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48. It's not Christmas without the rituals and ceremonial origins of pagan traditions

Sat Dec 13, 2025, 02:16 PM

Saturday

Evergreen Decorating: Pagans used fir trees, holly, ivy, and mistletoe to bring greenery indoors, symbolizing life and fertility during winter.

Christmas Trees: Derived from Germanic/Norse traditions of bringing evergreen trees inside as a good omen, decorated with fruit or candles.

Yule Log: Burning a large log (or its modern decorative form) was a Scandinavian ritual to welcome the returning sun and bring good fortune.

Feasting & Gifts: Roman Saturnalia, a mid-December festival for the god Saturn, featured feasting, merriment, and gift exchanges.

Mistletoe: Sacred to Druids, it symbolized peace and fertility, leading to the kissing tradition.

Holly & Wreaths: Red berries (holly) and evergreen wreaths were used to ward off evil spirits and celebrate the life-giving sun.

Caroling & Bells: Ancient practices included singing and ringing bells to drive away evil spirits or celebrate the solstice.

Stockings: Related to hanging items out for benevolent spirits or as part of gift-giving customs.

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LuckyCharms debm55 ZDU Calico20 Ilsa buzzycrumbhunger

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Fill in the blank, It's not Christmas without__________________________. Mine is a Christmas tree. what is yours? [View all] debm55 Saturday OP

snow--for x country sking and a campfire riversedge Saturday #1

Thank you very much. riversedge. In my younger day we lived across the stree from a golf coarse and go X country skiing debm55 Saturday #3

Oplatek...a Polish tradition. LuckyCharms Saturday #2

Thank you very much, LuckyCharms. I remember them. They tasted like the host at communion. Thank you for a beautiful debm55 Saturday #5

Yes, it was like taking communion, and the whole process LuckyCharms Saturday #8

Thank you , LuckyCharms. debm55 Saturday #14

We did that as kids... MiHale Saturday #18

A Christmas tree 🎄 .... anciano Saturday #4

Thank you very much, anciano. Yes, the Christmas tree and hot cocoa. debm55 Saturday #7

Music! oberle Saturday #6

That was going to be my answer Sanity Claws Saturday #11

Thank you very much oberle. I sang in the children's Mass at Chrismas Eve. Loved it.Thank you very much for sharing a debm55 Saturday #20

Music, some of it very good; a lot of it really, really bad. Ocelot II Saturday #9

Thank you very much for sharing with us. I did't know you are in three choirs. You must have a beautiful voice. debm55 Saturday #21

Eggnog we can do it Saturday #10

My husband loves eggnog too. He only gets it Christmas. That you for sharing , we can do it. debm55 Saturday #22

A nice solo walk BOSSHOG Saturday #12

Thank you, my dear friend BOSSHOG for your beautiful post. May the memories of your mother be a blessing to you debm55 Saturday #23

This is what Christmas is all about Grim Chieftain Saturday #71

Thank You My Friend BOSSHOG Saturday #72

Family. pandr32 Saturday #13

New Christmas pj in Christmas designs or colors. debm55 Saturday #15

Thank you for sharing pandr32. My Christmas wish for you it that they do. debm55 Saturday #24

Yes. I will have two out of three this year! pandr32 Saturday #33

Great. debm55 Saturday #53

Pound cake. Mom mom used to make it. Then me. Then my Dad. applegrove Saturday #16

Thank you very much for that holiday tradition, applegrove. It sounds wonderful. debm55 Saturday #27

___Chinese Food___ discntnt_irny_srcsm Saturday #17

Thank you very much, discntnt_irny_srcsm. for sharing with us. debm55 Saturday #28

My dear sweet wife.... MiHale Saturday #19

Thank you very much, MiHale. Now go give Mrs. MiHale a hug and a kiss for all that she has done and is doing. debm55 Saturday #30

Done and done again... MiHale Saturday #31

Anxiety. Bobstandard Saturday #25

Thank you my dear friend BobStandard for sharing. I suffer for depression and anxiety. Take meds for it. Came from a debm55 Saturday #32

Hugs to you dear Deb. Grim Chieftain Saturday #63

Thank you Grim Chieftain. Love, debbie. debm55 Saturday #66

Homemade cinnamon bread. mwmisses4289 Saturday #26

Sounds wonderful, mwmisses4289 Love the smell of homemade cinnamon bread. debm55 Saturday #54

