As the days grow shorter and we approach the winter solstice, much of the world slips into the familiar cycle of the Christmas season: lights in the darkness, shared meals, and the joy of giving.
Long before Christmas became a Christian holy day, these traditions already held meaning. Pre-Christian cultures across Europe marked the solstice as a time of reflection and hope, celebrating the return of the sun through festivals like Saturnalia and Yule. In Ireland, this connection is etched into our ancient landscape, from Newgrange to the Loughcrew cairns and beyond.
These celebrations focused on community, rest, feasting, and reassurance that light and life would endure even in the darkest days. Recognising these older roots can be liberating for humanists and non-religious people, reminding us that the season belongs not to one belief system, but to a deeply human response to nature and to one another.
As Humanists, we can embrace the season by focusing on what matters most: kindness, generosity, reflection, and togetherness.
However you mark this time, or if you don’t, we wish you warmth and joy this holiday season, and leave you with the reminder that the darkness always turns to light.
Megan De Siún
Administrator & Company Secretary – HAI
People possessing a strong religious belief might ask how anyone who is not Christian could celebrate Christmas… a festival that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. Some conservative Christians believe that a non-Christian celebration of Christmas is an example of cultural appropriation.
Truth be told, the Christmas holiday was more or less hijacked from other religions and beliefs.
Yule and Saturnalia: Christmastime before Christianity
Yule, Yulefest or Yuletide was a twelve day festival that started with the winter solstice on December 21st. It was subsequently reformulated and resulted in the term Christmastide. Reformatting of pagan religious and cultural activities into a Christianized form was used as a strategy to convert people to Christian beliefs and was officially sanctioned by the Church. Pope Gregory argued that conversions were easier if people were allowed to keep outward forms of long held traditions while changing the object of their adoration to a Christian god.
Yule was celebrated by various Northern Europeans, Germanic and Norse peoples. Early references appear in Gothic texts around the 5th or 6th century. It has been connected to the ghostly Wild Hunt procession, the God Odin (leader of the Hunt) and increased supernatural activity such as undead beings that walk the earth. Pagan Anglo-Saxons celebrated an event centred around female beings on what is now Christmas Eve called Mōdraniht. It was a fertility event during the Yule period.
Another credible theory is that Christmas’ derives from the Roman holiday of Saturnalia. Romans would cut down trees and bring them into their homes during this time. The upper classes in ancient Rome celebrated Dec. 25 as the birthday of the sun god Mithra. The date fell right in the middle of Saturnalia, a monthlong holiday dedicated to food, drink, and revelry.
Modern, secular Christmas celebrations
My own belief and what Christmas means to me is quite simple, and I find my view to be shared among many of my humanist friends. It’s not about the gifts or beliefs. It’s time spent with people I care about. Sitting down to a meal together and simply spending time with one another. Who’s to say we can’t put up Christmas trees or enjoy yule logs? A nod to traditions from long ago help make Christmas time special for us, no matter what our beliefs.
Valerie McDonogh Gliffe
HAI Board of Directors Alumni