find were ours originally and can never be linked to the afterbirth reformation of Whore Christianity.

[Ederico]

Originally posted by The Philosopher...
I assume you mean Heathen?

THERE ARE "NO" CONNECTIONS!

There you have it.

Thanks. I still do not grasp the difference between Pagan and Heathen. Perhaps instead of connections we could say Christian imposition and rape of our ancient traditions and lores?

@NP88

Thanks for the link, I'll look into it.