Pagan holidays and traditions have been observed by various cultures throughout history. These ancient traditions often revolve around celebrating the cycles of nature and the changing seasons. Many of these holidays have gained attention in recent years as people seek to reconnect with their roots and honor the Earth. One widely recognized pagan holiday is Samhain, celebrated on October 31st or November 1st in the Northern Hemisphere. Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It is believed that during this time, the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest, allowing for communication with deceased loved ones.
The celebration occurred around the Ides of March — an infamous holiday of sorts respecting the assassination of Julius Caesar. The boys would don new purple clothing to signify themselves becoming full citizens of Rome.
Once the sacrifices and feasting simmered down, the men of the festivities, or Luperci , as they called them, would cut throngs off of newly sacrificed goats and go around whipping random women in the streets. Equinoxes, changes in the seasons, and astrological events have been observed by humanity for millennia as the natural calendar that dictated our very survival.
It is believed that during this time, the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest, allowing for communication with deceased loved ones. Modern celebrations often include bonfires, costumes, and rituals honoring ancestors. Another important pagan holiday is Imbolc, which falls on February 1st or 2nd.
Library Topic: Pagan Holidays
The holidays of this world counterfeit God's holy days, but it is obvious that they are very different. God warns us not to be involved in them.
New Year's Eve may seem like an innocuous, secular holiday, but it, too, has ties to ungodly, pre-Christian customs and religious practices.
New Year's celebrations often involve drunkenness, debauchery, and adultery. God commands us to separate ourselves from these customs and traditions of the world.
New Years, Christmas, Easter, Halloween and birthdays all originate in paganism. Satan entices many into accepting these pagan practices through emotional appeals.
Because of the pagan origins of Christmas, increasing numbers of Christians realize that one cannot 'put Christ' back into something in which He never was.
The pagan origins of Christmas are well known. How can Christians practice something that has always been anti-God? Is this worshiping 'in spirit and in truth'?
The Catholic Church chose December 25 as the date of Jesus' birth, centuries after the fact. However, internal biblical evidence gives a very different story.
The true story of Jesus' birth has been syncretized into a non-Christian festival, and even that has been obscured by a wrong date and a phony crèche scene.
If there is indeed a 'war on Christmas,' then let Rome defend it, for it was pagan Rome that co-opted the winter solstice and inserted the presumed birth of Jesus.
As another Christmas season approaches, many in God's church, including our children, dread having to endure it. We can help them understand God's way.
Christmas is a very blatant form of syncretism, the blending of diverse religious practices. The origins of Christmas testify of why we should reject it.
Decorating with evergreens, festivals of lights, and the practice of giving dolls as gifts in the middle of winter all originate in pagan festivals.
Orthodoxy in virtually every aspect of life has been discarded, indicating how perverse human nature is in its determination to rebel against God.
No one wants to have his traditions or treasured fantasies burst. But when a real Christian is presented with truth, he embraces it out of reverence for God.
Christmas, Easter, and Halloween all derive from sex, fertility, and sun worship. Christmas traces to the incestuous relationship of Semiramis and Nimrod.
Did Christmas come from the Bible or paganism? Here are the origins of the Christmas tree, Santa Claus, mistletoe, the holly wreath, and exchanging gifts.
The origins of Valentine's Day and its tenuous association with 'Saint Valentine' clearly point to something other than true love.
Halloween is the second-most popular holiday. This night not only lacks biblical foundation, but the Bible warns us against participating in such activities.
St. Valentine's Day started as a lewd, sensual, pagan festival in Rome. Lupercalia is a rite connected with fertility, honoring Venus, the goddess of sex.
Many think keeping Christmas is fine, yet God never tells us to celebrate His Son's birth. Celebrating such an obvious mix of biblical truth and paganism is presumptuous.
God never accepts worship that comes from human reasoning and the traditions of man. The starting point for worship must always be God and His revelation.
Galatians 4:9-10 is a favorite crutch of those who claim Christians no longer need to observe God's holy days. However, Paul's meaning is quite different.
Catholics eat fish on Friday as a form of penance, commemorating Christ's supposed death on 'Good' Friday. During pagan Lent, eating fish on Friday is mandatory.
Jesus said He would be 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb, but that is impossible in a Friday crucifixion, Sunday resurrection scenario. Here's the biblical truth.
If Christmas is Christ's birthday, it is strange that everybody else except Christ receives a gift. All of its symbols derive from pagan sources.
When did Jesus rise from the rich man's tomb? The world—because of tradition—says Sunday, but the Bible reveals the only possible timing of His resurrection.
February 14, Valentine's Day, may seem harmless enough, until the truth of its origins comes to light. Here is what lies behind this licentious, pagan day.
Valentine's Day, firmly rooted in paganism, concentrates on lust and sexual immorality, which are contrary to the way of life that pleases God.
