Wales is a Christian country, so most people in Wales celebrate Christmas Day as the birth of Jesus Christ. We celebrate by giving each other presents, Santa Claus visits all the little boys and girls in the world to leave toys and most of us have a roast dinner with all the trimmings.
However, some theologians have argued Jesus was probably born in the Spring not the winter. It was Pope Julius I in the 4th century that asserted that Jesus was born on the 25th December.
Romans celebrated the Saturnalia festival in December by worshiping the Roman God Saturn,giving each other presents and holding feasts. The Roman slaves even reversed roles with their masters for the day. It was a time of good will just like what Christmas is supposed to be.
Christmas is so popular across the world today because Christianity spread far and wide in the middle ages and it replaced traditional pagan religions.
So, is our Christmas day built on a lie? We do not celebrate Christmas Day because it is Jesus’s birthday. Humans throughout history have celebrated festivals in December, and our Christmas Day has just replaced it.
Whilst I was very young and still in School, I celebrated Christmas Day as a young Christian child. But as I have grown older, I have stopped believing in God and therefore my understanding of Christmas has changed. But for the sake of my children, I still celebrate Christmas by leaving a carrot and mince pie for Santa and we have a big roast dinner to enjoy.
So as a non-Christian and an atheist, I can still keep some of the traditions that have been ingrained in us for centuries but I can put my own twist on them because over time tradition changes.
