The sun reaches its highest point over the Tropic of Capricorn on Dec 22, causing the longest night in the Northern hemisphere. Since long the people understood that from that day onwards the sun would be “re-born”. The days would get longer and warmer again. Time to party and the ancient Romans had their Saturnalia festival, in honour of the god Saturn, a time with feasting, role reversals and private gift-giving in a carnivalesque atmosphere. 25 Dec was also the birthday of the Roman sun-god Mithras. The northern or Germanic peoples had their “Yule” festival in honour of the god Odin at the same time.
At first the early Christians didn’t celebrate the birth of Christ. His resurrection was the essential fact of their religion. By the 4th century the question of his birth became impossible to ignore. The bible doesn’t mention a date that Christ was born. However since the “non-believers” were already celebrating the birthday of the “Sun” the Church declared the 25 Dec as the feast-day of the “Son” (of God).
Many pagan believes were adopted by the Christians. The Roman Sun-god Mitras was found by shepherds, so was Jesus.
The “evergreen” tree, the Roman and Germanic symbol that life persisted through the dark winter was also adopted and quickly became decorated with apples, the symbol of the garden of Eden.
As “salty dogs” we worship Neptune, the God of fresh water and the sea. Although there is a Neptunalia, a festival in the Mediterranean in the midst of the summer dry season to ask Neptune for water, nothing is known about his birthday. So we celebrate together with all our family, friends and followers:
Merry Christmas to all.