Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas? There has been a controversy over whether it is good to say one or the other. Personally if someone wishes me to be “Merry” or to be “Happy” – I am glad either way. Our entire Christmas celebration is filled with customs adopted or borrowed from other lands and cultures, so I think we should all be more tolerant and forgiving in the Spirit of Christmas.
The date we celebrate Christmas comes from Ancient Rome, when the Emperor Aurelius declared December 25 as “The Birthday of the Unconquered Son”. The ancient Persians also celebrated Dec. 25 as the birthday of another god –Mithras. Christians did not even note the day of his birth until the fourth century. Even then, many church fathers were opposed to celebrating Christ’s birth, as they considered His death and resurrection much more important, and thought any sort of celebrating God/Christ’s birthday as pagan. “Pagans” typically celebrated the birthdays of their gods, and no mention is made in the New Testament of celebrating the day of Christ’s birth. Was Jesus actually born on Christmas? Not likely, Biblical scholars have varying opinions; they say He could have been born in September, October, or March.
The custom of having a Christmas tree goes back a thousand years to a legend about St. Boniface. It is said he came upon a group of pagans worshipping an oak tree. In anger, he chopped it down, and supposedly a young fir tree sprang up in its place. But it was not until five hundred years later that people began to bring fir trees indoors. Martin Luther is said to have started this custom by cutting down a small fir tree and decorating it with lit candles to delight his children on Christmas. It remained a German custom until Queen Victoria married the German Prince Albert and brought the custom to England and then to America. Decorating with evergreens and holly goes back even further. Many ancient cultures, such as the Druids and Romans brought greens indoors during the winter solstice to defy the deadness of winter and to symbolize the hope of returning new life in spring.
I personally love decorating with living plants and fresh greenery. I had a “fake” Christmas tree for some years. I got very tired of it and now I always purchase a fresh evergreen with its loveable imperfections and its wonderful fragrance. If you prefer the convenience of an artificial tree, you can still add living accents to your home for the season. I know that local garden stores have fresh pine roping and wreaths still available. Another wonderful thing to add fragrance and freshness is a rosemary tree. Rosemary is my favorite herb. These are available at this time of year in garden centers and plant departments of large groceries. After Christmas you can cut off sprigs to add to pork, lamb, chicken and beef dishes. Rosemary plants like a cool location in a sunny window, and don’t like to be over or under watered – try once a week. Topiaries of living ivy are also available in wreath and other forms – these are really attractive. I also plant to buy some fresh red roses to put around my home for Christmas – this too looks very festive. I love how one can buy fresh flowers at local groceries very inexpensively. If you purchase fresh roses be sure to prepare them right when you get home. Fill a pot or bowl with water and cut each individual stem underwater before placing it in your container.
Religious intolerance in England actually gave us one of our most loved Christmas songs – The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Supposedly the Catholics in England made up the song to teach their children catechism, when the Church of England between 1558-1829 forbade the open practice of Catholicism. The Partridge in a Pear Tree is supposed to represent Christ. The mother partridge will protect her children by feigning injury to distract predators like Christ sacrificed himself for us. The rest of the symbolism is as follows:
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight Beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the Ten Commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful Apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
(from the Catholic Information Network – www.cin.org)