Writing for The Spectator (U.K.), historian Francis Young puts today’s Christmas celebration into the context of history. Hat tip to Ed Driscoll posting at Instapundit for the link. See his conclusion.
So, is Christmas pagan? In the sense that Christmas is a festival that retains, in most cultures, elements of pre-Christian midwinter festivities, the answer can be yes – provided we’re prepared to use the word ‘pagan’ in quite a loose way. (snip) But perhaps the most important point is that Christmas has never been solely a religious festival – even if Christmas is not pagan, Christmas has always contained a strong element of the profane.
Whatever … I have always liked it a lot, especially the music and decorations. Merry Christmas to one and all.
