Year end season of celebration

MapleLine Magazine exclusive: Nov.4, 2009

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by Kim Restall

Around the world, the end of December is widely recognized as a time for celebration. It's no accident that so many cultures and religions celebrate at this time; in fact late December celebrations date back to pre-historic times and are centered on the winter solstice. During this time (December 21 to December 22) daylight hours are at their shortest and the night seems to take over. This was likely fearful for pre-historic people; they had no way of knowing whether or not the sun would return and allow them to plant their crops to keep from starving in the coming year. It was a battle between light and dark, good and evil. When the sun did in fact return it was cause for great celebration in gratitude to the Gods who had triumphed over the evil darkness. In Roman times they celebrated their own version of the festival, which they called Saturnalia (celebrated from December 17 to 23), after their God of agriculture, Saturn. Out of the darkest time of the year sprang forth warmth, light and cheerfulness. Cattle were slaughtered, beer and wine was fermented and thus the first December celebrations were born.

Today there are many different celebrations that have developed from those first winter solstice festivals. True to their solstice roots most of these modern celebrations have some aspect of 'light' incorporated into the festivities.

Originally celebrated by the Germanic peoples, Yule was a celebration spanning from December 12 to the end of January. A large part of the celebration focused on the gathering and burning of a Yule log. Through this act the people hoped to encourage the sun to shine brightly. After the Julian calendar was brought into play, the celebration of Yule was moved to December 25 and is today often recognized as synonymous with Christmas. True to tradition many people around the world continue to burn a Yule log on or around Christmas.

Christmas first appeared as a recognized celebration on the Roman calendar in 336 AD when Christianity became a widely established religion. The date of December 25 was chosen to represent the birth of Jesus Christ, (the new light of the world), but it was also a convenient choice due to the widely recognized celebrations already in place at that time for the winter solstice. Today versions of Christmas are celebrated worldwide, but we still incorporate the triumph of light at the end of winter with the use of Christmas lights, fires and candles.

Many Christian countries celebrate Advent in addition to Christmas. This is the four-week period leading up to Christmas Day. The advent wreath (containing four candles) is paramount to the celebrations, and in time honoured tradition a candle is lit on each of the final four Sundays before Christmas.

In the Jewish faith, Hanukkah (also known as the Festival of Lights) is celebrated to honour the rededication of the Temple after the Jews regained control of Jerusalem. It is said that there was only enough oil in the temple to fuel the eternal flame for one day. However by some miracle the flame flickered continuously for eight days. Today (the date is based on the Jewish calendar and so varies year to year) the Jewish people honour that miracle by lighting one candle each of eight nights on a candleholder called a menorah.

For people of African descent, Kwanzaa is recognized from December 26 until January 1. Kwanzaa was created in 1966 as the first specifically African-American holiday. Like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa is also celebrated with the lighting of significant candles. For each of the seven days of celebration a candle is lit on the kinara to represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Celebrations also include the use of bright colors for decoration, drumming and the pouring of libations (beverages poured as religious offerings).

A widely recognized year-end celebration is New Year's Eve, held on the night of December 31 with a peak moment at midnight when the calendar turns to January 1. To recognize the passing of one year and herald the coming one, the New Year's Eve celebration is usually festively upbeat. Fireworks or at least some aspect of sparkling materials or light falling from the sky is often part of the event.

Regardless of the celebrations and traditions you take part in, there is a good chance that they stemmed from the ancient winter solstice festivals. Today we may have forgotten why it is we light those candles, or hang those twinkling Christmas lights, or burn that Yule log, but all over the world we come together to celebrate the triumphant light shining brightly against the darkness. MM

Kim Restall is a writer with the MapleLine Journalism Program in Sooke, BC.

Bibliography

1. http://historicalresources.suite101.com/article.cfm/december_25_before_jesus

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winter_festivals

3. http://www.everythingesl.net/lessons/light_festivals.php

4. http://www.religioustolerance.org/winter_solstice.htm

5. http://www.islandnet.com/~see/living/winter/winter00-03.htm

6. http://www.shambhala.org/arts/fest/unconquered.html

See a short Solstice feature 3 days before Christmas on page 24 of the print edition of MapleLine Magazine (Holiday 2009 issue / No.09-Jan.10).