Christmas, Birthday Traditions and Ancient Folklore
The booklet The Facts on Halloween, pp. 8, 17 says: "Since Halloween itself originated with paganism, it is hardly surprising that is customs are related to pagan belief."
It then breaks down certain Halloween practices steeped in paganism that seem to parallel those of the practices surrounding the celebration of Jesus' birth (the involvement of the Druids, the worship of the Sun-God). Later, this publication states,
"Based on our discussion to date, we can see that Halloween symbolism and activities today, although technically removed from their ancient practices, nevertheless retain the underlying associations for which they were intended. In other words, the very act of dressing or costuming oneself heralds back to the original purpose for which this was done...Can we truly align ourselves innocently with something traditionally and currently involved with the occult and be certain we will never be affected in any manner? In other words, in merely participating in Halloween, are we ignorantly skirting the territory of the devil?"
Not until men first charted the stars thousands of years ago, and linked their fates with events in the sky, did personal birthdays down to the hour of birth become important. To know ones' moment of birth meant that a horoscope could be drawn up. The horoscope was considered critical to a good and happy life.
"The keeping of birthday records was important in ancient times principally because a birth date was essential for the casting of a horoscope," The Lore of Birthdays, Ralph and Adelin Linton.
Writes Linda Rannells Lewis in Birthdays, "Birthdays have been celebrated for thousands of years. In early civilizations, where the development of a calendar made an organized reckoning of birth dates possible, the horoscopes of ruling monarchs, their successors and rivals had to be cast with care and birthday omens meticulously examined, for the prospects of the mighty would affect the prospects of the entire society. By the time of Ptolemy V this practice was well established: 'Ptolemy, the ever living, the beloved of Ptah, the son of the two Brother-Gods, was born on the fifth day of the month DIOS, and this day was, in consequence, the beginning of great prosperity and happiness of all living men and women" (p. 12).
Ptolemy V was an ancient Egyptian king. It was common in his day for kings and rulers to have their horoscopes made by astrologers and their birthdays were considered very important omens of the future.
Lewis continues, "In Egypt households of the same period birthdays were celebrated similarly. A part of the family budget was set aside to buy birthday garlands and animals for sacrifice, just as we might plan to spend a certain sum for balloons, party hats, and an ice cream cake" (pages 12-13).
As with much that is new, the rich and prominent were the first to enjoy birthday celebrations. Egypt's Pharaohs ordered businesses to close on their birthdays and gave enormous feasts for their hundreds of servants. Cleopatra gave Antony a birthday dinner with gifts so plentiful that some party goers arrived poor and left wealthy.
http://www.openhere.com/holidays/birthday/history.htm
Celebrating of birthdays was common amongst neighboring pagan nations also, but it was completely foreign to Christians.
"The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of NT origin. The day of Christ's birth cannot be ascertained from the NT, or, indeed, from any other source. The fathers of the first three centuries do not speak of any special observance of the nativity."-Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981 reprint), by John McClintock and James Strong, Volume II, page 276.
"Of all the holy people in the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) who make great rejoicings over the day on which they were born into this world below."-The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1911), Volume X, page 709 (quoting Origen Adamantius of the third century).
"Most of the Christmas customs now prevailing in Europe, or recorded from former times, are not genuine Christian customs, but heathen customs which have been absorbed or tolerated by the Church. . . . The Saturnalia in Rome provided the model for most of the merry customs of the Christmas time."-Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics (Edinburgh, 1911), edited by James Hastings, Volume III, pages 608, 609.
Then too we have the disturbing connection of birthdays with human sacrifices. In 2 Maccabees 6:7 there is the reference to the monthly celebration of the birthday of Antiochus IV, during which the Jews were forced to partake of the sacrifices. Josephus (Wars of the Jews, vii. 3. 1) refers to Titus’ celebration of his brother’s and father’s birthdays by slaughtering Jewish captives.
"The celebration of the anniversary of an individual's birth, though customary among the ancients, was originally frowned upon by the Christians," notes William S. Walsh in his book Curiosities of Popular Customs. Historian Walsh goes on to quote from early Christian writings on the subject, saying: "Thus Origen, in a homily on Leviticus xii 2, assures his hearers that 'none of the saints can be found who ever held a feast or a banquet upon his birthday, or rejoiced on the day when his son or his daughter was born. But sinners rejoice and make merry on such days."'
"The annual celebration of a person's birth probably originated in Egypt, where the birthdays of rulers and gods were celebrated with feasts. The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays at all." Encyclopedia of Days
http://www.shagtown.com/days/birthday.html
"The ancient world of Egypt, Greece, Rome and Persia celebrated the birthdays of gods, kings, and nobles...Although the ancient Israelis kept records of the ages of their male citizens, there is no evidence that they had any festivities on the anniversary of the birth date" (Encyclopedia Americana 1991).
