Christmas is the time when we celebrate the advent of the Christ Child, family union and in which many await the arrival of Santa Claus with all his presents. Thus, it is a date full of Christmas myths and legends that gladden the hearts of those who celebrate it. These have been formed throughout the years of this celebration and have been influenced by elements from different cultures. Let’s meet the most famous.
December 25th: according to the biblical accounts, Jesus was born when the shepherds tended their flocks, therefore it is impossible that he was born in winter. The acceptance of this date coincides with the Roman celebration of the birth of the «unconquerable» on the winter solstice. At this time the birth of gods important to the Celts and Germans, who were later evangelized, was also celebrated and therefore the birth of the Child was adapted to these important dates.
Who was Santa Claus: According to historical records, the real Santa Claus was a bishop who lived in Asia Minor, named Nicholas.
For many years, it has been claimed that Santa Claus is an invention of Coca Cola, due to a famous campaign in which Santa promoted the drink. However, these are only drawings inspired by the character that already existed.
why giftsContrary to the belief that gifts are a way of remembering the gifts that the 3 wise men gave to Jesus on the day of his birth, this tradition was inherited from the Roman customs of giving gifts during Saturnalia, in which it was common give away dolls made of wax.
How many were the wise men: nowhere in the bible does it state that three men went to visit the newborn. For this reason, it is presumed that they could have been more; some stories argue that there could be as many as twelve, representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
Another assertion states that instead of kings, these were known as «mágoi», which actually means astrologer.
rudolph the reindeer: The famous reindeer is one of Santa’s helpers that are in the original story. On the contrary, the creation of it is absolutely due to the creativity of the Montgomery Ward company, a chain of department stores.
Tree habit: It is a custom adopted from the Celtic peoples evangelized by Saint Boniface in the fourteenth century. According to their customs, the illuminated tree was lit to pay homage to their gods.
It was only in the 16th century that other European countries such as England began to use it. From there the custom came to the United States and then to Latin America.
Christmas is a time full of meaning and as these myths and legends demonstratethere are customs that are not typical of Christianity but have been successfully adapted to this festival.