Winter Solstice falls on December 21st, but with the question I asked earlier about non-believers celebrating Christmas everyone including Pagans said yes. That would be like me celebrating Christmas on December 21st. Do you have an answer for that son?
2006-09-04 15:02:10 · 20 answers · asked by tallica1331 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Cause that's the day we get off work?
It's not cause they secretly want to be Christian idiots.
And most do celebrate on the actual solstice, they just don't have that day off work (yet)
http://flushaholybook.com
2006-09-04 15:04:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because we Pagans do not get our holidays off of work, we usually celebrate them the first day closest to the holiday in question that we don't have to work. If that's December 25th, so be it. It only sometimes is though. Traditionally, on December 25th, my family goes out for Arabic food and a movie. We do celebrate on the actual solstice as often as possible, however. That's not always the 21st, you know. However, whatever day it falls on, we usually do a small observance, even if we do have to work.
I do have Christian family too. On the 24th, I always spend it with my mother's family. We have dinner and open gifts. The weekend before, I spend with my Grandmother's family (that is, the whole mess of us) and we have a big dinner then too. If any of these fall on the Solstice, it gets pre-empted. The Gods want to be honored, but they want us to honor our family more.
And, for the record- in some traditions, it's not the 21st, or the Solstice, it IS the 25th. The birthday of the sun.
2006-09-05 09:17:38 · answer #2 · answered by kaplah 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We celebrate the Winter Solstice on December 21st. We celebrate Yule also and typically tie it in with December 25th because everyone gets that day off work -- so it's easier to plan get togethers. Young children also enjoy the festivities associated with Yule at the same time that the vast majority of people in the US are celebrating Christmas.
2006-09-04 22:07:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually you have to go back about 2,000 years for your answer .The Bible does not give a date for jesus birth just the events that were happening around that time but as to the date actually according to historical information the Romans who worshipped many gods and goddesses favorite festival was that of Saturnalia which began on Dec 17 and ended on Dec 25 was also known as " dies natalis Solis invicti" the birthday of the invincible sun which was followed by the winter soltice from Dec 25-Jan 6 on the Julian and Egyptian calenders respectively so on Dec 25 274 C.E. Emperor Aurelian had proclaimed the sun god principal patron of the empire and dedicated a temple to him in the Campus Martius the christmas custom originated at a time when the cult of the sun was was particullary strong in Rome also prevalent at the time was the feast of saturnalia a festival dedicated to saturn the god of agriculture and the renewed power of the sun so some 75 years later around 325 C.E. an emperor by the name of Constantine decided that since their was so much fighting over religious issues between the pagans and the apostate christians that he would put a stop to it so he took bits and pieces from the pagans and bits and pieces from the apostate christians and formed an official state religion all had to worship and to get the 2 sides to agree he took the worship of the sun and shanged it to the worship of the Son and that where the date of Dec 25 comes in it has nothing to do with jesus in any way shape or form the Bible does not give a date of birth for him only circumstances and events see the book of Luke hope this helps clear up that mystery for you Gorbalizer
2006-09-04 22:36:39 · answer #4 · answered by gorbalizer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I celebrate Yule on the date of the Solstice. My family celebrates Christmas on the 25, and I join them, cause they are my family and I love them. Many Pagans do both, out of respect to our families. Plus, it can be hard to get any other day off but the 25th, as everyone is so busy and the boss wont give time off around Christmas.
2006-09-06 13:38:41 · answer #5 · answered by Juniper C 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am Pagan and I do not celebrate Christmas. I celebrate the Winter Solstice on whatever day it falls on usually around the 21st of December.
Blessings )O(
2006-09-04 22:05:42 · answer #6 · answered by Epona Willow 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Might as well celebrate when everyone else is doing it. You realize that Christmas is on December 25 because of the solstice and the fact that pagans wouldn't have celebrated Jesus's birth otherwise?
2006-09-04 22:04:51 · answer #7 · answered by Janiffer 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
December 25 has hijacked by "Christians" from the pagans to make "Christianity" more enticing for pagans. This happened at about the time of Constantine
December 25 was the final celebration of the winter festival.
2006-09-04 22:15:39 · answer #8 · answered by gordo_burns 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I celebrate Yule on the solstice, which is just a little different time each year. we actually celebrate it from three days from December 20th/21st - dec 23rd/24th. One the first day we bake cookies and cakes, and the second day we have our tree (the "christmas tree" being a pagan tradition) and gifts (also a pagan tradition), on the third day we have our big holiday meal. Christmas actually ran into the pagan holiday. But some pagans extend their holiday celebrations to meet with their christian friends and/or families. I give the gifts i made for my christian friends to them on their holiday, and they give ours to us on our holiday.
And normobrian and Jannifer are correct with what he and she stated about the birthday and the soltice time. It is also the same with Ostara, Samhain and other pagan holidays being covered a bit by new traditions.
2006-09-04 22:09:25 · answer #9 · answered by Vita 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm Wiccan and I celebrate both Yule (winter solstice) and Christmas. I celebrate Yule with my community and Christmas with family and friends that are Christian.
Why do you see a problem here? I've also celebrated Passover with my Jewish friends and I'm not a Jew. I consider it an honor to be invited to their Passover Ritual. Sharing in their personal faith and celebration of something that is important to them. Conversely, if a Christian is curious about one of the Wiccan Sabbatts, I'd have no problem whatsoever inviting them to one of our special celebrations.
Frankly, if we all took advantage of our friends and acquaintances invitations to their special religious days and celebrations, there would be far less intolerance in this world. Boxing people in due to their particular dogma is negatively exclusive and fosters xenophobia.
Welcome it. Don't shun it, my friend.
2006-09-04 22:11:52 · answer #10 · answered by gjstoryteller 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The same reason as Christians, December 25 was a Roman Holiday.
Tammi Dee
2006-09-04 22:05:17 · answer #11 · answered by tammidee10 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