The Reason For the Season

     Yule, Hanukkah, Christmas, or Winter Solstice, there are so many ways to celebrate this time of year. Houses fill with tradition and merriment.  The excitement of the season crackles in the the air as thoughts of loved ones fill our hearts and minds.  In almost every culture around the world, people gather in some way to celebrate the miracles that this season offers.
      In ancient times, tribes and communities gathered to celebrate the longest night of the year.  To some it seemed that the sun was drifting away from the Earth.  The people would gather and hold all night drumming and dancing vigils hoping to call the Sun back.  Often, a great feast was prepared from any foods that were not able to be kept over the winter months that were yet to come.  Fearing for their survival, winter rations were meted out in the hope that no one would go without.  Even though, the winter months were a lean time, survival of the tribe came first. In later times, as humanity's survival became less threatened by bleak winters, the celebrations continued.  Some well known examples of this are the observances of Saturnalia by the Romans, The 12 Nights of Yule by some Germanic tribes, and Christmas by the Christians.
     During Saturnalia, a sacrifice was made at the Temple of Saturn and a public feast was held.  Private gift-giving took place.  Masters reversed roles with the slaves allowing them to be "king for a day".  Eventually, this observance became a week long, almost carnival-like celebration.  Lucian, in The Saturnalia, has one of the priests of Saturn declare,

" During, my week, the serious is barred; no business allowed.

Drinking, noise and games and dice, appointing of kings and 

feasting of slaves, singing naked, clapping of frenzied hands,

an occasional ducking of corked faces in icy water--such

are the functions over which I preside."

   Thus we can see, cloaked in all of the merriment and festivities the remnants of the ancient tradition of reaching out to others and sharing what we have.  

     The Germanic tribes also had a similar practice.  In his book, Teutonic Religion, Kveldulf Gundarsson writes,

" Twelfth Night should be, as is traditional everywhere,

marked by feasting, partying, and making lots and

lots of noise at midnight."

   The final act of celebrating this festival actually falls in the first week of January and is a feast known as the Feast of Thunar.  With the coldest parts of winter yet to come, this feast honors Thunar (also known as Thor).  Gundarsson explains, " Thus, at the Feast of Thunar, we hail the Thunderer for driving back the darkness..."

     This also speaks to the ancient tradition of calling the Sun back as the days will begin to grow longer.  Also, it is from this tradition that we draw many of our modern symbols.  The use of evergreens as wreaths and the yule log come from this tradition.  Many believe that the use of a tree is an extension of the yule log practice. Many of these practices were adopted later by Christians and a have remained in use to this day.

    Moreover, according to some Christian traditions,  Christ was born at this time.  Upon his birth, tradition holds that three wise men arrived bearing gifts. Thus, perpetuating the tradition of giving to the less fortunate.  As the story goes, Christ was born in a manger to "common" parents who didn't have money or hold a high station in society.  So, only a few people recognized the significance of this birth. Thus, there is some conflict surrounding the actual time of Christ's birth.

     Furthermore, some historians have suggested that the date of December 25th was assimilated by Christian writes during the reign of emperor Constantine.  This date had previously been associated with a Winter Solstice festival celebrating the sun god.  The writers of the time associating Jesus with the Sun as mentioned in Malachi 4:2 as the "sun of righteousness" replacing the previous solar deity with Christ.  Thus, assimilating all the associated festivities into Christianity which included feasting and gift-giving.  Again, carrying on the most ancient traditions of caring one for another.  The act of community sharing it's abundance to best serve the people.  So, it is in modern society that we see some of these same traditions being carried out.  All of these rooted deeply within humanity's beginnings.

     So often, I hear people say "remember the reason for the season."  I say the reason for the season goes far beyond any one religion or any one tradition.  The Reason for the Season lies within our humanity and our ability to care for one another.  As this season celebrates one of humanity's oldest characteristics--compassion.