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Our Pagan Christmas

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This brief pamphlet was written in 1974 by R.J. Condon for the (British) National Secular Society, which in 1973 began producing a series of "Heretic Cards" to send to people in lieu of Christmas/Happy Holidays cards. This pamphlet was intended to be sent along with the cards, if desired.

National Secular Society President (in 1974) wrote in her Foreword, "Those of us who make no secret of our rejection of Christian beliefs ... would hate to feel excluded from the general jollification. With the aid of this little bok we can boldly join in the feast without losing face! ... this seems to be the first booklet of its kind for the general reader on the popular subject of Christmas... Ironically enough, if anyone ought to abstain from the seasonal celebrations of the fourth week of December on grounds of creedan consistency it is... the believing Christian! The pantomime, the Christmas tree, candles, mistletoe, holly, feasting on special kinds of meat, the mince pies and the flaming sun-shaped Christmas pudding---all were pagan in origin and symbolism, and all were anathema to the Fathers of the Church."

Here are some quotations from the booklet:

"Had we lived at the period assigned to the birth of Jesus ... a fortnight or so before the end of December would have found almost everyone preparing for a great festival, the Saturnalia, which lasted from the 17th to the 24th of December..." (Pg. 8)
"Not until the fourth century, however, would the Church be powerful enough to ... announce that henceforth the birth of the true Sun of Righteousness would be celebrated on the day of the 'Natalis Solis Invicti.'" (Pg. 10)
"Christmas fires, and the lighting of candles, perpetuate another pagan custom, encouraging the sun in its weakest hour with their heat and light." (Pg. 19)
"To sum up, it would be difficult if not impossible to name a single feature of the Chrismas scene that is not derived from paganism. Even Santa Claus is little more than the Scandinavian Wotan, driving through the night sky from the frozen north with gifts for those who honor him at Yuletide. But there is surely no need... to ignore the festive season once its true nature is realized. For how many of us, religious or otherwise, can honestly claim that we do not welcome the annual rebirth of the sun?" (Pg. 21)