Most Americans do not believe in demonic spirits enough to think of Halloween as a celebration of them. Rather, Halloween is a massive escape from reality.
God established the weekly Sabbath on the seventh day of Creation; He established His Holy Days (moedim) on the fourth day. These are His appointments.
Christ has never been in man's holidays, which are built on lies, and which teach children they cannot trust the veracity of their own parents.
Easter is not a Christian name, but belongs to the idolatrous 'queen of heaven.' Here are the origins of Easter eggs and sunrise services, which pre-date Christ.
If we are going to search for truth, we should not be seeking it in the philosophies of men, but rather in the fullness of truth found in God's revelation.
Both Israel and Judah during Hosea's time adopted paganism from the surrounding nations. Syncretistic religion blends paganism and Christianity.
A scriptural explanation of the time of Christ's death, burial and resurrection, showing that He died on a Wednesday and rose from the dead on the Sabbath.
Good and evil do not mix; we cannot associate with what is wrong. The proper fear of God plays a significant role in ridding evil from our lives.
If we do not keep God's holy days, we will deprive ourselves of the knowledge of God's purpose. Jesus and the first century church observed and upheld these days.
True Christians do not celebrate Halloween. It is pagan in origin and practice and will destroy one's relationship with God. Light and darkness cannot mix.
Valentine's Day dates back to the Roman fertility ritual honoring Lupercus, the god of the hunt and fertility. The day is not about love, but lust.
We must be on guard for the incremental nature of gray areas. Godly reasoning recognizes no gray areas; just because something is lawful does not mean it is good.
We need to follow Nehemiah's example in submitting to God, focusing on the right goals, having wisdom in handling complex situations, and having courage.
Most people consider the second commandment to deal with making or falling down before a pagan idol, but it covers all aspects of the way we worship.
In Colossians 2:16 and Galatians 4:9-10, Paul was warning against mixing Gnostic asceticism and pagan customs with the keeping of God's Sabbath and Holy Days.
Jeroboam, pragmatic and fearful, established a more convenient idolatrous festival to prevent his people from keeping the real Feast of Tabernacles in Judah.
How and why a person keeps the Sabbath determines whether this test commandment is really a sign between God and His people or an act of futility.
Things written in the Old Testament were written for us. The differences in the covenants focus on justification and access to God, not doing away with the law.
What we believe automatically determines what we do; it is impossible to separate faith and works. If Jesus is not our source of belief, our works will suffer.
Israel had every opportunity that the Gentiles did not have. God gave the Israelites gifts to live a better way, but they completely failed to reflect Him.
The spirit of Babylon is one of self-determination and independence, antagonistic toward every institution of God, even something as basic as God-given gender.
As we age, the pressures of life, work, and experience all contribute to wearing us down. Only a few seem to have learned to remain happy despite hardship.
Persecution involves a wide spectrum, ranging from torture, physical beating, social excommunication, imprisonment and death. Our boldness should match Paul's.
Two of Daniel's prophecies differ by 75 days, perhaps paralleling the 75 dramatic days between the resurrections of Lazarus and Jesus Christ.
The church must forcefully deal with the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness or it too will succumb to the terrifying vortex of despair.
Paul urges Euodia and Syntyche to follow the example of Christ rather than placing their desire to be right over unity. Godly leadership follows submission.
A person who is puffed up parades his knowledge by exhibiting impatience, intolerance, or a false modesty, marginalizing what the uneducated in their minds.
The last days of the Worldwide Church of God demonstrated a dearth of righteous judgment. God expects us to judge wisely within the parameters of His Law.
The world is confused on the timing of Christ's death and resurrection. It becomes clear by a proper understanding of the holy days, preparation days, and Sabbaths.
Israel demonstrates divided loyalties, vacillating between God and the world, veering more toward the world, resembling a panting dog or a pleasure-bent prostitute.
There are no hollow threats with God Almighty. God will destroy disobedient people with the diseases of Egypt, cutting down our life-expectancy.
As citizens of the Kingdom of God, we are strangers, foreigners, aliens, or pilgrims to the world, but full-fledged citizens of God's Kingdom.
We must reorient our focus onto God's Word and His message of hope, never giving up our quest for righteousness and integrity in the midst of immorality.
We should be willing to give up anything for the Kingdom, controlling our speech, thoughts, behaviors, and lives. We cannot grow in grace without works.
Unlike tumultuous waves, the sea of glass before God's throne is tranquil and serene. Before we can stand on this sea of glass, we must be set apart and cleansed.
Works demonstrate our faith, our response to God's calling and His freely given grace. Reciprocity is always a part of our relationship with God.
Leprosy is a horrible disease, one that the ancients said could only be cured by God Himself. Jesus' healing of a leper manifested His divine power and mercy.
