Many common Yule symbols and traditions actually originated in Babylon, Persia, Greece, & Rome, but things like bells, holly, Christmas trees, candy canes, and Santa Claus were devised by Christians. Though Christians managed to convert the masses, a good many Pagans went on with their own festivals; they breathed fresh life into the ancient customs and added new symbols as they went. The Christians devised their own symbologies as well, and pretty soon, all the symbols, customs, and traditions melded together.
Advent Wreath: Although Advent initially came from the Lutherans, many religious sectors adopted the tradition and adapted its function to suit their own purposes. Traditionally, the wreath is made of evergreens with four candles ensconced within, and its ritual begins four days before Christmas. A candle is lit each Sunday and burns throughout the week to welcome the “light of the world.” On the fourth Sunday, all four candles burn together in welcome.
Evergreens: Decorating with evergreens dates back to earliest winter festivals. Because the green never faded from their branch & leaves, evergreens were thought to have power over death & destruction enough power to defeat whatever winter demons roamed the earth, and enough tenacity to urge the coming of the Sun.
Candles: Because fire melted winter’s chill & was thought to encourage the Sun to shine, it was always an important part of the ancient winter festivals. Candles, however, are thought to have originated with the ancient Romans who gave them to each other as Saturnalia gifts. Their brightness was thought to chase away dark winter demons and urge the sun back into the sky.
Holly: Since holly sports vibrant green leaves and bright red berries during winter’s deathly chill, it provides an excellent symbol of rebirth. The prickly shrub was a favorite amulet among early Europeans, and they often placed it in their homes to rid themselves of negative entities & nasty weather.
Mistletoe: Although attributed to the Celts- the Druids, more specifically mistletoe was probably first used in the Greek winter ceremonies. When the holidays spread throughout Europe, though, the Druids gave the parasitic plant sacredness & new meaning. For them, the berried plant symbolized the semen of God, & was used to bring about great fertility & abundance.
Poinsettia: Known for centuries as the Flower of the Holy Night, the poinsettia is the product of an old Mexican myth. Apparently, a young boy wanted very much to give the Christ-child a birthday gift. He was very poor, though, and couldn’t afford to buy Him anything. His intentions were so sincere that the Divine intervened & the flower sprang up at his feet.
Ornaments : The Germans originally decorated their trees with fruit, candy, cookies, and flowers. These ornaments symbolized the abundance to come when the Sun shed His warmth. They decorated their trees with round, three-dimensional shaped ornaments replicating the shape of the Sun to honor it.
Yule Log: Although normally attributed to the Scandinavian peoples, it might be said that Yule log actually originated with the ancient Greeks, who burned whole trees in an effort to hold off the mischievous Kallikantzaroi. However the Celts reinvented the custom, & gave it a whole new meaning. The log (a symbol of their Oak King) adored with traditions evergreens (a representation of the Holy King) signifies the death of darkness and the warmth of the Sun during the newly born solar year. According to tradition, the log should burn continuously for twelve days, and a bit of wood should be saved to start the next year’s fire. The first day of Yule varies depending upon religious belief. Pagans usually light the Yule fire on the Winter Solstice.
Tree: The use of holiday tree is said to have originated in eighth century Germany. Legend has it that the Christian St. Boniface was trying to convert a group of Druids. Try as he might, though, he couldn’t convince them that the oak tree was neither sacred nor invincible. In desperation, he finally cut one down. When the tree fell, it crushed everything in its path but a single evergreen sapling. Boniface declared it a miracle, then proclaimed that the fir tree belongs to the Christ-child. After that, trees were brought into homes as holiday decorations.
Tinsel & Icicles: The traditions of placing tinsel & foil icicles on holiday trees came from a seasonal story of unknown origins. The gist of it was that spiders weren’t allowed anywhere near the tree, not even close enough to take a peek. Upset at this discrimination, they whined to the Christ-child. Once the baby allowed their admittance, they climbed into the tree & covered it with webs. He was so delighted with their creativity that he turned the webs into strands of silver.
Santa Claus: Although often associated with Norse Sun-god, Kris Kringle, the initial origins of Santa’s capabilities probably had much to do with the myths surrounding the Aryan God, Odin, Lord of the Winds. Legends contends that He was a nocturnal god capable of flying through the stormiest clouds on His gray 8-legged horse, materializing & vanishing at will, and that he held the whole of magic, even his forbidden secrets in the palm of his hand. Such origin explains why Santa flies through the sky, is never seen, knows who’s been naughty & nice, and has bag of toys that never runs dry.
Reindeer: Although commonly associated with Santa Claus, many people believe that reindeer represent the stages that drew the chariot of the Norse gift-giving goddess, Freya. Another nothing is that they symbolize the abundance of the Celtic horned god, Cernunnos. No matter how you slice it, though, the presence of the horned, hooved beasts during the holidays definitely has Pagan origins.
Sleigh: Santa’s sleigh is more than likely a holdover from the Norse myth of Freya. Legend has it that every year she spent the twelve days immediately following the Solstice giving gifts to the nice & doling out misery to the naughty. Her mode of transportation was a chariot drawn by stags.
Snowflakes: According to legend, the snowflake was formed from the tears that Demeter cried after Persephone’s descent into the Underworld. The microscopic flakes have six sides, and since six is the numerological digit associated with affection, the snowflake was used by Pagans as a winter symbol of love.
Stockings: Legend has it that 3 young ladies of meager means were terribly distraught over the probability of their spinsterhoods. They had no dowries & in those days no dowry meant no marriage. Somehow, word of their angst reached St. Nick. For 2 nights, he tossed bags of gold through their window. On the third night, however, all the windows and doors were locked. Not to be deterred, he climbed down the chimney & filled the stockings they’d left by the hearth to dry. This legend seems to be the first account of St. Nick being the Santa-like figure we know him as today.
