According to CBS News, the history of Christmas dates back to pagan rituals meant to celebrate the passing of the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. "Christmas is really about bringing out your inner pagan," said historian Kenneth C. Davis. His research shows that Christmas is linked to the Roman feast of Saturnalia, celebrated on December 25, the day of the winter solstice on the ancient Roman calendar. When Christianity replaced the old pantheistic beliefs of the Romans, that day became Christmas. (If it ain't broke ...) "There's a little discrepancy about it but there's no question that the fact that it was celebrated in Rome as an important day with gift giving, candle lighting, and singing and decorating houses really cemented Christmas as December 25," said Davis.
As Ancient Origins notes, the use of Christmas wreaths in Christian celebrations of the holiday go back to as early as 1444, and 16th-century Germans wove evergreen branches into a circle to represent God's never-ending love. Wreaths were used in pagan solstice rituals among the ancient Druids, Celts, and Romans for centuries before that. The circular shape of the wreath was meant as a symbol of victory, honor, and the continuing cycle of life that is to come after the shortest day of the year. According to Wear Your Voice magazine, even the ancient Egyptians used wreaths at solstice time, but they used palm fronds instead of evergreens.
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