Comments on: 5 Questions on the Origins of Christmas

By: Meg

Meg — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:52:02 +0000

@ L-

Geographically, they wouldn’t be tending to their flocks in December. Israel isn’t below the equator.

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:44:15 +0000

Dave N….unfortunately, in the way a huge percentage of Americans celebrate Christmas, it has more to do with greed and consumerism than it does “peace, love, and forgiveness”.

By: Steaven

Steaven — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:54:00 +0000

“the Christians have been crafty in converting pagan populations to religion”

By definition, pagans already had religion.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:39:00 +0000

Chelsea — that’s what St. Augustine believed (he didn’t come up with the theory, but supported it). There are several theories about why the date was chosen.

By: Dave N

Dave N — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 09:44:00 +0000

Oh looky, another attack on Christmas.

It doesn’t HAVE to be THE day that Jesus was born, it is a day of celebration and rememberance.

Many royals around the world have their “official” birthdays in the summer when actually they are born at other times.

I know of a cousin who was born on Dec. 25th, so he celebrates his birthday on the same May day as his father instead.

There is nothing wrong with Christmas, or any other celebration that promotes peace, love, forgiveness and the saving of the human race.

Ultimately it doesn’t matter what it was based on then, it’s what it means to millions now that counts.

By: JSP

JSP — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:59:00 +0000

Zwarte Piet is depicted in black face because he is the one who goes down the chimney with the presents and gets covered in soot. A lot of people feel that the character has racist overtones, because he is a black helper (”knecht”) to a white man. In the Sinterklaas mythology, Sinterklaas is from Spain. His zwarte pieten are helpers from the northern part of Afrika (the people were called Moors). They would typically have a dark skin color, and that is also a reason for the black face.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 02:27:00 +0000

I find it hard to believe that there would be a mention of Sinterklaas and no mention of Zwarte Piet. Zwarte Piet(Which translates to black pete) is Sinterklaas’ helper who is a little man covered in soot who follows the big man around and puts all of the bad kids in his bag. He is often (much to my dismay) dipicted in black face. After he puts them in the bag he carries them off to spain which to me sounds more like a free vacation then punishment for being naughty.

By: Bet

Bet — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:58:00 +0000

@Kate,

Which book talks about the Lord of Misrule? I’ve read a lot of her work and I’d like to know.

Also I saw a History Channel special about the history of Christmas and they left me with the impression that the Lord of Misrule was a real tradition.

By: Kate

Kate — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:31:00 +0000

Is the Lord of Misrule really fictional? I recently read a book by Phillipa Gregory, who does great Tudor-era historical fiction, and I feel like the Lord of Misrule was mentioned. She generally does excellent historical research for her books.

But, I very well could be making that up.

By: Alice

Alice — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:27:00 +0000

I’m a bit disappointed that there was nary a mention of the red-suited, reindeer-driving Santa being yet another combination of Christian and pagan components. His suit is red and white for blood and snow, and he uses reindeer because, well…people in colder climates used to sacrifice such burly animals so that winter would end.