The Origins of Christmas

Translation: Högna Sól Þorkelsdóttir

Christmas, in all its glory, is just around the corner, but the weeks leading up to it are just as important - everyone is excited and begins preparing for the holiday. It’s the time of light and peace, and the air is filled with care, kindness, and children’s laughter. We think of traditions and the message of Christmas and reminisce about childhood memories. Many Christmas traditions are alive and well today, but new generations start new traditions as well. It’s fun to contemplate where the celebration originated and where our traditions stem from.

Graphics / Margrét Aðalheiður Önnu Þorgeirsdóttir

Winter solstice celebrations were held far and wide across the northern hemisphere before Christianity became prevalent. The winter darkness must have been difficult for people, and the solstice would have been a celebration of longer days and more sun to come. The word “Yule” predates Christianity and was used for the widely known solstice celebration. In the Nordic countries, it was common to offer sacrifices to the gods for prosperity and peace. In a drunken craze, people would swear oaths, declaring what they would accomplish the following summer, and tried to stand by them. The purpose of Yule was for people to come together and celebrate in the darkness of winter, an occasion to eat and drink. Farmers were known to hold huge feasts where everyone was invited, even slaves - no one was excluded.

A similar celebration was held in the southern hemisphere. There, people celebrated pagan sun deities before Christianity became the main religion. The Romans had the tradition of giving each other gifts between December 17 and 23. When Romans took up Christianity, they began celebrating Jesus’ birthday on December 25, a date that is also connected to the emperor’s birthday. Since Jesus was the one true emperor, he got his own birthday celebration, taking the position of sun god and emperor.

Christmas Eve is the day of preparation before the main event. Midnight on December 24 is a sacred time, when Christmas is welcomed with vespers at the church. Originally, the Jewish division of time was used, where the day began at sunset, or 18:00. In that tradition, December 25 begins with a festive meal and ends with gift-giving. In some places, the celebration starts at midnight in accordance with the modern clock, but in past years it was common to hear the church bells ringing in Sunday and holidays at 18:00.