A PAGAN CHRISTMAS
part 4
Saturnalia in Ancient Roman times was a winter festival that Pagans would celebrate with the glitz and glam of 'modern' Hollywood.
Elaborate meals would be prepared. Silver and gold would be mingled in the evergreens for decoration and a sign of prosperity for the hosting families. The more gold you wore or showed off, the more prosperous you were. Of course, sacrifices and gifts to both the Gods and to one another was very important in the celebration rituals.
Christians, later adopted several of the Saturnalia practices as Christmas became the more predominant holiday. The ritual of gift giving for Christians comes from the Magi presenting Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Now it's DVDs, jewelry and an ugly tie for 'Uncle Joe'. Just like their Pagan cousins, Christians also gather to celebrate with elaborate Christmas dinners.
Every nationality has their own special 'dishes' for the holiday season. From Potica to Stollen to Buche de Noel; food plays a pivotal role in modern day celebrations. Pagans and Christians alike both enjoy and share in this rich and tasty tradition.
Now where did I put my fork?
*Potica -Slovak/Czech bread
*Stollen - German cake
*Buche de Noel - France and Quebec cake (Yule Log)
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