The church eventually changed the birthday of Jesus to the time of the December solstice and the name of the Lord and Savior to Christ. At that time, the Church Fathers had to continually remind its Pagan congregants to celebrate the Birth of Christ, not the birth of the Sun. This likely...
Do some research with your little ones on specific pagan yule time and celtic winter solstice traditions. This might include incorporating a pagan winter solstice symbol—like Candles (Winter Sun), Pine (Healing), Holly (The God), Mistletoe (The Goddess) and the Yule Tree (Renewal)—into your...
Learn about the pagan holiday Yule, which takes place on the winter solstice, and how to celebrate it today.
While Christmas was celebrated far and wide by Christians of medieval Europe, Vikings celebrated a winter holiday of their own. Yule or Jól (in Old Norse), was a pagan ceremony held for three nights, beginning at winter solstice, in mid- to late December during the time of year when days...
Kaliady originates from the old pagan recognition of the winter solstice. It was only later that the Orthodox Christians added the celebration of Christmas (on January 7). Kaliady has customary foods in three ritual dinners, trick-or-treating, caroling, and more. Netherlands: Amsterdam hosts ...
To share our appreciation for Native American and indigenous peoples, here are 8 ways to celebrate the Full Harvest Moon.
For ancient pagan Celtic peoples, who inhabited the British Isles, and modern Scandinavians, who experience almost continuous sunlight at this time of year (think “Land of the Midnight Sun”), the summer solstice is a magical time, one of new beginnings celebrated with bonfires and festivals....
Ancient Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, marked Samhain at the midpoint between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. During this time of year, hearth fires in family homes were left to burn out while the harv...
They have pre-Christian roots and originate from pagan winter-solstice celebrations or Roman festivals. Other traditions are relatively modern — either rescued from oblivion or conjured up in the surprisingly recent past. Some significant holiday traditions include decorations, activities and food. ...
Possible impluse for the feast of Christmas may have came too from the establishment of the pagan feast of the "Unconquered Sun-God" by the Emperor Aurelian in 274 A.D. to be celebrated on December 25, the day of the winter solstice in Rome and throughout the empire. In response, ...