クリスマスの神話 ( クリスマス ) - ケンジの人々

1日遅れましたが、メリークリスマス！

皆さん、どのようなクリスマスを過ごされましたでしょうか？

私は例によって、学校や街の飲み屋でお姉さま方と飲みまくってました。

それを知ったか知らずか、妻が珍しく英文で、興味深い話を載せていました。

訳すの面倒なので、皆さん辞書片手に読んでみて下さいね！
月刊「ケンジの人々」今年もありがとうございました。

もしかしたら、大晦日にご挨拶するかもしれませんが、一応皆様、よいお年を(^^)/

The myths of Christmas:

Santa Claus
It said to have been originally the God Odin. According to a German legend the God would held a great annual hunt in the world during the period of the winter solstice, accompanied by other gods and dead warriors . This tradition has continued for Christians with St nicholas.

Coca- Cola advertising, a beverage created in America in the 19th Century certainly helped to create the modern image of Santa Claus or that of the pot-bellied, bearded big man dress red.

December 25 to 31
These days coincide with the winter solstice and have always been celebrated by the ancient Romans with public banquets, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying .
The Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honor of the deity Saturn.
In fact, during the winter solstice, the days are short, dark and nature dies.
The ancients wanted to exorcise death and at the same time hoped that nature would soon return to flourish.

The Birth of Jesus December 25th is a date chosen by the Church to replace pagan festivals in the days of winter solstice, placing the birth of Christ instead of the rebirth of Sol Invictus (the birth of the sun was regarded as a divine sign in which the ancients gave different meanings and celebrated in many ways).
The are manuscripts called Qumran which according to a Jewish scholar, would confirm this date, however Jesus date of birth is dubious and there are no archaeological evidence.

The Christmas Tree originated Germany in the 16th-century , in the 19th century it was imported into the rest of Europe and it might have a similarity with the " Greasy pole".

One of the oldest and most important Christman symbol is the Nativity scene , which was the "Bethlehem little Christmas Crib " that everyone could have in their house without going to the Holy Land (remember that the early Christians used to go there on pilgrimage, as did Helena, mother of Constantine).

To conclude, the BEFANA - Epiphany in Italy is the personification of the old year who leaves us to make room for the new, hopefully, nicer and richer.

A&D