The worst kept secret in Christianity is that Jesus wasn’t actually born in December. Though followers of Jesus have been celebrating the story of his birth from the very start, December 25th didn’t become the official day until the middle of the fourth century.
There are a number of theories about why this specific day was chosen. Perhaps the Church wanted to replace pagan practices around the winter solstice. This time of year, nights are long and many hope for the light to return. In ancient Rome, December 25th was when folks could first observe that the days were starting to lengthen again.
As we hear in the opening verses of John’s Gospel, “What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.” What better time to celebrate Jesus, the light of all people, than on the day that light begins to overtake the night once again?
All living things respond to the changing seasons. Animals hibernate or migrate when the days start to get shorter than the night. Even leaves on trees change color, not because of temperature or lack of water, but because of dwindling sunlight. When a tree branch is next to a streetlight, its leaves stay green even after all the other branches have let go. In recent years, scientists have begun to treat symptoms of seasonal depression with specialized lights that simulate the sun’s rays. Life responds to light.
Observing the winter solstice has been a universal human experience for thousands of years. From Machu Picchu in Peru to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, ancient astronomical observatories studied the sun’s movements. In Newgrange Ireland, a large mound built from quartz stones has a single opening that only allows the inner chamber to be filled with sunlight on the shortest day of the year. The Wurdi Youang in Australia is similar to England’s Stonehenge, though it has been marking the shifting seasons for almost twice as many millennia.
There are countless customs and festivals humans have come up with to ward off the night and to celebrate the daytime during this time of deep darkness. Burning Yule logs, hanging evergreens, lighting candles, exchanging gifts, and hosting feasts are all ways that people get through this difficult span of time. These traditions are meant to strengthen our hope. For Christians, they are here to remind us of the brightness of God’s unwavering love. We use them best when we enter the new year, not with stress and anxiety, but rather with joy and confidence in our God.
Unfortunately, too much of Christmas has been commercialized. Traditions meant to restore hope have become commodities with a price tag. Rituals meant to bring peace have been stuffed with high expectations. All the music and light designed to take our minds off of winter has been pushed earlier and earlier into autumn. So many of us enter January burdened by debt and defeat, unable to tell if the days are actually getting longer.
Do what you can this season to lean into hope over obligation. Embrace traditions that remind you of the warmth of God’s love, and hold onto them well beyond Christmas Day. Keep the lights up and the joyful music playing. Take care of yourself and those you love. Remember, as John wrote, that “the true light, which enlightens everyone,” has come into the world. This is good news worth celebrating all year round!
Peace,
Pastor Chad McKenna
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