"Christians of the first century did not celebrate the festival honoring the birth of Jesus-for the same reason they honored no other birthday anniversary. It was the feeling at that time by all Christians that the celebration of all birthdays (even the Lord's) was a custom of the pagans." Dr. John C. McCollister's The Christian Book of Why
To early Christians astrology was associated with Eastern religions, Roman Stoicism and the thinking of the Gnostics. Christians wanted no part of that!
"In the Bible there is no instance of birthday celebrations among the Jews themselves," points out M'Clintock and Strong's Cyclopædia, adding: "In fact, the later Jews at least regarded birthday celebrations as parts of idolatrous worship."
"The notion of a birthday festival was far from the ideas of the Christians of this period in general." [The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries (New York, 1848), Augustus Neander (translated by Henry John Rose), p. 190.] "The later Hebrews looked on the celebration of birthdays as a part of idolatrous worship, a view which would be abundantly confirmed by what they saw of the common observances associated with these days." [The Imperial Bible-Dictionary (London, 1874), edited by Patrick Fairbairn, Vol. I, p. 225.]
Of course, astrology may not have been the only connection known to early Christians. Birthdays had strong connections with pagan religions that are less noticeable today.
"The custom of commemorating the day of birth is connected . . . in its content, with certain primitive religious principles," Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics.
What principles?
From http://www.birthdayexpress.com/bexpress/planning/BirthdayCelebrations.asp
"History of Birthdays
Before humans had a way of keeping time, no one paid much attention to the anniversary of important events, such as birthdays. Only when ancient peoples began taking notice of the moon's cycles, did they pay attention to the changing seasons and the pattern that repeated itself over and over. Eventually, the first calendars were formulated in order to mark time changes and other special days. From this tracking system came the ability to celebrate birthdays and other significant anniversaries the same day each year.
Evidence of birthday observances dates back before the rise of Christianity. In pagan cultures, people feared evil spirits - especially on their birthdays. It was a common belief that evil spirits were more dangerous to a person when he or she experienced a change in their daily life, such as turning a year older. As a result, birthdays were merry occasions celebrated with family and friends, who surrounded the person of honor with laughter and joy in order to protect them from evil. Instead of gifts, most guests brought positive thoughts and happy wishes for the upcoming year. However, if well-wishers did bring gifts, it was considered an especially good influence for the birthday person."
"The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or daemon who attended his birth and watched over him in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born. The Romans also subscribed to this idea. They called the spirit the genius. This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the guardian angel, the fairy godmother and the patron saint."-The Lore of Birthdays,p. 8, by Ralph and Adelin Linton.
"The various customs with which people today celebrate their birthdays have a long history. Their origins lie in the realm of magic and religion. The customs of offering congratulations, presenting gifts and celebrating - complete with lighted candles - in ancient times were meant to protect the birthday celebrant from the demons and to ensure his security for the coming year... Down to the fourth century, Christianity rejected the birthday celebration as a pagan custom." [Schwbische Zeitung, April 3/4, 1981, p. 4.]
Additionally, much that is taken for granted in birthday celebrations today retains the flavor of ancient religious rites.
"The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with the Greeks," say the Lintons. "Philochorus [an ancient Greek historian] records that on the sixth day of each month, the birthday of Artemis, [the fertility] goddess of the moon and the hunt, honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of this goddess."
What do the candles mean?
"Birthday candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes . . . Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good fortune," notes the same source.
How about the traditional greeting "Happy Birthday"? Says The Lore of Birthdays:
"Birthday greetings and wishes for happiness are an intrinsic part of this holiday. . . . originally the idea was rooted in magic. The working of spells for good and evil is the chief usage of witchcraft. One is especially susceptible to such spells on his birthday, as one's personal spirits are about at the time. . . . Birthday greetings have power for good or ill because one is closer to the spirit world on this day."-Page 20.
Birthdays play a major role even in modern Satanism.
The Satanic Bible (Anton Szandor LaVey, (Air) Book of Lucifer – The Enlightenment, Avon Books, 1969, Ch XI, Religious Holidays, p. 96) has the following to say about Birthdays:
‘Why not really be honest and if you are going to create a god in your image, why not create that god as yourself." Every man is a god if he chooses to recognize himself as one. So, the Satanist celebrates his own birthday as the most important holiday of the year. After all, aren’t you happier about the fact that you were born than you are about the birth of someone you have never met? Or for that matter, aside from religious holidays, why pay higher tribute to the birthday of a president or to a date in history than we do to the day we were brought into this greatest of all worlds?
"The birthday is the most important holiday a member of the Church of Satan can celebrate, as outlined by Anton Szandors LaVey in The Satanic Bible. Satanists believe that the most important being is themselves, so the day when they first breathe is the best day among all others." Exquisitor
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=Birthday
The booklet The Facts on Halloween, pp. 8, 17 says: "Since Halloween itself originated with paganism, it is hardly surprising that is customs are related to pagan belief."
