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The Nadal in Catalonia: an approach to the pagan celebration of winter solstice

We can say without a doubt, the traditional Catalan pagan calendar is governed by four key dates, combining farming with parties parties astronomical. Two of them, summer and winter solstices, are based, especially in seasonal onsets and two others, the first of May to 31 October, have other more complex connotations. But, as already mentioned, the winter solstice is a turning point, which involves a large number of concepts, rituals, and structures that shaped the folklore and religion of the people, and have continued even passing under the yoke monotheism.

The Nadal, Christmas, or winter solstice celebrations is a set of and family rituals and community, based, in short, more or less on three premises:

1. Remember the natural cycle of death and rebirth of the Sun: This item is represented by the enormous amount of typical Christmas ornaments and decorations, which are already pre-Christian times and have originated in the northern European peoples, for whom this feast, called in July and lasted several days Geol structured around its annual calendar. Holly, mistletoe, holly lower (in Catalonia called Galzeran) Aveto and moss are used to decorate what is now dead and barren. But there is another player who symbolizes the natural cycle: the tree. At Christmas, the tree is the representation of all biological life, therefore, represents nature, who will make sacrifices and to be honored by decorating, doing that in a period of cold, hard, to bear fruit (whether yours or not). This tradition is Indo-European, and although the concept of actual Christmas tree has been inherited from the Nordic and Germanic peoples in Catalonia have our own reformulation: Uncle, which provides food and care, and who gives gifts and ensures prosperity for the coming year. So, in my opinion, continue to affirm, as it has done for decades, that the Christmas tree tradition is not a native is a half truth. The fir tree is not native, but the cult of the tree as the core of life itself is a local tradition in Europe, much more than a birth in the desert of Judea. Along with the traditional tree, is another important factor: the fire and the fires, which provide a cohesive element to the people. Even today in many villages in Catalunya huge bonfires are lit on December 24 evening, before dinner to celebrate Christmas Eve, and these fires have a tribal magical component that we should not pass unnoticed.
2. unite and strengthen the bonds of community and tribe: as a seasonal festival, is used to reconnect with family and loved ones, something that is evident in the feasts of Christmas and that certainly has been what has undergone fewer changes from time immemorial. It is time to renew promises to strengthen the bonds of tribe, and therefore also exchange gifts. The tribe and the community also paid their respects to ancestors and the dead, sacrificing symbolic or lighting candles. Today, this tradition has continued with such seemingly simple things like Christmas lights on the tree, which are nothing more than a reminder of the absent.

as celebrated in Catalunya:

As mentioned above the tree, or uncle set Part of reverence for nature during this celebration, but we should not overlook the ancient tradition that is preserved in some mountain villages, or faies failures, such as the Pyrenees. This conclusion is based on light great torches and down the mountains with them in procession to the town square, symbolizing the descent of the sun and heat, which will rule the summer solstice. So, as we see, in Catalonia are preserved many examples of natural religion in cold weather, so you do not need artificial looking alarmed solstice celebration rituals indigenous.

regard to tribal and family unity, provided is the food and the ritual of the feast, which this time is based on meat, as a symbol of prosperity and purchasing power. The most expensive meats (beef, beef, duck and chicken) are cooked during these dates, as reminiscent of ancient sacrifices to the gods to also renew their commitment to them.

In conclusion, Christmas or Nadal is still easy to infer from all the monotheistic charge carries today, and it is clear that the Christian interpretation prevailed so long after the celebrations and rituals original (the winter solstice is Christianized, remember, in the fourth century). Anyway, I just wish that this long celebration death cyclical nature reminds us how much you need.