The Origin of Christmas is Conquering Fear

Prehistoric Christmas

When you are huddling in the cold afraid there will be endless starving winter, a magical fat man flying through the sky to bring gifts and joy is a pleasant coping mechanism. That fat man is each of us.

Tis the season to be jolly. To be merry and bright.

Why is Christmas at the end of December and not, say, in June? It would be even nicer to sit around a tree outside basking in the warmth of the sun or enjoying the chill of a summer night.

Maybe it’s because of the beauty of snow. It does look pretty.

But then, there is even more snow in early February than December. In past decades in many places Christmas has been quite snow-less.

Why is Christmas on the 25th of December? Why did it become a big thing in Europe rather than Africa (there they celebrate it mostly as a fruit harvest festival)? Why is it a time to spend with family? Why is it green and red in a time when most of everything is white from snow? Why is it a celebration of togetherness?

No offense to Christians, but it’s not because of the birth of Jesus.

Leaving aside any discussion about the existence of Jesus and the truth in the Bible, it’s likely Christmas was celebrated by Christians on the…