The Origins of Christmas Symbols December has always been a festive time. It's a time to get together with family and friends, celebrate the gifts of the past year, and look toward the possibility and promise of the coming year.
People decorate their homes to mark the season.
Before Christianity, pagan peoples celebrated the Winter Solstice. They rejoiced as the days grew longer, the sun was reborn and life returned to the cold, dark land. They worshipped the sun because its renewal marked a return of fertility and bounty in the land. They used symbols like mistletoe, evergreen trees, and bells, much like we do today. Transitioning from Pagan to Christian Symbols Early Christian converts from paganism, however, did not worship the sun.