The Encyclopedia AMERICANA, 1969 edition, says: "CHRISTMAS. The name derives from the old English Chrites Maesse, or Christ's Mass, and the present spelling probably came into use about the sixteenth century. All Christian churches except the Armenian church observe the birth of Christ on December 25. This date was not set in the West until about the middle of the fourth century and in the East until about a century later. The reason for establishing December 25 as Christmas is somewhat obscure, but it is usually held that the day was chosen to correspond to pagan festivals that took place around the time of the winter solstice, when the days began to lengthen, to celebrate the "rebirth of the sun". Northern European tribes celebrated their chief festival of Yule at the winter solstice to celebrate the rebirth of the sun (god) as a giver of light and warmth. The Roman Saturnalia (a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture, and to the renewed power of the sun) also took place at this time, and some Christian customs are thought to be rooted in this ancient pagan celebration. It is held by some scholars that the birth of Christ as 'Light of the World' was made analogous to the rebirth of the sun in order to make Christianity more meaningful to pagan converts. Many early Christians decried the gaiety and festive spirit introduced into the Christmas celebration as a pagan survival, particularly of the Roman Saturnalia."
With Voyager satellites sendt back astounding pictures of the planet Saturn, with its impressive rings of debris and its many moons. One of the greatest festivals of the pagan calendar was that of Saturn, originally celebrated near the end of December. The festival began, anciently, on the 1 9th, and extended for seven days, which would include the 25th and 26th of December! All classes of ancient Romans exchanged gifts during this celebration of the solstice of the sun, one of the more common forms of gifts being that of a clay doll. The dolls were especially given to children, and it was believed they represented the original sacrifices of human beings to the "infernal god". There was a tradition that human sacrifices were once offered to Saturn, and Greeks and Romans gave the name of "Cronus" and "Saturn" to a cruel Phoenician baal to whom children were sacrificed at Carthage! The Saturnalia was finally instituted by Romulus, the founder of Rome, under the name of "Brumalia," which meant "winter solstice". A solemn custom of kindling fires has prevailed in parts of Europe, with the "Yule log" a prominent feature, just as fireside dinners and the exchanging of gifts are still prominent features of modern American celebrations of "Christmas".
The Encyclopedia BRITANNICA, 1964 edition, says:"CHRISTMAS, on Dec. 25 is the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, is the most popular commemoration of the Church year. Its observance as the birthday of the Saviour is attended with secular customs often drawn from pagan sources; indeed, both Christmas and Epiphany, which falls twelve days later on January 6 are transformed pagan celebrations of the winter solstice, and so closely linked that their origins cannot be discussed separately. December 25 in Rome—this was the date of a pagan festival in Rome, chosen in A.D. 274 by the Emperor Aurelian as the birthday of the unconquered sun, which at the winter solstice begins again to show an increase of light. At some point before A.D. 336 the Church at Rome established the commemoration of the birthday of Christ...on this same date."
Concerning the origin of traditional Christmas customs, the Encyclopedia AMERICANA says: "The English adapted many older folk festivals to their Christmas. In the Middle Ages, English Christmases were times of great hilarity and good cheer, and vast banquets and pageantry celebrated the occasion. It was in this period that the idea of the Lord of Misrule reached its greatest expression. A common person or a servant of a great lord was chosen to rule with absolute authority during the Christmas season, and often his 'rule' resulted in uncontrolled frivolity. This tradition may have originated during the Saturnalia, when slaves became equals of their masters. Burning the Yule log was adapted to English custom from the ancient Scandinavian practice of kindling huge bonfires in honor of the winter solstice. The idea of using evergreens at Christmas time also came to England from pre-Christian European beliefs. Celtic and Teutonic tribes honored these plants at their winter solstice festivals as symbols of eternal life, and the Druids ascribed magical properties to the mistletoe in particular. The evergreen holly was worshipped as a promise of the sun's return. Some scholars hold that the evergreen tree, a symbol of life to the pagans, became a symbol of the Saviour and thus an integral part of the celebration of His birth."
