Happy Holidays or... what you will

[Carborendum]

So, we're in the Holiday Season.  I thought I'd take some time to discuss the lesser known facts that many of us know, but don't really think about all that often during these holidays.

THANKSGIVING

It really began when a devastating winter and epidemic killed off many of the Natives, as well as half the Plymouth Colony.  Because of this time of need, no one was in no mood to fight.

The Pilgrims had been fighting with the Pequot Tribe (known to be a belicose tribe of the area). *Note, sources disagree about this, as they do about what tribe it was.

The Wampanoag tribe was also warring with that tribe.  So, the Wampanoags sent Samoset (a Wampanoag) and Tisquantum (aka: Squanto who was the sole survivor of his own tribe) were sent to extend an olive branch to the pilgrims and set up an alliance against the Pequot.

Because the Pilgrims had women and children with them, and they were building homes in unclaimed lands, the Wampanoag believed these settlers to be different than the white men who had come earlier.

Squanto taught them how to hunt and plant crops in the New World.  It was a different terrain, climate, soil, and wilderness full of animals they were not familiar with.  Because of this education and alliance, the fall brought a bounteous harvest for all.  And, yes, they celebrated it.

For over 200 years various groups would celebrate a day of thanksgiving in honor of various traditions - not just the Pilgrim's first year.  But it became an American custom to remember that year where one-time enemies got together to help each other survive and thrive.

Finally, in 1863 President Abraham Lincoln determined that the nation was losing the trait of giving thanks to God for the blessings of America.  So, he declared it a national holiday.  Throughout the following years, people linked the new holiday with the story of the Pilgrims and Squanto.  The date moved around a bit until it was finally set as the fourth Thursday in November.

CHRISTMAS

Everyone knows the storyline.  But not everyone knows about the dates. 

As Christianity swept over all of Europe, the new converts still held some of their old traditions.  One of the most sacred to many pagan religions was the observance of Solstice.  It was a day to recognize the "return of the light".  Days got longer from that night onward (in the Northern Hemisphere).  As Jesus was known as the "Light of the World" it was easy to associate Jesus with Solstice.  So, Christmas was celebrated here and there as a quasi-observance of solstice.  The dates were not etched in stone since they didn't particularly keep track of dates during the winter months.  Everything was closed.

Christmas celebrations died down with the rise of Protestantism.  Some recognized its connection with Pagan observances.  Others revered it as a celebration of Christ.

A bunch of bad stuff happened.

Eventually, the Orthodox Churches and the Church of England wanted to promote it.  Two authors (Washington Irving & Charled Dickens) liked the idea and gave full throated support of making it a day to remember giving aid to the poor, time to family, good will to all.

The date of celebration was all over the board.  But Orthodoxy won out as they wanted to keep it near the historically recognized time of Solstice.  So, it was set to Dec 25th.

From the Bible, we know that it was somewhat after the time Caesar Augustus declared "all the world should be taxed."  This was always done at the beginning of the year.  However, the year didn't begin in January.  There was no January back then.  March was the beginning of the year.  The time between Solstice and March were simply "the winter."

So, if the decree was sent on the Ides of March (commonly a public announcement that the government had opened) and Nazareth was around 60 to 70 miles away.  It would have been somewhere around two to three weeks for the proclamation to reach Joseph and for them to respond.

I know the "official position" of the Church may or may not support "April 6th" as His birthday, depending on whom you ask.  But it still looks like a pretty good date.

TWELFTH NIGHT

Many an English student has read Twelfth Night (Or What You Will) in High School or College.  But I've never heard a teacher tell, nor student question what that title has to do with the story except for me.  And the teacher didn't know the answer.

Well, Twelfth Night was the last of the Twelve Days of Christmas (as the song indicates).  In Orthodoxy, it supposedly took 12 days for the wise men arrive to give him gifts (some may claim 2 years + 12 days).  So, orthodox churches would have a 12-day long celebration that culminated on Jan 6th. 

In the Bard's time, that final day was filled with topsy-turvy antics and festivities that certainly were not reverent.  And supposedly, this play was written to be performed for the Queen on Twelfth Night.  So, he wrote a comedy that had people going back-and-forth in their emotions and plot twists that spun your head.

So, Happy Holidays, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, or what you will.  And may your true love give you better gifts than last year.

Edited November 22, 2024 by Carborendum

[NeuroTypical]

You could spend a half an hour on the worthy and noble activity of listening to Rush Limbaugh telling the story of the first Thanksgiving.

 

[mordorbund]

Fact: For every early Christmas carol, advertisement, posts, or decorations, a turkey dies.

After decades of trying to change American culture, President Lincoln gave up on that tack and declared a national holiday for consuming turkey.

And that's how Thanksgiving was invented.

[Carborendum]

22 hours ago, NeuroTypical said:

You could spend a half an hour on the worthy and noble activity of listening to Rush Limbaugh telling the story of the first Thanksgiving.

I've heard this story.  And, while true, I don't see what this has to do with that first Thanksgiving (1621).  All the bad stuff that this narrative was the following year 1622.  Then the following year, 1623, Bradford scrapped the socialist plan.

For the first year (1621) they simply could not survive at all.  They absolutely needed the good will of the Wampanoag.  And that is how they survived the first year.  And they did, indeed, have a celebration that fall.

So, while he is correct:

• All this stuff happened.
• Yes, we ought to teach it in every school

But this is not the event for which we commemorate the first Thanksgiving.  Maybe we should.

Edited November 22, 2024 by Carborendum

[Manners Matter]

The first Thanksgiving was in Virginia. Google for more info but here's this:

One President acknowledged Virginia as the first Thanksgiving in the New World after getting a telegram from Virginia State Senator John J. Wicker in 1962. Senator Wicker claimed he had already proven to the Governor of Massachusetts the validity of Virginia’s claim by simply displaying the records to him.

“The White House mended its ways. President Kennedy’s next Thanksgiving Proclamation on November 5, 1963, stated, “Over three centuries ago, our forefathers in Virginia and Massachusetts, far from home, in a lonely wilderness set aside a time of Thanksgiving. They gave thanks for their safety, the health of their children, the fertility of their fields, for the love which bound them together, and for the faith which united them with their God.”