BY ROY BUCHANAN
When did Christmas become Christmas? In 337AD. Pope Julius I declared 25th December as the day Christians would celebrate the birth of Jesus despite his true date of birth being unknown. Perhaps he was inspired by Emperor Constantine deciding that Christianity was the official religion for the Roman Empire. Perhaps the Pope saw this as an opportunity to add to the development. However, the date was already an important one in the calendar.
The Roman sun-god, Apollo, was honoured on 25th December so was this a simple name-change? The Egyptians also used to rejoice on 25th. It was the birthday of their sun-god, Horus. The Persians too had a sun-god, Mithra, born on 25th December. The Druids, whose history goes back to the 3rd century BC, celebrated the Winter Solstice, the oldest festival in the world.
The concept of worshiping sun-gods was ubiquitous throughout ancient times. The sun brought light and warmth to people, ripening their fruit and nurturing their crops so it seemed logical at the time to believe it was the work of a god. Spirituality was the explanation for the inexplicable, there could be no alternative.
What is there to do “in the bleak mid-winter,” to quote Christina Rosetti’s poem? The weather is cold, the days are short, the garden looks neglected so let us eat, drink and be merry whilst sitting around a log fire, a practice inherited from the Nordic tradition. With great ceremony, they brought a whole tree indoors. How? Don’t ask. So, in the 21st century, let’s not become embroiled in the drudgery that December can bring. Instead, show kindness and affection to each other, embrace the words of the Andy Williams song ensuring that Christmas really is “the most wonderful time of the year.”