Ho ho ho there pagans, atheists, christians, and party cats! It seems like the time for obligatory merriment and spending is upon us again! The days are getting short, commercial music is getting even more obnoxious, and the stress of buying things for people who don't need 'em is starting to build.
Oh, what a holy season! Right?
Yes, 'hole-y', as in theres now a hole where your money is supposed to be. A hole you get to fill with liquor, singing, and eating like there's no tomorrow.
Why?
Well, it turns out a lot of our habits come from Saturnalia, the old Roman holiday held at the same time.
I was doing just a bit of research on it and I came across this break down you may want to have a look through:
History of the Winter Solstice
The guy who wrote this does a good job of summing up how many cultures and practices have celebrated the days that revolve around the gradual depletion of the sun.
There's lots to be said about which dates were used when and where, but Saturnalia was scheduled primarily from December 17-23. Often the final day being the 22nd, as that is the day that the zodiac slates as the first of Capricorn - a.k.a. -Saturn.
As the legend goes; Saturn was the god of sowing and husbandry who ruled ancient Italy. He brought together the rude and scattered tribes of the area and taught them agriculture, gave laws, and ruled in peace. No war or fighting took place during his reign, and slavery and personal property were not yet known.
The festival was hence designed to bring the Roman peoples back to that simpler time. Masters would serve their slaves, slaves would be counted as free, and in some cases parents would allow children to run the house.
Not bad, eh?
But we haven't even gotten into the fun pagan stuff yet!
So, the king would institute a 'mock king', who was given licence to indulge in all and every pleasure, no matter how base or shameful. His rule, or rather his misrule, was to accelerate the fun of the season fast and furiously. Many were given edicts to sing naked (a better way to go carolling, no?), to drink, and to have orgies!
Remember, it's pagan - so there's gotta be sex and blood.
Who's blood? Well, Saturn's of course! But in this case, the mock king was in place of the real god Saturn. And just like how Saturn gave his life so we could live (sound familiar?) so did the mock king get to give his.
There's a story of a soldier named Dasius who refused to accept the title of mock king due to his christian faith. The point is that it was recorded, and in its records we get a picture of how things went down with the mock kings. (Dasius, btw, was beheaded for refusing to play along, thus joining the ranks of martyrdom).
So these soldiers would select (by lottery) a young man to play the mock king every year. For a whole 30 days he was given his license to be the lord of misrule, and if it was a good rule, he got to take his own life and spill his blood on the altar of Saturn.
Otherwise, he would be killed by methods such as beheading, hanging, or whatever other way the people at the time believed Saturn had been killed.
So what does this have to do with christmas besides being on the same day? Well, they all got really drunk for a week, sung songs, gave each other gifts, travelled to see family, and praised a dead god.
So remember, that's (one of) the true meaning(s) of christmas!
Oh, what a holy season! Right?
Yes, 'hole-y', as in theres now a hole where your money is supposed to be. A hole you get to fill with liquor, singing, and eating like there's no tomorrow.
Why?
Well, it turns out a lot of our habits come from Saturnalia, the old Roman holiday held at the same time.
I was doing just a bit of research on it and I came across this break down you may want to have a look through:
History of the Winter Solstice
The guy who wrote this does a good job of summing up how many cultures and practices have celebrated the days that revolve around the gradual depletion of the sun.
There's lots to be said about which dates were used when and where, but Saturnalia was scheduled primarily from December 17-23. Often the final day being the 22nd, as that is the day that the zodiac slates as the first of Capricorn - a.k.a. -Saturn.
As the legend goes; Saturn was the god of sowing and husbandry who ruled ancient Italy. He brought together the rude and scattered tribes of the area and taught them agriculture, gave laws, and ruled in peace. No war or fighting took place during his reign, and slavery and personal property were not yet known.
The festival was hence designed to bring the Roman peoples back to that simpler time. Masters would serve their slaves, slaves would be counted as free, and in some cases parents would allow children to run the house.
Not bad, eh?
But we haven't even gotten into the fun pagan stuff yet!
So, the king would institute a 'mock king', who was given licence to indulge in all and every pleasure, no matter how base or shameful. His rule, or rather his misrule, was to accelerate the fun of the season fast and furiously. Many were given edicts to sing naked (a better way to go carolling, no?), to drink, and to have orgies!
Remember, it's pagan - so there's gotta be sex and blood.
Who's blood? Well, Saturn's of course! But in this case, the mock king was in place of the real god Saturn. And just like how Saturn gave his life so we could live (sound familiar?) so did the mock king get to give his.
There's a story of a soldier named Dasius who refused to accept the title of mock king due to his christian faith. The point is that it was recorded, and in its records we get a picture of how things went down with the mock kings. (Dasius, btw, was beheaded for refusing to play along, thus joining the ranks of martyrdom).
So these soldiers would select (by lottery) a young man to play the mock king every year. For a whole 30 days he was given his license to be the lord of misrule, and if it was a good rule, he got to take his own life and spill his blood on the altar of Saturn.
Otherwise, he would be killed by methods such as beheading, hanging, or whatever other way the people at the time believed Saturn had been killed.
So what does this have to do with christmas besides being on the same day? Well, they all got really drunk for a week, sung songs, gave each other gifts, travelled to see family, and praised a dead god.
So remember, that's (one of) the true meaning(s) of christmas!
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