How Christmas Became Christmas - The Pagan and Christian Origins of the Beloved Holiday

In some respects, the contrasts of Christmas are what make it the most delightful time of the year. It is a time of generosity, kindness and peace on earth, with broad permission to indulge in food, drink and gifts. On the other hand, Christmas has become a battleground for raging culture wars, marred by debates about how it should be celebrated and acknowledged as a uniquely Christian holiday.
This text argues that much of the animosity is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the holiday's core character. By tracing Christmas's origins as a pagan celebration of the winter solstice and its development in Europe's Christianization, this history explains that the true "reason for the season" has as much to do with the earth's movement around the sun as with the birth of Christ. Chapters chronicle how Christmas's magic and misrule link to the nativity, and why the carnival side of the holiday appears so separated from traditional Christian beliefs.

List of contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments縤x

Preface�BR>
Introduction�BR>
Part One-Origins and Evolution

1.縃oliday Hype and Historiography�

2.縄n Search of the First Christmas�

3.緾hristmas in a Pagan World�

4.縔ule's 璓ost-Pagan Metamorphosis�

5.縍epression and Resistance�

Part Two-Curious Customs

6.縎acred Trees�

7.縏he Man, the Myth, the Legend,

the God-Santa Claus�

8.緼ctual Christmas Magic�

9.緾hildren's Saturnali�3

10.縂hosts, Goblins and Angels�7

Part Three-Enduring Legacies

11.縇egacy of Miracles�2

12.縇egacy of Misrule�8

13.縏he Halloween Connection�1

14.縁rom Pagan to Secular�2

15.縍eason for the Season�8

16.縒ar Over Christmas�9

Chapter Notes�9

Bibliography�1

Index�5

About the author

Nathaniel Parry is an American researcher and writer living in Denmark. He is the editor of several books and his work has appeared in outlets such as Consortium News, In These Times, Common Dreams, Global Research, and Truthout. Since 2008, he has worked at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe, where he is currently head of communications.

Summary

By tracing Christmas’ origins as a pagan celebration of the winter solstice and its development in Europe’s Christianization, this history explains that the true ‘reason for the season’ has as much to do with the earth’s movement around the sun as with the birth of Christ.

Product details

• Authors: Nathaniel Parry
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: from age 18
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 27.10.2022
• EAN: 9781476688282
• ISBN: 978-1-4766-8828-2
• No. of pages: 260
• Dimensions: 178 mm x 254 mm x 13 mm
• Weight: 458 g
• Illustrations: Raster,schwarz-weiss
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Christianity; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; Christmas, Cultural Studies, Sociology: customs & traditions, RELIGION / Holidays / Christmas & Advent, Christianity, History of Religion, Worship, rites & ceremonies, Christian worship, rites & ceremonies, Worship, rites, ceremonies and rituals, Cultural studies: customs and traditions