Samson had what it took but made horrible mistakes and lapses in judgment. God can use people despite their flawed character.
The Bible shows a clear pattern of how people leave the faith: looking back, drawing back, looking elsewhere, and then going backward and refusing to hear.
The Sermon on the Mount contains a explanation of what it takes to be a Christian. Matthew 5:38-42 provides the principles behind the 'above and beyond' attitude.
The Greek word 'logos' has been negatively loaded with unbiblical meanings. Its basic meaning is 'word' or 'saying,' yet it is really more complex.
Following Jesus requires absolute commitment, often involving sacrifice and discomfort. We must be willing to give up family and societal ties for God's sake.
Joy and gladness are gifts from God, resulting from Christ living His life in us and helping us to love the brethren. This love is perfected through suffering.
John the Baptist fulfilled the prophecy of the 'Elijah to come.' We must apply duality of prophecy carefully and cautiously rather than indiscriminately.
A lack of self-control, as well as the cultivation of self-indulgent perversions, will characterize large segments of our society living at the end times.
Our lives must be totally wrapped up in Christ, exemplifying His character. As we overcome, taking the same steps as Christ did, we will receive His reward.
Old Testament activities picture New Testament realities, elevated to their spiritual intent. The church has been chosen as a royal and holy priesthood.
The Sabbath rest depicts the miracle of conversion, in which the transformation of mankind into God's image brings about a rest in which God takes pleasure.
We must lay aside every weight, accept God's chastening, receive encouragement from those who have gone before, and get back into the spiritual race.
No part of God's Law has been 'done away'. Jesus came to magnify the law, giving it a far more penetrating, spiritual application. Man flounders without law.
The prophecies concerning the Man of Sin refer to a person with great political power with global significance rather than to a leader of a small church.
The valley-of-shadow imagery symbolizes the fears, trials, and tests needed to produce character, quality fruit, and an intimate trust in the shepherd.
A community can only be established upon a foundation of stability and truth. Our relationships must be based upon God's truth, producing faithfulness.
The book of John provides a plethora of signs corroborating Christ's authenticity and also shows how to live as God would live if He were a man.
The overriding motivation for the individuals bringing to Jesus the woman caught in adultery was to trap Him, impaling Him on the horns of a dilemma.
Ave, Caesar! Io, Saturnalia!
Imbolc marks the beginning of spring and is associated with fertility and new beginnings. Traditionally, it was a time to prepare for the upcoming planting season and to honor the goddess Brigid. Some modern practices include lighting candles, making Brigid's crosses, and performing rituals to welcome the returning light. Beltane, celebrated on May 1st, is a pagan holiday associated with fertility and the arrival of summer. It is often celebrated with bonfires, dances, and rituals to honor gods and goddesses of love and fertility. This holiday is a time of joy and celebration, symbolizing the earth's abundance and the potential for growth. Lughnasadh or Lammas, observed on August 1st or 2nd, marks the first harvest of the year. It is a time to give thanks for the abundance of the earth and to celebrate the fruits of our labor. Traditionally, this holiday involved feasting, games, and rituals to honor the god Lugh. In modern times, people might gather to enjoy a communal meal or participate in outdoor activities. These are just a few examples of pagan holidays and traditions that have persisted throughout history. Each culture has its own unique celebrations and rituals, but they all share a common reverence for nature and the cycles of life. By observing these ancient traditions, people can reconnect with the earth and cultivate a deeper respect for the natural world..
Reviews for "Exploring the Pagan Wheel of the Year"
1. John - 1 star
I found "Pagan Holidays and Traditions" to be extremely flawed and misleading. The author makes several unfounded claims about the origins of various holidays, offering no proper evidence to support their assertions. Additionally, while the book claims to be objective, it is clear that the author has a biased perspective against pagan traditions, which greatly undermines the credibility of the information provided. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to anyone seeking an accurate and unbiased understanding of pagan holidays.
2. Mary - 2 stars
"Pagan Holidays and Traditions" completely missed the mark for me. While I was intrigued by the concept of exploring pagan celebrations, I found the book to be lacking in-depth information and analysis. The content was shallow at best, providing only surface-level explanations of each holiday without delving into the rich history and cultural significance behind them. Furthermore, the author's writing style was dry and uninspiring, making it difficult to maintain my interest throughout the book. As an enthusiast of pagan traditions, I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations.
3. David - 1 star
I was highly disappointed by "Pagan Holidays and Traditions." The author's approach to the subject matter was condescending and disrespectful towards pagan beliefs and practices. Rather than providing a balanced and objective view, the book was filled with derogatory comments and negative stereotypes about pagan traditions. It is clear that the author has a personal bias against paganism, which greatly affected the content of the book. If you are looking for an unbiased and respectful exploration of pagan holidays, I would not recommend this book.