Book Review - The Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas

The Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas

By John Matthews with contributions from Caitlin Matthews

1998

History

247 pages

Ages 13 and up

You Think You Know Christmas, But You Have No Idea…

I never knew I knew so little about the beginnings of Christmas. I found this book 10 years ago at the Argosy Book Store in midtown Manhattan, which is chock full of antique and rare books as well as maps and posters from years past. I'm always on the lookout for secrets and hidden gems, this book is both. Jam packed with historical references from academia and literature, as well as studies on tradition, cultures, ceremonies and the like, John and Caitlin Matthews have compiled a stunning artifact that has truly changed how I see the holidays. You will be utterly shocked at the confounding statements made herein and backed by historical standings.

Firstly, longer than we have been celebrating the birth of the Christ Child, we have been honoring the birth of The Unconquerable Sun. After fading from the sky for months the sun starts its march northward-reborn. The significance of this time of year has been held in reference for thousands of years, in nearly every region of the planet. More than one child of wonder is said to be birthed during this season, Mithras, Aiona and Attis are just a few alongside Jesus. Our authors do well at describing the usurping of holidays by advancing armies and how it was a common trait of victors through history. To that end, the authors goes out of their way to note the Christ Child is the perfect embodiment of the gifts of the new year. Jesus shows that life never dies; he is a promise of glory and mirth and abundance. I could not imagine a more abundant place than earth, and the promise to bathe in its riches fills me with mirth. I'll take a snow break every year to experience that. You can make your own minds up about correlations once you've reviewed the literature.

Santa is a Platypus

Religious affiliations aside, Santa Claus is the dominant Christmas figure of our time, and his evolution has been weird to say the least. He is a hodgepodge of mysticism, history and commercialism, a true marvel in story telling standards. This book contends the earliest iterations of the gift giver were shamanic individuals that would bring confirmation of the new year and with it, gifts of light and life. The modern notion of Saint Nicholas is a nice way of thinking about gift giving, but if you think too hard about Santa and Saint Nick you will come to the understanding, one of them is lying.

Our traceable history of St. Nick to Saint Nicholas of Patara, a 3rd century bishop in from Turkey, leaves many things to be explained. While it is true Nicholas would sneak into dwellings at night and leave gifts to the poor, he would not want to announce himself with bells. Stockings would be hard to come by for the class of people Saint Nicolas was serving, not to mention he was in the Middle East. Also, not a lot of reindeer hang out in the Mediterranean. So, what gives? Like I said, hodgepodge. We took a bunch of stuff we liked, or had meaning from long ago, and smashed them together. Read the book to discover the details!

Santa’s bells and their jingling ring has specific meaning. Shaman, the former keepers of wisdom, history, medicine and magic, would themselves wear bells when journeying to the lands of meditation and vision quest. The bells were defense against evil spirits, warding off threats so the shaman could do their important work. Spherical in shape to pay homage to the solar entities, the jingle bell creates unseen power when rung.

And the reindeer? Well, to those in the northern climes, this rugged animal was magic. Not only could the Dasher and her family find nourishment just about anywhere-thus great for a pack animal, but they were also generally well mannered. Reindeer were used as a food source; their bones were fashioned for tools and fasteners. Reindeer hides were made into warm coats and coverings to protect against the cold. Even their hooves and entrails were boiled to make glue and torch materials. In many ways, reindeer saw the people of Lapland, Siberia and the like, through the most treacherous time of year. We continue to celebrate them for their durability and other worldly characteristics.

So Much More Solstice/Christmas…

Those are just a few of the tidbits in this trove of goodness, literally thousands more await. Rich with photo references, recipes, songs and games to help you celebrate this most auspicious time of year. They do a splendid job explaining the 12 Days of Christmas, an extended party I think we would do well to revive. There are so many amusements offered you can be sure to find a few to help you celebrate just the way you want. Study up, there will be a quiz:)

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