It then breaks down certain Halloween practices steeped in paganism that seem to parallel those of the practices surrounding the celebration of Jesus' birth (the involvement of the Druids, the worship of the Sun-God). Later, this publication states,
"Based on our discussion to date, we can see that Halloween symbolism and activities today, although technically removed from their ancient practices, nevertheless retain the underlying associations for which they were intended. In other words, the very act of dressing or costuming oneself heralds back to the original purpose for which this was done...Can we truly align ourselves innocently with something traditionally and currently involved with the occult and be certain we will never be affected in any manner? In other words, in merely participating in Halloween, are we ignorantly skirting the territory of the devil?"
Not until men first charted the stars thousands of years ago, and linked their fates with events in the sky, did personal birthdays down to the hour of birth become important. To know ones' moment of birth meant that a horoscope could be drawn up. The horoscope was considered critical to a good and happy life.
"The keeping of birthday records was important in ancient times principally because a birth date was essential for the casting of a horoscope," The Lore of Birthdays, Ralph and Adelin Linton.
Writes Linda Rannells Lewis in Birthdays, "Birthdays have been celebrated for thousands of years. In early civilizations, where the development of a calendar made an organized reckoning of birth dates possible, the horoscopes of ruling monarchs, their successors and rivals had to be cast with care and birthday omens meticulously examined, for the prospects of the mighty would affect the prospects of the entire society. By the time of Ptolemy V this practice was well established: 'Ptolemy, the ever living, the beloved of Ptah, the son of the two Brother-Gods, was born on the fifth day of the month DIOS, and this day was, in consequence, the beginning of great prosperity and happiness of all living men and women" (p. 12).
Ptolemy V was an ancient Egyptian king. It was common in his day for kings and rulers to have their horoscopes made by astrologers and their birthdays were considered very important omens of the future.
Lewis continues, "In Egypt households of the same period birthdays were celebrated similarly. A part of the family budget was set aside to buy birthday garlands and animals for sacrifice, just as we might plan to spend a certain sum for balloons, party hats, and an ice cream cake" (pages 12-13).
As with much that is new, the rich and prominent were the first to enjoy birthday celebrations. Egypt's Pharaohs ordered businesses to close on their birthdays and gave enormous feasts for their hundreds of servants. Cleopatra gave Antony a birthday dinner with gifts so plentiful that some party goers arrived poor and left wealthy.
http://www.openhere.com/holidays/birthday/history.htm
Celebrating of birthdays was common amongst neighboring pagan nations also, but it was completely foreign to Christians.
"The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of NT origin. The day of Christ's birth cannot be ascertained from the NT, or, indeed, from any other source. The fathers of the first three centuries do not speak of any special observance of the nativity."-Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981 reprint), by John McClintock and James Strong, Volume II, page 276.
"Of all the holy people in the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) who make great rejoicings over the day on which they were born into this world below."-The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1911), Volume X, page 709 (quoting Origen Adamantius of the third century).
"Most of the Christmas customs now prevailing in Europe, or recorded from former times, are not genuine Christian customs, but heathen customs which have been absorbed or tolerated by the Church. . . . The Saturnalia in Rome provided the model for most of the merry customs of the Christmas time."-Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics (Edinburgh, 1911), edited by James Hastings, Volume III, pages 608, 609.
Then too we have the disturbing connection of birthdays with human sacrifices. In 2 Maccabees 6:7 there is the reference to the monthly celebration of the birthday of Antiochus IV, during which the Jews were forced to partake of the sacrifices. Josephus (Wars of the Jews, vii. 3. 1) refers to Titus’ celebration of his brother’s and father’s birthdays by slaughtering Jewish captives.
"The celebration of the anniversary of an individual's birth, though customary among the ancients, was originally frowned upon by the Christians," notes William S. Walsh in his book Curiosities of Popular Customs. Historian Walsh goes on to quote from early Christian writings on the subject, saying: "Thus Origen, in a homily on Leviticus xii 2, assures his hearers that 'none of the saints can be found who ever held a feast or a banquet upon his birthday, or rejoiced on the day when his son or his daughter was born. But sinners rejoice and make merry on such days."'
"The annual celebration of a person's birth probably originated in Egypt, where the birthdays of rulers and gods were celebrated with feasts. The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays at all." Encyclopedia of Days
http://www.shagtown.com/days/birthday.html
"The ancient world of Egypt, Greece, Rome and Persia celebrated the birthdays of gods, kings, and nobles...Although the ancient Israelis kept records of the ages of their male citizens, there is no evidence that they had any festivities on the anniversary of the birth date" (Encyclopedia Americana 1991).
