The winter solstice was a metaphor for the rising of God’s son since, during the months following the solstice, the days would get longer, and the sun would stay in the sky longer.
The nativity story aligns perfectly with these ideals. Saturnalia’s emphasis on freedom, gift-giving, and the winter solstice gave rise to a new holiday: Christmas.
Most people in the Roman territories still observed the ancient Roman holiday of Saturnalia at this time, and Christians started to find uniquely Christian ways to celebrate the old pagan holidays that they were so familiar with. Many other Christmas-time traditions come from Saturnalia, including the ritualized greeting “Merry Christmas,” decoration with evergreen trees, and wassailing at night by candlelight.įor more on Saturnalia and the Roman tradition of gift-giving, check out this video from Historia Civilis: The Development of Christmas Gift-GivingĬhristmas began to be celebrated by Roman people in the 4th century CE. Every friend, wife of a friend, business client, and family member received a gift during Saturnalia. Therefore, the number of gifts that an elite Roman man had to give out every year was staggering. If someone got you a gift, but you did not have a present for them, you could easily make an enemy. Saturnalia gifts were a way to reinforce or destroy friendships and business connections in ancient Rome. These gifts were supposed to bring a good harvest to the receiver the next year, and they strengthened business and political connections between the giver and receiver. It was common to get presents such as books, small statues, clothes, and fancy foods during Saturnalia, and each gift was signed with a personal note or poem from the gift-giver. However, during Saturnalia, most of the gifts that people exchanged were between adults. The gift-giving aspect of Saturnalia was much like the Christmas traditions of the modern-day. The general spirit of Saturnalia was one of freedom and liberation from social roles, which made it an exciting holiday for the whole of Rome. Like in the modern-day, all business was suspended during Saturnalia, giving everyone a week-long vacation from work. Common Saturnalia traditions included game-playing, hosting a large feast, and giving gifts.ĭuring Saturnalia, all social order was suspended, meaning that slaves, lower-class citizens, and elite citizens ate together at the same tables and played games together. Saturnalia was a week-long festival that lasted from December 17-23. Saturnalia was a winter-solstice festival that celebrated the end of the agricultural year and made the cold, somewhat boring winter season more enjoyable for everyone. The real tradition of December gift-giving comes from an ancient Roman festival called Saturnalia. Saturnalia: The First Gift-Giving Festival Celebrating the winter solstice by sharing food and drink became a winter-time tradition for many pre-Christian people, including Celts, Romans, Norse, and more. Winter solstice holidays marked the half-point in winter and allowed people to collectively look forward to the coming spring. Winter was also cold and eventless for many people who had no luxuries such as central heating and television. By establishing a festival during the winter solstice, communities could pool together their resources, adding variety to their diets. During the winter solstice in ancient times, many people’s food storage was dwindling, and there was little fresh produce to eat. If you think about it, giving gifts during the winter makes sense. In fact, the practice of giving gifts near the winter solstice goes back to prehistoric times. Why Do We Give Gifts in Winter?Ĭhristmas isn’t the only December holiday with a tradition of gift-giving. We will also be discussing how Santa Claus became the icon of Christmastime gift giving, transforming from a charitable Saint to the jolly, bearded toy manufacturer that we all know. So, when did it all start? Let’s talk about when, where, why, and how the tradition of gift-giving at Christmastime began. Eventually, solstice gift-giving transformed from a pagan tradition to a Christmastime practice that still lives on today. We give gifts at Christmas because it is a tradition that goes back millennia, starting as a way to share food during the cold seasons. Everyone knows that Christmastime is all about the spirit of giving, but have you ever wondered why? Well, you will be surprised to know that people have been giving each other gifts on the winter solstice since before Christmas was even a holiday.
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