The Encyclopedia BRITANNICA states: "The traditional customs connected with Christmas have been derived from several sources as a result of the coincidence of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ and the pagan agricultural and solar observance at mid-winter. In the Roman world the Saturnalia was a time of merry making and exchange of presents...the fact that Christmas was celebrated on the birthday of the unconquered sun (god) gave the season a solar background. To these solstitical observances were added the Germano-Celtic Yule rites when the Teutonic tribes penetrated into Gaul, Britain, and central Europe. Yuletide brought its own tradition of feasting and mortuary customs...special food and good fellowship, the Yule log and Yule cakes, greenery and fir trees, wassailing, gifts and greetings; ALL commemorated different aspects of the festive season. Evergreens, as symbols of survival, have a long association with Christmas festivities, probably dating from the eighth century when St. Boniface completed the Christianization of Germany and dedicated the fir tree to the Holy Child to replace the sacred oak of Odin. "
Now let us SEE! Among the ancient pagans the mistletoe was used at this festival of the winter solstice because it was considered sacred to the SUN,, because of its supposed miraculous healing power. The pagan custom of kissing under the mistletoe was an early step in the night of revelry and drunken debauchery—celebrating the death of the "old sun" and the birth of the New at the winter solstice. Holly berries were also considered sacred to the sun-god. The Yule log is in reality the "Sun log". Yet today, professing Christians—and even some professing sons of god— speak of the "sacred Yuletide season"! Even the lighting of fires and candles as a Christian ceremony is merely a continuation of the pagan custom, encouraging the waning sun-god as he reached the lowest place in the southern skies! The book, Answers To Questions, compiled by Frederick J. Haskins, found in public libraries, says: "The use of Christmas wreaths is believed by authorities to be traceable to the pagan customs of decorating buildings and places of worship at the feast which took place at the same time as Christmas. The Christmas tree is from Egypt, and its origin dates from a period long anterior to the Christian Era."
And so, when we examine the Facts, we are astonished to learn that the practice of observing Christmas is not, after all, a true Christian practice, but a PAGAN Custom! But if the Bible is silent about telling us to observe Christmas, it certainly is not silent in saying something about the heathen custom of decking out a tree—the same custom that HAS Become our CHRISTMAS TREE! This will come as a surprise to many. But here it is: "Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, o house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not; they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid (do not fear, reverence) of them..." (Jer. 10: 1-5).
There is a perfect description of the Christmas tree, termed by God as "the way of the heathen...the custom of the people...VAIN." We are commanded not to learn that way or follow it! It is also viewed in this passage as idolatry. The fifth verse shows that these trees cannot speak, cannot walk, must be carried. "Be not afraid of them, for they (the trees) cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good." That is, they are not gods to be feared or reverenced. Some people mix-read this to make it say there is no harm in having a Christmas tree, but that is not what it plainly says! An old Babylonish fable went like this: Semiramis, the Queen of Heaven, the wife of Nimrod, worshipped as the embodiment of the Sun-god, and mother of Tammuz, the son of the Sun-god, claimed that overnight, on the night of the birth of Tammuz, an evergreen tree sprang up from a dead tree stump. The dead stump supposedly symbolized her dead husband Nimrod; the new evergreen tree was the symbol that Nimrod had come to life again in the person of Tammuz! This idea spread and developed so that the various nations all have had their legends about sacred trees! Among the Druids, the oak was sacred; among the Egyptians, it was the palm; and in Rome, it was the fir, which was decorated with red berries during the Saturnalia! Among the Scandinavians, the fir tree was sacred to their god Odin. The Scandinavian god Woden or Odin was believed to bestow special gifts at Yuletide to those who honored him by approaching his sacred FIR TREE. In at least ten Biblical references, the "green" tree is associated with idolatry and false worship. Now of course all trees are green at one time or another; obviously, then, the references to the green tree refer to a tree that is especially noted for being green—the evergreen or a tree of that family! It is significant to note the many times "green tree " is mentioned in the Bible in relation to heathen idol worship and heathen gods. When Israel came into Canaan, they were ordered to destroy the heathen alters, groves, and graven images (Deut. 7), and then, "Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree" (Deut. 12:2). Among the scores of places in the old Testament where Israel was warned against Baal worship, or "the ways of the heathen," nine of them specifically mention serving their gods, or worshipping under "green trees". In most cases other terrible abominations are listed as accompanying these heathen practices, such as we read in Isa. 5 7: 3-S: "But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. Against whom do ye sport yourselves: Against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, enflaming yourselves with idols UNDER EVERY GREEN TREE, slaying the children (as sacrifices to the gods) in the valleys under the cliffs of the rocks?" Green trees were of Baal worship, originating in Babylon and Egypt. Idol worship under "green trees" is condemned in the following scripture passages: I Kings 14:22-23; II Kings 16:1-4; II Kings 17:9-l0; II Chron. 28:4; Isa. 57:3-5; Jer. 2:20; Jer. 3:6,13; Jer. 17:1-2; and Eze. 6:13.
