A Medieval Christmas

"Let those who have no light in themselves light candles!" thundered the great Roman Tertullian. "Let those over whom Hell fire is hanging, fix to their doors laurels doomed presently to burn. You are the light of the world, you are the tree ever green...make not your own house a temple." Like the Puritans in later centuries, Tertullian urged the people to stop their so-called 'pagan' festivities at Christmas time.

This proved impossible, however. Christmas was originally a pagan festival, adopted by the Christians. Many ancient peoples celebrated the Mid-Winter solstice, including the Mesopatamians, who 2000 years before Christ's birth held a 12 day festival for the New Year with plays, processions and merry-making; the Romans who honoured Saturn, the god of agriculture by decking their halls, keeping their lamps burning, and holding holidays, and the Scandinavians who burnt the Yule log, sang and recited poetry in honour of their Gods Odin and Thor.

As converts to Christianity in Europe would not give up these practices, St.Gregory, four centuries after Tertullian, sanctioned their festivities, saying that: "For it is doubtless impossible from men being so rooted in evil customs to cut off all their abuses upon the sudden."

Although the Victorians revived Christmas, and some Christmas customs, such as the sending of Christmas cards date from Victorian times, they did not invent it. Carol singing, the lighting of candles, the giving of presents and decorating houses with evergreens are all ancient customs. Even Father Christmas is a character who dates from medieval times.

In medieval England Christmas lasted for twelve days, from December 25 to January 6, the date of the celebration of the Epiphany. Originally Christmas was celebrated on January 6 when presents were given in honour of St.Nicholas. Some Eastern Europeans still celebrate Christmas on this date.

It was a time of merriment, feasting and general festivity, but still primarily a 'holy' day, not the commercial nightmare it has become today. Three masses were, in fact, celebrated on Christmas day - the most important at midnight, because, according to the Romans, this was when Christ was born; the second at dawn and the third during the day.

The practice of decking the house with evergreens originally began in the Roman festival of Saturnalia when temples were decorated with evergreens, the symbol of eternal life. Ivy, cypress, ilex, laurel, roemary, bay and box were all popular. According to Laurence Whistler in his book The English Festivals: "...As Stow observed, the Elizabethan Londoner embellished his house and church with 'whatsoever the Season afforded to be green'. Holly was an especial favourite, because the leaves represent Jesus' Crown of thorns and the berries symbolise the drops of blood on his forehead.

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