West River Eagle

Merry Christmas


The celebration of Christmas as a religiously-based holiday has been around since the 4th century when the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as its official religion.

The Christmastide, or Yuletide, begins the evening of December 24, or December 25 and lasts through January 6, ending with the Epiphany, which is the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi in Matthew 2:1–12 of the Christian Bible.

The three Magi – named Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar – followed the star of Bethlehem to meet the baby Jesus. According to Matthew 2:11, they offered symbolic gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

These gifts were symbolic of the importance of Jesus’ Birth.

The gold represented his royal standing; frankincense his divine birth; and myrrh his mortality.

The time between Christmas day and Epiphany are known as the 12 days of Christmas.

Before Christianity, this time of year was  celebrated as the Winter solstice in the Celtic tradition.

According to transceltic.com, “Druids, the priestly class in ancient Celtic society, celebrated the festival of Alban Arthuan (also known as Yule) at the time of the Winter solstice. It was on this day that they ceremonially gathered mistletoe from oak trees. A practice described in the writings of Roman historian Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus AD 23 – August 25, AD 79).”

Items like the mistletoe, the yule log, and holly and ivy all represented important ideas in the Celtic society.

The mistletoe was considered to have magical healing powers, the yule burnt through the darkness of the 12 days of the solstice, and the evergreens kept evil spirits at bay. The trees were decorated with symbols of solar objects (stars and planets) and held gifts to Celtic gods and goddesses.

One success of the Christian tradition, according to historians, has been its ability to adopt traditions from other cultures into its own celebrations.

The commercialized celebration of Christmas from Thanksgiving to New Year’s day is said to have its roots in the United States during the roaring ‘20s, a time of prosperity in America.

Whatever your beliefs, the ideas of Christmas, and the coming of Christ, brought to believers a hope for a kinder world, where generosity and peace ruled over hate and violence.

As you move through the season, with your own traditions, with family friends, or alone, remember that kindness is as simple as a smile, peace is as easy as a slow, deep breath, and giving from the heart is priceless.

 

 

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