"Christians of the first century did not celebrate the festival honoring the birth of Jesus-for the same reason they honored no other birthday anniversary. It was the feeling at that time by all Christians that the celebration of all birthdays (even the Lord's) was a custom of the pagans." Dr. John C. McCollister's The Christian Book of Why
To early Christians astrology was associated with Eastern religions, Roman Stoicism and the thinking of the Gnostics. Christians wanted no part of that!
"In the Bible there is no instance of birthday celebrations among the Jews themselves," points out M'Clintock and Strong's Cyclopædia, adding: "In fact, the later Jews at least regarded birthday celebrations as parts of idolatrous worship."
"The notion of a birthday festival was far from the ideas of the Christians of this period in general." [The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries (New York, 1848), Augustus Neander (translated by Henry John Rose), p. 190.] "The later Hebrews looked on the celebration of birthdays as a part of idolatrous worship, a view which would be abundantly confirmed by what they saw of the common observances associated with these days." [The Imperial Bible-Dictionary (London, 1874), edited by Patrick Fairbairn, Vol. I, p. 225.]
Of course, astrology may not have been the only connection known to early Christians. Birthdays had strong connections with pagan religions that are less noticeable today.
"The custom of commemorating the day of birth is connected . . . in its content, with certain primitive religious principles," Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics.
What principles?
From http://www.birthdayexpress.com/bexpress/planning/BirthdayCelebrations.asp
"History of Birthdays
Before humans had a way of keeping time, no one paid much attention to the anniversary of important events, such as birthdays. Only when ancient peoples began taking notice of the moon's cycles, did they pay attention to the changing seasons and the pattern that repeated itself over and over. Eventually, the first calendars were formulated in order to mark time changes and other special days. From this tracking system came the ability to celebrate birthdays and other significant anniversaries the same day each year.
Evidence of birthday observances dates back before the rise of Christianity. In pagan cultures, people feared evil spirits - especially on their birthdays. It was a common belief that evil spirits were more dangerous to a person when he or she experienced a change in their daily life, such as turning a year older. As a result, birthdays were merry occasions celebrated with family and friends, who surrounded the person of honor with laughter and joy in order to protect them from evil. Instead of gifts, most guests brought positive thoughts and happy wishes for the upcoming year. However, if well-wishers did bring gifts, it was considered an especially good influence for the birthday person."
"The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or daemon who attended his birth and watched over him in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born. The Romans also subscribed to this idea. They called the spirit the genius. This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the guardian angel, the fairy godmother and the patron saint."-The Lore of Birthdays,p. 8, by Ralph and Adelin Linton.
"The various customs with which people today celebrate their birthdays have a long history. Their origins lie in the realm of magic and religion. The customs of offering congratulations, presenting gifts and celebrating - complete with lighted candles - in ancient times were meant to protect the birthday celebrant from the demons and to ensure his security for the coming year... Down to the fourth century, Christianity rejected the birthday celebration as a pagan custom." [Schwbische Zeitung, April 3/4, 1981, p. 4.]
Additionally, much that is taken for granted in birthday celebrations today retains the flavor of ancient religious rites.
"The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with the Greeks," say the Lintons. "Philochorus [an ancient Greek historian] records that on the sixth day of each month, the birthday of Artemis, [the fertility] goddess of the moon and the hunt, honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of this goddess."
What do the candles mean?
"Birthday candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes . . . Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good fortune," notes the same source.
How about the traditional greeting "Happy Birthday"? Says The Lore of Birthdays:
"Birthday greetings and wishes for happiness are an intrinsic part of this holiday. . . . originally the idea was rooted in magic. The working of spells for good and evil is the chief usage of witchcraft. One is especially susceptible to such spells on his birthday, as one's personal spirits are about at the time. . . . Birthday greetings have power for good or ill because one is closer to the spirit world on this day."-Page 20.
Birthdays play a major role even in modern Satanism.
The Satanic Bible (Anton Szandor LaVey, (Air) Book of Lucifer – The Enlightenment, Avon Books, 1969, Ch XI, Religious Holidays, p. 96) has the following to say about Birthdays:
‘Why not really be honest and if you are going to create a god in your image, why not create that god as yourself." Every man is a god if he chooses to recognize himself as one. So, the Satanist celebrates his own birthday as the most important holiday of the year. After all, aren’t you happier about the fact that you were born than you are about the birth of someone you have never met? Or for that matter, aside from religious holidays, why pay higher tribute to the birthday of a president or to a date in history than we do to the day we were brought into this greatest of all worlds?
"The birthday is the most important holiday a member of the Church of Satan can celebrate, as outlined by Anton Szandors LaVey in The Satanic Bible. Satanists believe that the most important being is themselves, so the day when they first breathe is the best day among all others." Exquisitor
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=Birthday
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