Yuletide greetings to all of you! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Although most of us are at least familiar with Christmas, how much do you really know about it? For example, did you know that some Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas in January? Read on to learn more!
According to History.com, midwinter celebrations were common in Europe even prior to the arrival of Christianity. The solstice was considered particularly important, as it marked the point where days would begin lengthening and darkness abating. Common elements of these celebrations included the burning of Yule logs in areas influenced by Norse culture, along with the slaughtering of fattened cattle so that they would not require feeding throughout winter. Additionally, many types of beer and wine would have finally fermented and mellowed to a point of ideal quality and taste. This was the perfect opportunity for a feast!
In more southerly climes, the god Saturn was honored with a month-long feast that involved the closings of schools and businesses, and the temporary liberation of enslaved people. This partially coincided with the celebration of Juvenalia, a Roman holiday which celebrated the transition between youth and manhood with a variety of chariot races and theatrical performances.
Once Christianity was popularized in Europe, Christmas could be a much more raucous holiday than its modern form. People would go from house to house gathering food and drink, much like a rowdier version of trick-or-treating. History.com describes the scene as “a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today’s Mardi Gras.” However, religious reforms in the 1600s changed the way Christmas was celebrated. Puritanical religious elements even canceled the holiday in some regions! For example, History.com says “[f]rom 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston.” Can you imagine?
Christmas began to take its modern form here in the United States in the 1800s. Washington Irving (“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” “Rip Van Winkle”) and Charles Dickens (“A Christmas Carol,” “A Tale of Two Cities”) were two incredibly popular authors in their day, and their works did a great deal to form the image of Christmas in pop culture. Children also took on an increasing importance within families during this era, and the Christmas holiday became more geared toward them.
Finally, good old Saint Nick– Santa Claus himself– entered American culture during the early 19th Century. Our typical image of him as a man with a huge beard, sack of toys, and red clothing was only solidified by Thomas Nast, a famous cartoonist, in 1881!
Here we see the ingredients that would form the British and American version of Christmas: historical celebrations that included fires and feasting, authors encouraging a more family-friendly holiday through literary pursuits, and imagery crafted in the popular media of the day. However you celebrate it, please allow our family to wish a merry holiday to yours.
The Slaton Schauer Law Firm, PLLC will be winding things down for a few days in order to spend time with family, friends, and loved ones. This isn’t a complete shutdown! We’ll still be checking our emails occasionally if any emergencies pop up, but otherwise we’ll see you in January.
Speaking of family and friends– if we may be of any assistance in planning your family’s legacy, please get in touch with us via our online form or give us a call at (512) 258-9455.