Although traditions vary greatly around the world, the spirit of Christmas transcends all differences. No matter what religion or culture you come from, watching the lighting of the tree in New York's Rockefeller Center is an awesome experience. Children from all countries delight in meeting Santa Claus. Listening to Christmas carols gladdens the hearts of millions.
When we thrill to such sights and sounds, though, most of us don’t realize that the roots of Christmas date back to the 4th century, when the Catholic Church began celebrating Christmas as a way of competing with the festivals of the rival pagan religion in which the Romans celebrated the birthday of their sun god Mithras. The Church’s intention was to hold an annual celebration on the evening of the shortest day of the year and thereby replace the pagan celebration with a Christian one.
Pope Julius I chose this time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ—although his birth is actually thought to be in the spring—because December 25th coincided with the ritual of winter solstice. Therefore, these original Christmas celebrants rejoiced at the return of light and the coming promise of spring. This holiday was also called Yule, a form of which is still celebrated today in the Wiccan tradition.
Many of the traditions associated with Christmas also have ancient roots. Evergreen, which symbolizes the continuity of life, rebirth, and protection, is found in Roman, Celtic, Teutonic, and Christian cultures. The Druids believed that holly stayed green to keep the earth beautiful when the sacred oak lost its leaves. Holly was also the sacred plant of Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture, and was used at the Saturnalia festival to honor him. The Romans gave one another holly wreaths; they decorated images of Saturn with holly. To avoid persecution, the early Christians decked their homes with Saturnalia holly. Eventually the holly lost its pagan association and became a symbol of Christmas.
Since I believe in the power of group intention, I want to invite you to Create a Solstice Wish Tree. I recommend using a living tree which can be planted in the earth at the appropriate time. Or you can decorate a tree outdoors. If you already are planning on a Christmas Tree, try adding some of the elements below.
Make some ornaments out of any arts-and-crafts material, or simply use plain store-bought ornaments which you can paint and personalize. These ornaments are not merely decorations—they are wishes. You can write words on them, such as peace, good health, prosperity, loving partner. Or you can paste pictures on them—for example, you might paste a picture of a wished-for car on one of your baubles, or the photo of a place you want to visit next year. Make some wishes for yourself and some for friends, family members or for the greater good.
My Gift To You This Holiday Season: Grounding Meditation
No one is exempt from stress, disappointment, trauma, physical and emotional disease in our complex and unpredictable world. Meditation has been used for centuries to elevate consciousness, achieve presence of mind and manifest health and wellness.
Listen to this guided meditation when your mind is racing, and you are feeling overwhelmed or anxious. This will bring you back to the here-and-now and is very helpful in allowing you to calm down quickly.
Work with me:
Limited spaces available for readings and rituals. See what needs to be cleared out to make space for the new energy of 2022. Book a reading, coaching session or a ritual >>
Until next time,
Barbara