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Myths About Christmas

by Judith G. De Costa
ITS Christmas season once again Time for good che er good food. good pre sents and a generally good feeling. It is the III* for singing carols like What child Is this and Rudolph the rednosed reindeer with all your soul, yet you probably don't know much about any of H. Ever wonder why
Christmas Is celebrated during December ? Or if Jesus Christ was really born during this month ? Or. perhaps If Santa Claus really existed ? No. I guess 41 may never have
occurred to you lo ask. But youd be surprised at what I m going to tell you.
The legend of Santa Claus. St Nicholas, springs from a< lual fact. However. Hkc most
legends. It has been twisted, and turned In many ways' but the jlst of ft is still very much the same He lived from around 271 AD to December 6. 342 or 343 AD. statistics are not exactly sure which. He was born into a wealthy family and brought up as a devout Christian. He joined the priesthood, did lots of charity work and then went on to become Archbishop of Asia Minor's little town called
During hts life . Nicholas was chart table and pious and performed his humane duties as well as one could expect. However, his presence was found to help others through their trials In life. even long after his death. He becalmed stormy seas. when desperate sailors Invoked his help I’rlson walls crumbled as victims prayed to him for their salvation. 11c saved small children from the butcher's knife and dropped dowries into the shoes of pcnntlcs maidens. In due course, the good Bishop became Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of many sailors, merchants and especially children.
The remains of St Nicholas
were carried lo a park in southern Italy, where people Hocked to worship him. From there the cult spread rapidly to coastal towns alone the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea In the I3lh century in Holland, more than 20 churches were built In his name and Rome decreed that December 6th as became hts official calender birth day.
By the )4lh century, St Nicholas was' corrupted Into Sinterklass and his name became a household one synonymous with festivity and he a figure of benevolence By the
1 I7lh century, the feast of Slnlcrklass was so firmly established that Dutch painters and writers were Inspired by II. Even folk songs were com posed in the legend of Stnlcrklass The Dutch took their tradition with them to the New World and even there his Image was untouched by that of the fat jolly Father Christmas, of British fame. Thus 'Sinterklass' evolved into Santa Cluas and. like most great .stories go. the rest is history.
Thus It was how Santa became a Christmas figure. Christmas, the time for goodwill and festivity could not be blessed by a more suitable
figure So why. If the FeaM of St. Nicholas Is on December 6th is he affiliated wl^ another occasion celebrated on December 25th? Tree cefebra-tors of Christmas take moat of the month of December as Christmas Season. They wait for the first opportunity to sing carols and decorate their homes and don t stop glowing all over until around New Year's. The religious observers of the occasion make preparations through a four week period proceeding Christmas. This Is called advent by remembering the purpose of Christ's birth and how everyone of us Is responsible for our own salvation. But It is not a scientifically proven or certified fact that Christ was actually born on December 25lh when the religious preparation for Christmas culminates. Even the Bible Is not specific about his birthday.
The first known Christmas celebration took place In the fourth century A D after Emperor Constantine, replaced paganism with Chris-tanity as the official religion of the Roman Empire The 25lh of December was chosen because It was already significant as a pagan holiday. This day marked the winter
Solstice, when the length of the day begins lo get longer agjiln and the sun shows that it Is ye I unconquered. Hence the name of the holiday the Feast of the unconquered sun. The appellation of the feast day was played upon and some theologians say it became the Feast of Christ in other words, Christmas
My piece of advice to all obse rve rs of Christmas Is don I let facts disrupt the flow of goodness Chirstmas bring out of you. Big deal we re not sure
If we should be celebrating the occasion when we do Millions have done the some throughout the ages and they didn't mind) why should we?
In fact, let us try to make every day Hkc Christmas and lei everyone of u* try and be a little Si Nicholas tn our own way
Let's forget the commercialism the poor patron Is exposed to In this day and age and lets remember the Inner goodness which popularised him In the first place. *