Today, ‘deep down we are still Romans’. Our way of celebrating Christmas has a lot to do with the times of banquets that the Romans enjoyed.

In ancient Rome, Muy published Interesante, de day of the god Saturn on December 17. These encounters lasted up to seven days and were known as the Saturnalia.

For BBC Mundo, the fact that Christmas is celebrated in December and is an opportunity to get together with the family has a lot to do with Roman influence.

Saturnalia… origin of Christmas?

They point out in Very Interesting that “the sacrifice in the temple of Saturn was followed by a great public banquet, and in due course this feast lasted seven days.”

At that time, “the Romans organized meals, danced, sang, lit candles and visited their friends and relatives, with whom they exchanged gifts.”

With the Saturnalia, the BBC points out, the ancient Romans celebrated ‘the rebirth’ of the year, as the winter solstice came to fruition, which, according to the Julian calendar (which ruled the empire and Europe for centuries), was curiously celebrated in December. 25. . However, the festival started eight days earlier, on December 17.”

“This celebration was held in honor of the god Saturn (hence the name) and was always characterized by the relaxation of social order and a carnival atmosphere,” Australian historian Marguerite Johnson told BBC Mundo.

The men were dressed as women and the masters were dressed as servants, among other inverted conventions.

Gambling games were allowed during these days, schools remained closed and everyone tried to show their best at the events they attended that week, says Muy Interesante.

Glory to Saturn

The celebration in honor of Saturn – the most important deity, Johnson noted – coincided with the onset of winter.

He recalled for the BBC that Saturn was “the god of time, agriculture and supernatural things.

The Saturnalia – so they say in Muy Interesante – began when the winter sowing ended, so that both farmers and slaves could give themselves some time to rest and enjoy their free time.

Gifts at Saturnalia

The “similarities” of these holidays with Christmas are increasing.

The custom of giving gifts on the date when we commemorate the birth of the Child Jesus, everything points to it, from that time of Roman revelry, where also the decoration of houses with vegetation stood out, candles were lit and… They gave gifts , emphasizes BBC Mundo.

He adds that “as part of that tradition of ingratiating oneself to the afterlife and to others, gifts were introduced.”

The historian emphasizes that as the days grew shorter and the earth symbolically died, it was necessary for the god of time and food to be happy.

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What did they give each other?

The Romans “exchanged candles, woolen slippers, hats and even socks as gifts,” says the BBC. At Saturnalia it was customary to give away food, says Muy Interesante.

According to National Geographic and The Conversation, the poet Marcial he complained of receiving “ridiculous gifts” or second-hand, or, very often, of not having received them.

In an epigram (poetic composition) – they explain – “he includes the list of gifts he received from one of his friends, made by third parties: small kitchen utensils and food (beans, olives, must, figs, prunes. ..) “.

Lawyer Sabelo also “boasts about everything he has received. The list includes wheat, bean flour, incense, pepper, sausages, sweet wine, figs, onions, snails, cheese, olives, a set of cups and a napkin…

Marcial – continues National Geographic – devotes an entire book to gifts, entitled Apophoreta (which means ‘gift to take’). It’s a gift catalogue, they explain.

(…) The reader will find books, utensils, household items, furniture, decoration, crockery, candles. Also beauty items, sporting goods, food and pets. There is no shortage of jewelry, household and clothing items (including underwear) or shoes (there are even slippers!). This also includes musical instruments, works of art and slaves.”

Why do we feel like Christmas comes earlier every year?

Rosario Moreno Soldevila, professor of Latin philology at Pablo de Olavide University (Seville), quoted in Muy Interesante, says: “We cannot draw a line of continuity between the current Christmas holidays and the celebrations in honor of Saturn.”

However, he says: “On these dates, when I drink some sweet wine, put on festive clothes, invite family and friends or give and receive Christmas gifts, I can’t help but think that deep down we are still Romans celebrating the Saturnalia. ”.

Saturnalia was celebrated into late antiquity, according to the BBC. They also indicate that the Romans celebrated another festival: that of the “birth of the unconquered or unconquered sun” (Natalis Solis Invicti), every year on December 25, according to several documents from Roman times.

By the end of Roman times, Christmas was already part of the Roman calendar. Centuries have passed and the dates we celebrate include many decorations with vegetation, banquets, wines and gifts.

(JO)