SUNBURY— Santa coming down the chimney, decorating a Christmas tree, and opening presents, these are holiday traditions to which we’ve become accustomed, but what is the history of Christmas? John Moore , Northumberland author and history buff says Christmas is an adaptation of a Pagan holiday, “Our time of Christmas stems from the Winter Solstice many years ago before Christianity the Pagans celebrated the solstice .When Christianity came along and we began to celebrate Christmas, and then later on the early church absorbed the Pagan celebration of solstice into Christmas.”
Moore says the holiday of Christmas has origins about 1800 years ago with the solstice celebration and dates back to ancient Egypt, “We bring a Christmas tree inside; some of the ancient Egyptians would bring green from palm trees to have it inside, because it was also a symbol of life even though it was winter time.”
He says back in the 1700’s American Christmas was celebrated mainly through the church, and it is thought that Christmas trees were brought to America when German’s migrated and became what we know as the Pennsylvania Dutch. Hear the full history of Christmas from John Moore at WKOK.com. (Sarah Benek)
