The Celebration of ‘Christmas’

The celebration of what is now called Christmas evolved before man had a method of recording events through the written record. Many celebrations originated within a religious context although they changed enough that the practices now bear little resemblance to their original form.
The timing of Christmas was set to adhere to the winter solstice. That is the day when the sun has its lowest arc in the sky of the northern hemisphere. During the fall, the daylight hours become progressively less until the winter solstice is reached. As we know, gradually the days then begin to lengthen with the sun rising a bit earlier each day.
No one is really sure how long ago humans recognized this turning point and began noting it as a significant event. At least 4,000 years ago the Mesopotamians observed a twelve day festival paying tribute to a god Marduk.
Many cultures existing around the world reflect solstice ceremonies. Each acknowledges the fear that the failing light would not return which would mean certain death. Celebrations might be held to appease the god(s) or to rejoice as the sun provided evidence of its ‘rebirth.’
Newgrange, a huge circular stone structure in Ireland is estimated to be 5,000 years old. It was constructed to receive a shaft of sunlight into its central chamber at dawn precisely on the winter solstice.
Could the idea of noting this day have originated with a simple hunter realizing the threat of the advancing cold of winter? Perhaps it was from a common man storing produce from an ancient fall harvest. It would have taken only a little imagination to conclude that if the sun eventually did not rise at all, death was near. So the worship of the sun caught on and became a worldwide if not universal practice. While much of mankind has long ago moved beyond sun worship, the celebration of the season has endured and has been embellished.
Around the world, religious practices endure which do not incorporate the celebration of Christmas. A number of denominations and religions point out that Jewish resources confirm that the birth of the Messiah would have occurred during the last days of summer. They note that during the development of Christian practices, the early church did not teach or advocate the elements of Christmas recognized as essential today. The celebration of a birthday was never considered a service to God. The exchange of gifts among friends was not a substitute or the equivalent of giving of alms. The decoration of a tree, quite common among many Christian religions, carried no religious significance.
Although the Christmas tradition is now well established, its acceptance continues to be questioned from a number of corners and fresh controversies come to light each solstice season.