Is it Christmas or Paganism?

Christmas 'vs' Paganism

For what seems like forever when December rolls around this debate pops up year after year! Let's dive in and see what's different, the same, & where it all stems from. 

According to the dictionary Christmas is "the annual Christian festival celebrating Christ's birth, held on December 25 in the Western Church". As someone who was raised in a holiday only Christian church going family, I know that even within that definition every family's Christmas looks slightly different. Obviously, people have family traditions, personal preferences, etc. that all factor into it all. But for the sake of brevity, we'll focus on the general components on both sides. 

The etymology of Christmas is 'Christian Mass' which is shortened from "Christ's Mass". It is considered a time of spiritual reflection for those within the faith & is fundamental to most. In modern times, a lot goes into what people consider Christmas. Colors seen around this time are commonly red, green, gold & sometimes even silver. Red is to represent the blood of Jesus, green is eternal life, gold is royalty which was gifted by one of the three magi. 

The Christmas tree was first popularized in Germany in the 16th century, the star on top representing the star of Bethlehem.  

According to Wikipedia, "The Christmas tree is considered by some as Christianization of pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship; according to eighth-century biographer Æddi Stephanus, Saint Boniface (634–709), who was a missionary in Germany, took an ax to an oak tree dedicated to Thor and pointed out a fir tree, which he stated was a more fitting object of reverence because it pointed to heaven and it had a triangular shape, which he said was symbolic of the Trinity. The English language phrase 'Christmas tree' is first recorded in 1835 and represents an importation from the German language."

So, what does Yule mean? Unfortunately, it is oversimplified by some & describe as "archaic term for Christmas". Others know it was the Winter Solstice which is the longest night of the year & represents the return of the light. From that date onward, the days get longer until the Summer Solstice. Yule is also known as a time to reflect & turn inward but is also about focusing on hearth & home. 

Some traditions that come along with Yule are a Yule tree, Yule log, making wassail (a form of ale), hanging mistletoe (which represents fertility of the goddess & the seed of the Oak King), and many others. 

As there is so much that both holidays entail, I'll be making a couple posts comparing them both. This is just the tip of the iceberg, so I look forward to more research & sharing my findings with you all. 

Feel free to & comment and ask questions! Check out my Instagram too @ jocylen_jay Have a blessed day!