Wed, Dec 08
|https://tinyurl.com/4uj657ek
Virtual Talk - The History of Christmas
Sean Murphy, an Irish Historian, will tell us all about the History of Christmas going back as far as Roman times. Why didn't early Christians celebrate the birth of Christ? Why was Christmas outlawed in Boston in the mid-1600s? Join in and learn about the long history of this worldwide holiday!
Time & Location
Dec 08, 2021, 7:00 PM
https://tinyurl.com/4uj657ek
About the Event
The event that is celebrated in Christian parts of the world has a very
interesting history. Early Christians did not celebrate the birth of
Christ. They believed that to do so was a form of pagan idolatry. The
main celebration was at Easter to commemorate the death of Christ.
Roman Christianity eventually became the official religion of the Roman Empire,
in the 4th century. It was then necessary to have a Christian festival at
that time of year to replace the pagan festival. What followed was an
event to celebrate the birth of Christ that included many of the
events associated with the pagan tradition.
From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in
Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings for breaking the
law. Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on
June 26, 1870.
The presentation will also include some information on the
celebration of Christmas in Ireland and will incorporate recorded
music and video to create a holiday friendly atmosphere.