What Christmas Was Originally Called
Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated holidays around the world, but did you know that it was not originally called 'Christmas'? In fact, the holiday had a completely different name that people used to refer to it by. In this blog post, we will discuss what Christmas was originally called and how its name has changed over the years.
Early European Celebrations
Christmas as we know it today is a modern holiday that has evolved from many different religious and cultural traditions over the centuries. Long before Christianity, pre-Christian Europeans celebrated the midwinter solstice with feasts, bonfires, and ceremonies in honor of the sun. In particular, the ancient Romans celebrated the winter solstice around December 25th in honor of the god Saturn. This celebration was called the Saturnalia and was characterized by gift giving, merriment, and general revelry. During this time, it was also customary to light evergreen boughs as a symbol of life and hope in the dark winter months. This tradition likely inspired many of our modern Christmas customs like decorating trees and exchanging gifts.
Early Christian Celebrations
Christmas as we know it today originated from a combination of early Christian and pagan traditions. Although the exact date of Jesus’ birth is unknown, by the 4th century Christians had settled on December 25 as the date to celebrate his birth. This date was chosen to coincide with pre-existing pagan celebrations of the winter solstice, which marked the beginning of the new year and celebrated the sun’s return. Early Christian celebrations of Christmas were usually simple, consisting of religious services, hymn singing and feasting. The celebration eventually became more elaborate, with gifts being exchanged and decorations becoming increasingly popular.
The First Christmas
The earliest known celebration of Christmas can be traced to Europe in the 4th century AD. Christmas was celebrated on December 25th and was a Christian holiday intended to honor the birth of Jesus Christ. The celebration was inspired by an earlier pagan Roman holiday known as Saturnalia, which honored the god Saturn with a week-long winter festival. This pagan celebration was eventually adopted by early Christians, who adopted the name “Christ’s Mass” or “Christmas.”
In the 5th century, Pope Julius I officially declared December 25th to be the day of Christmas, and it has remained so ever since. Christmas as we know it today began to take shape in medieval Europe. It became more widely celebrated, and traditions such as caroling and gift-giving were developed. By the 1500s, many of these traditions had spread throughout Europe and beyond, becoming common in most Christian nations.
Today, Christmas is celebrated all over the world, though the way it is celebrated may vary from region to region. But the core of Christmas – the commemoration of Jesus’s birth – remains the same in many parts of the world.
The Word Christmas
The word “Christmas” comes from the Middle English term Christmases, which means “Christ’s Mass”. This refers to the traditional Christian celebration of Jesus’ birth and resurrection. The term Christmas was first used in English in 1038 CE and was popularized in the 15th century by William Tyndale, who translated the Bible into English.
The term Christmas has also been used for centuries in other languages, including Old English and Old Norse. In Latin, it is called Nativitas Domini, which means “Birth of the Lord”. In Spanish, it is called Navidad, which means “birthday”. In Italian, it is called Natale, which means “Feast of the Nativity”.
The word “Christmas” has come to signify the holiday season for many people around the world. It is a time of giving and receiving gifts, family gatherings, religious observances, and general joy and merriment. This is why Christmas is such a special holiday, and why the word Christmas is so meaningful to so many people.