Attending Christmas Eve church service with my family... Mark.b2 Saturday #29

Thank you very much, Mark.b2.Love Christmas Eve services Enjoy your soup with your family gathered around you. debm55 Saturday #55

CBC The Shepherd Maninacan Saturday #34

thank you very much for sharing with us, Maninacan. debm55 Saturday #57

Music Cirsium Saturday #35

Absolutely beautiful. Thank you very much, Cirsium. I listened to the whole Messiah and loved it. debm55 Saturday #47

Lots of emails from our family on how to manage gift giving among the cousins, the aunts, and the uncles. NNadir Saturday #36

Well, NNadir, You need to give Mrs.NNadir a big hug and kiss for all the work she does. debm55 Saturday #45

Believe me, I definitely appreciate her. After 40 years, she's less inclined for hugs and kisses than she used to be. NNadir Saturday #46

You are a very lucky man and Mrs.NNadir is a very lucky woman. My husband and myself have been married since 1978. This debm55 Saturday #51

Well, with the hard life of your youth having given away to such warmth as we see here, we all must concede that Rich... NNadir Saturday #65

Thank you very much, NNadir. for your wonderful post. debm55 Saturday #68

Spritz cookies. I make hundreds of them... 3catwoman3 Saturday #37

Thank you very much for sharing about the Spritz cookies. 3catwoman3. I bet the smell is wonderful. What a wonderful debm55 Saturday #40

The Song Says justaprogressive Saturday #38

Thank you very much for sharing . That is sweet of you justaprogressive.. debm55 Saturday #39

Midnight Mass Chipper Chat Saturday #41

Agree, always beautiful. debm55 Saturday #44

Happy children. LoisB Saturday #42

Thank you very much, LoisB debm55 Saturday #43

It's not Christmas without the rituals and ceremonial origins of pagan traditions Niagara Saturday #48

Nice rundown, Niagara. Very interesting. LuckyCharms Saturday #49

I find all interesting as well, Lucky Niagara Saturday #56

Thank you very much for sharing with us, Niagara. Some of them I was aware of , others not. Santa himself was a Nordic debm55 Saturday #50

Absolutely, Debbie Niagara Saturday #58

I know. OldBaldy1701E Saturday #69

I am so sorry OldBaldy1701E. debm55 Saturday #76

deb, I'm pleased to tell you that it's not Christmas True Dough Saturday #52

Thank you True Dough. Whatever floats your boat is fine with me. debm55 Saturday #60

I don't know about floats my boat True Dough Saturday #61

My homemade fruit cake, gingerbread cookies, Phoenix61 Saturday #59

Thank you very much, Phoenix61 for sharing you Christmas spirit with us. debm55 Saturday #62

Christians ZDU Saturday #64

Thank you. debm55 Saturday #73

some drunk Florida man getting stuck in a chimney nuxvomica Saturday #67

Thank you. debm55 Saturday #75

A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi Trio. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Saturday #70

I agree, Thank you very much OldBaldy1701E. Love the program and the music. debm55 Saturday #74

Yes! buzzycrumbhunger Saturday #80

My two favorites! electric_blue68 6 hrs ago #93

Spending time with my sons and their families wendyb-NC Saturday #77

Thank you very much, wendyb-NC. debm55 Sunday #84

Bad Hallmark movies The Madcap Saturday #78

HAHAHAHAHHA, Thank you very much The Madcap. so true. debm55 Sunday #85

Even with the mediocre writing and wooden acting, I stick with them for the inevitable "happy ending". retread Yesterday #89

I used to answer this with Ilsa Saturday #79

Thank you very much my dear llsa debm55 Sunday #86

Caroling. madamesilverspurs Sunday #81

Thank you my dear madamesilverspurs. debm55 Sunday #87

3...2.. underpants Sunday #82

Thank you , underpants. debm55 Sunday #83

Baking. Lots of baking yellowdogintexas Yesterday #88

Thank you very much, yellowdogintexas. Enjoy your baked goods and the good work you do with them debm55 Yesterday #92

... catbyte Yesterday #90

HAHAHAHAHAHAH. Thank you catbyte. debm55 Yesterday #91

Sparkly, glittery, colorful Xmas decorations, lights, and family!... electric_blue68 6 hrs ago #94

Thank you very much for sharing with us, electric_blue68 debm55 6 hrs ago #95