It wasn’t his birthday either. They just celebrate it then because of all the pagan holdiays leaving them out. (Yule… Saturnalia, bacchanalia.)
Humans have pretty much always done something around the winter solstice. Historically, part of it was there really wasn’t much else to do.
Most work could only be done with light. The shortest day of the year had little light and in any case mostly they were just waiting for spring to come while maintaining farms and shit. Also in the north they were kinda sorta trying to stay indoors and out of the frooking cold.
Saint Nicolas. No idea how he got all the other stuff- probably more cultural appropriation with yuletide- but he was the one that inspired the whole “going around and giving gifts into stockings” thing.
Also it’s maybe important to note he was about as white as Jesus would have been- he was a Greek dude in Turkey. (Specifically Myra.)
It amazes me how many people still think Jesus was born 25th December. I always hear it on the radio “happy birthday Jesus” and I just think, how stupid are you?
Imagine being told that your family was going to celebrate your birthday on Halloween because they wanted to celebrate Halloween and that’ll let them celebrate it without being “pagan”…. When your birthday was in late spring.
It wasn’t his birthday either. They just celebrate it then because of all the pagan holdiays leaving them out. (Yule… Saturnalia, bacchanalia.)
Humans have pretty much always done something around the winter solstice. Historically, part of it was there really wasn’t much else to do.
Most work could only be done with light. The shortest day of the year had little light and in any case mostly they were just waiting for spring to come while maintaining farms and shit. Also in the north they were kinda sorta trying to stay indoors and out of the frooking cold.
It’s the same with Easter set around the Spring equinox, resurrection goes well with nature’s rebirth time.
I’ve always wondered what’s the connection between a space zombie and a fat man who lives at the North Pole?
Saint Nicolas. No idea how he got all the other stuff- probably more cultural appropriation with yuletide- but he was the one that inspired the whole “going around and giving gifts into stockings” thing.
Also it’s maybe important to note he was about as white as Jesus would have been- he was a Greek dude in Turkey. (Specifically Myra.)
So. What’re you up to today?
It amazes me how many people still think Jesus was born 25th December. I always hear it on the radio “happy birthday Jesus” and I just think, how stupid are you?
It is a celebration of his birth. So happy birthday Jesus is not wrong.
Imagine being told that your family was going to celebrate your birthday on Halloween because they wanted to celebrate Halloween and that’ll let them celebrate it without being “pagan”…. When your birthday was in late spring.
I don’t think he minds all that much, Jesus is pretty forgiving.
I read this in such a “I’m going to politely end these dumb antics now” tone and it’s brilliant