Many Christians acknowledge that Easter and Christmas traditions have been influenced by pagan rituals, but some choose not to celebrate because of this. Incorporating these traditions into new religions is not new, and it can be easier to convert people by allowing them to keep familiar rituals. Some argue that certain symbols, such as the Christmas tree, have little to do with Christianity. The origins of Easter are also linked to pagan rituals, but most Christians focus on the resurrection of Christ. The Easter Bunny is a post-Christian concept, but hiding eggs has pagan roots. Many Christians are more concerned with the commercialization of the holidays than their pagan origins.
Most Christians who celebrate Easter and Christmas readily admit that some holiday traditions have been co-opted from earlier pagan rituals. For some Christians, the association with previous religions is a reason not to celebrate the holidays. Others simply admit that the old associations aren’t particularly important because the sacred nature of these holidays (holidays) now preempts what people might have thought or done before.
Christians did nothing new by incorporating pagan rituals into religions with new interpretations. It is easier to convert people to a new religion by allowing them the traditions of the past. For example, some Jewish converts who grew up celebrating Christmas may still have a Hanukkah bush at Christmas time because this is a comforting ritual that reminds them of time spent in joyous company with family and friends.
Some might actually point to the rituals to argue that a Christmas tree has very little to do with Christianity, and is therefore not a violation of Judaism. This of course depends on who you talk to. Some frown upon the use of other religions in the worship of the one God.
The following are some of the main symbols taken from pagan rituals observed at Christmas:
The Christmas tree was supposed to honor Odin, the Norse god. He would have been hung with the sacrifice of nine animals. The tradition of the tree was co-opted by Marin Luther and later carried to the New World.
Kissing under the mistletoe was one of the pagan rites observed around the winter solstice. Mistletoe is associated with peace and love.
Holly and ivy are symbols of rebirth and the promise of spring. Decorating the halls with holly branches is now interpreted as the coming of the birth of Christ and the spring of Christianity.
Santa may have been Odin or Thor, who was thought to visit once a year and leave presents for good children, in their shoes. However, the exchange of gifts at Christmas is also closely linked to the visit of kings. In some countries, Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, January XNUMXth, remains the traditional time for exchanging gifts.
At the time of Christ’s birth, several mystery religions were active, celebrating the resurrection of the gods. Chief among these is the rebirth of Dionysus and the Dionysian rituals observed in spring. Before that, Babylonian rituals and those of other religions may have influenced the very name of Easter. Easter is supposed to be named after the goddess Oestre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility.
The egg, of course, is the ultimate symbol of potential fertility. Egg decoration existed long before Christianity and therefore can be considered one of the pagan rites. However, if we go further, we must extend the idea of \u200b\u200bthe death and resurrection of Christ as the observance of pagan rites. The abundance of mystery religions of the time cast doubt on the resurrection of Christ. Most Christians don’t care that these rituals worship such things because they strongly believe in the resurrection of Christ as stated in the Bible.
The Easter Bunny, however, doesn’t appear to be a borrowing from pagan rituals. The mention of the Easter hare is first found in Germany in 1500. So it can be considered a completely post-Christian conception. However, hiding eggs takes us back to pagan traditions regarding egg coloring.
Most Christians who celebrate these holidays are less concerned with origins that have no meaning to them, as these pagan rituals are renewed by the coming of Christ. Many are more concerned about the increase in marketing around the holidays, especially Christmas. The greater the emphasis on the gifts, the less on the birth of Christ. Young children especially may be more preoccupied with gifts and miss the importance of the Savior’s birth, which as many Christians know, did not take place in December.
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