31 December 2006

The true meaning of Christmas

The winter solstice, the darkest time of the year when the days are at their shortest, the nights are at their longest and people are at the furthest point from the last summer and the next. In ancient times people needed to mark this time. It was the point after which each day would be a little longer, a little brighter and one step closer to summer. It was a time when people need some joy, hope and belief that the frozen world would be warm again. Many ancient civilizations had solstice celebrations and legends that accompany them. The Germanic peoples believed that at the solstice Odin would lead a hunting party of gods and the spirits of fallen warriors. Children who placed thier shoes by the chimney filled with straw and carrots for Odin's horse would find them filled with treats the next morning.

Unfortunatley like other pagan celebrations the winter solstice was hijacked by Christianity. and we got Christmas. Christmas has been contantly adapting and we now have the celebrations of today.

I find it shocking that we have gone from a point where people drew together at the darkest time of year in the hope that summer would return to a festival that is centered around high street retailers meeting their end of year profit forecasts. We see stores pushing christmas on us earlier and earlier in an attempt to buy as much as possible. People who have no fear of food shortages or that summer may not return and no belief in the Christian version of Christmas spend time and money preparing for a day that has no meaning other than presents, food and bad television.

I am an athiest and even I find the lack of spirituality and excess of commercialism in this festival very sad. But what really irks me is the fact dispite the fact that for most people Christmas doesn't have a shred of it's original meaning it is still compulsory (even for athiests). Any hint of not joining in turns you into a social pariah. It doesn't seem fair.

However although christmas is past I would like to try a get into the spirit of things.

I hope your grain stocks are plentiful and summer comes again.
Merry Solstice

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