Christmas Origin

DoubtingJesus · #1 2nd November 2009, 09:50 PM

I've been reading about a possible link between christmas traditions and the hallucinagenic mushroom Amanita muscaria. Does anyone know a good source for this information, or information that discredits this idea?

If you are unfamiliar with this, here is a link. I originally read a page that was better, but now I can't find it. This one covers the basics though.
Amanita muscaria and Christmas

keith99 · #2 3rd November 2009, 02:30 PM

Read it in detail and you can refute it yourself. Hint flying reindeer are recent, ones with red noses are more recent still. Both inventions of American poets and songwriters.

DoubtingJesus · #3 4th November 2009, 01:24 AM

Originally Posted by keith99

Read it in detail and you can refute it yourself. Hint flying reindeer are recent, ones with red noses are more recent still. Both inventions of American poets and songwriters.

Here is an interesting video on the subject of reindeer and Amanita mushrooms:

ThisAintNews.com :: The True Origin Of Santa And His Flying Reindeer?

jayem · #4 16th November 2009, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Finepointcanon

You know what's funny? The celebration of Christmas originated from the Roman holiday Saturnalia where men wore dresses, gave each other gifts, and had sex with each other. Slaves were masters for a day, and one innocent man or woman was executed in public, and general Roman overindulgence of every kind occurred.

That's where our celebration sprung from, it's real history, real gay violent history.

Yep. And for centuries thereafter, Christmas in Europe was pretty much a hedonistic, drunken revelry. Which is why the Puritans in colonial Massachusetts banned it for 20 years in the 17th century. Not working, feasting, or otherwise celebrating Christmas was punishable by fine:

"For preventing disorders, arising in several places within this jurisdiction by reason of some still observing such festivals as were superstitiously kept in other communities, to the great dishonor of God and offense of others: it is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon any such account as aforesaid, every such person so offending shall pay for every such offence five shilling as a fine to the county."

From the records of the General Court,
Massachusetts Bay Colony
May 11, 1659

Interesting that secularists are so often accused of being against Christmas. When in fact, the people who actually did outlaw Christmas were among the most ultra-pious, self-righteous, legalistic, authoritarian Christians ever.

When Christmas Was Banned in Boston | Massachusetts Travel Journal

Chesterton · #5 16th November 2009, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by Finepointcanon

You know what's funny? The celebration of Christmas originated from the Roman holiday Saturnalia where men wore dresses, gave each other gifts, and had sex with each other. Slaves were masters for a day, and one innocent man or woman was executed in public, and general Roman overindulgence of every kind occurred.

That's where our celebration sprung from, it's real history, real gay violent history.

It was decided that Christmas would be celebrated on the day that Saturnalia was formerly celebrated. Other than that they have nothing to do with each other.