DO CUSTOMS SURROUNDING PRESENT-DAY CHRISTMAS HAVE PAGAN ORIGINS?
It does appear, from historical records, that many of the trappings observed in modern-day Christmas were also observed in pagan worship – some of them dating from before the time of Christ – even back as far as to the Babylonians. December 25th was the last day of the pagan Roman festivities known as Saturnalia. But December 25th was also considered the date of the Winter Solstice during that same time. That is the point at which the sun was thought to be farthest from the Earth’s equator. Today we know that comes 3-4 days prior to the 25th. It also should be mentioned that, during the first several centuries after Christ those of the Roman culture who observed the customs which involved the Holly Berry, the Yule log, and Mistletoe, were doing so as an act of worship to the gods of Saturn, Jupiter and other lesser known luminaries. But I know of no person, Christian or non-Christian, who observe any of these customs today, who do them as an act of worship to some pagan deity. The ques
