As the holiday season approaches, debates about the origins and meaning of Christmas traditions take center stage. Recently, on The Liberty Report, journalist Alex Newman interviewed esteemed historian William Federer, the founder of Amerisearch Inc., to unravel the misconceptions about Christmas, its symbols, and whether its roots derive from Christian or pagan history.
Kicking off the episode, Alex Newman addressed the controversial perception of Christmas as a pagan ritual amongst Christians. “You’ve even got Christians who will tell you, ‘Oh, you can’t celebrate Christmas. That’s pagan. That’s satanic,’” he remarked, setting the stage for Federer to dive into the true history of one of the world’s most cherished holidays.
Federer, acclaimed for his encyclopedic knowledge of historical figures, elaborated on the life of St. Nicholas, the inspiration behind the modern-day Santa Claus. “St. Nicholas is the most popular Greek Orthodox saint,” Federer said while recounting the legendary tale of Nicholas anonymously providing dowries for a destitute family, thereby establishing the tradition of secret gift-giving.
Tales of Nicholas giving money for a dowry are the “origin of the tradition of secret gift-giving at the anniversary of Nicholas’ death,” Federer explained, shedding light on how such narratives shaped contemporary customs.
Turning to the darker celebrations of Christmas in history, Federer described how, during the reign of Henry VIII in England, celebrations devolved into debauchery reminiscent of the pagan Saturnalia festival. “It became this drunken party,” Federer said, likening it to the modern Mardi Gras. As the Puritans rose to prominence, however, they countered these excesses by instituting bans on such celebrations and guiding celebrations to highlight the coming of Christ. “You cannot possibly think… that the birth of our Savior… we take time to please the hellish legions,” Federer cited from Puritan critiques of secular celebrations.
In wrapping up the discussion, Federer addressed how the Dutch adaptation of St. Nicholas fashioned the image of Santa Claus familiar today. “Santa Claus is the Dutch pronunciation of Saint Nicholas,” Federer explained, adding that Dutch immigrants brought many Christmas traditions to the New World.
In concluding the enlightening conversation, Federer emphasized the Christian virtues—charity, redemption, and joy—that form the essence of Christmas. As Newman and Federer illuminated, through careful understanding of history, individuals today can appreciate the combination of revelry and reverence that defines Christmas, ensuring that the true meaning of the season endures undiminished.
