hy decorate evergreen TREES on the WINTER SOLSTICE? Why kiss under MISTLETOE? Where did "jolly old Saint NICK" come from and why should anyone LIE to their children about him? Isn't it IDOLATRY to sing "O Tannenbaum" and give PRESENTS to a TREE? Are HALOS and WREATHES merely images of SUN-WORSHIP? Is SANTA just another name for SATAN? When was Jesus born? Who is the "Fool King" or "Lord of Misrule"? Did the Babylon Mystery Religion worship a "mother and child"?

Winter Solstice

On December 21st the SUN'S path in the heavens starts to rise. Franz Cumont wrote, "The Mithraists also observed SUN-day and kept sacred the 25th of December as the birthday of the SUN" (Textes et Monuments 1:339). Sir James Frazer says, "The largest pagan religious cult which fostered the celebration of December 25th as a holiday ... was the pagan SUN-worship, Mithraism ... This winter festival was called ... 'The Nativity of the SUN.'" (The Golden Bough, p.471). Mario Righetti, a renowned Catholic liturgist, writes, "the Church of Rome, to facilitate the acceptance of the faith by the pagan masses, found it convenient to institute the 25th December as the feast of the temporal birth of Christ, to divert them from the pagan feast, celebrated on the same day in honour of the 'Invincible SUN,' Mithras." (Bacchiocchi's From Sabbath To Sunday, p.260).

December 25th (or the winter solstice) has been celebrated as the BIRTHDAYof the SUN god for 4000 years. This SUN god was called Krishna (Vishnu), Mithra, Osiris, Horus, Hercules, Dionysus (Bacchus), Adonis, Jupiter, Tammuz, Saturn, Buddha, Frigga, etcetera. (see S.E. Titcomb's Aryan Sun Myths, the Origin of Religions, pp.37-128). The Bible says, "Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean" (Gen. 35:2). "Inquire not after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? ... You shall not do so unto the Eternal your God" (Deut. 12:30-31). "Learn not the way of the heathen" (Jer. 10:2). "And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the SUN, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to WORSHIP them, and serve them, which the Eternal thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven" (Deut. 4:19).

Nine months after she was fertilized in the spring as "Mother Earth" or "Mother Nature," ASHTAROTH (Judges 2:13), the mother and wife of Baal, gave birth to the SUN on December 25 (Wilkin's Egyptians 4:405). SUN-worshippers were fearful the SUN would continue to decline in the sky and not return and so celebrated the WINTER SOLSTICE.

Santa

According to Francis Weiser's Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs, page 113, we read, "THOR was the god of the peasants and the common people. He was represented as an elderly man, JOVIAL and friendly, of HEAVY BUILD, with a LONG WHITE BEARD. His element was the FIRE, his color RED. The rumble and roar of thunder were said to be caused by the rolling of his CHARIOT, for he alone among the gods never rode on horseback but drove in a CHARIOT drawn by two white goats (called - CRACKER and GNASHER). He was fighting the giants of ICE AND SNOW, and thus became the YULE-god. He was said to live in the 'NORTHLAND' where he had his palace among the icebergs. By our pagan forefathers he was considered as the CHEERFUL and friendly god, never harming the humans, but, rather, helping and protecting them. The FIREPLACE in every home was especially sacred to him, and he was said to COME DOWN through the CHIMNEY into his element, the fire."

"Old NICK" refers to "the evil one" (Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary 2:22). SANTA was a name for Nimrod used throughout Asia Minor (p.37, Langer's Encyclopedia of World History). More importantly, SANTA is SATAN, with the letters merely rearranged, who counterfeits Christ returning from the NORTH POLE (Isa. 14:13; Ps. 48:2; 75:6). He flies through the air wearing a RED garment and WHITE BEARD -- just like the returning Christ (Rev.19:13; 1:14). Yes, SATAN sees you when you're sleeping and knows when you're awake just like Christ (Pr. 5:21). He knows if you've been bad or good just like Christ (Pr. 15:3). SATAN has counterfeited all these traits. Truly, SATAN is "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4; Isa. 14:14). and has a sinister, uncontrollable laugh -- "Ho, Ho, Ho." He’s always laughing. SATAN says, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds (as he is pulled by reindeer in his sleigh); I will be like the Most High” (Isa. 14:14). Doesn’t SANTA usurp God’s glory and God’s praise and actually take the place of God every winter solstice in the minds and hearts of millions of children?

Wreathes & Yule Logs & Round Ornaments

"But indeed a Christian will not even dishonor his own gate with laurel crowns (WREATHES)" (Tertullian, De Corona chpt. 13). Wreathes are ROUND images of the SUN. The term "YULE LOG" means "child log" because children were made to stand in a large circle around a tall oak pole. At sunrise, the shadow of the pole would fall upon a single child. The child was tied up and burned in a BONE PYRE (bonfire). Many people pollute God's name with their X-MAS (Ez. 20:39) and X-MAS TREE (Jer. 10:1-5) on which are hung more ROUND ornaments.

The Manger Nativity Scene

Typically, there are three wise men gathered around the baby in the manger. But the Bible says an UNNUMBERED group of wise men arrived "TWO YEARS" later (Matt. 2:16), not at the nativity. They arrived at a "HOUSE," not a manger, to see a "SMALL CHILD," not a baby (Matt. 2:11). The "manger" was more probably a "SUKKAH" since we read that Messiah "TABERNACLED" among us" (John 1:14). He was probably born on the Feast of SUKKOT. The Greek word "manger" is translated "stall" in Luke 13:15 just as Jacob made "SUKKOT" for his cattle in Genesis 33:17. "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." Does this sound like a cold, wintry December scene? This had to be BEFORE the COLD WINTER rains and snows began to fall. Flocks would be put in shelters by October. Yet we know from Jeremiah 36:22 that it was cold in Palestine in the winter since the king had a "fire on the hearth burning before him." "December ...(was) the height of the rainy season in Judaea, when neither flocks nor shepherds could have been at night in the fields of Bethlehem" (Encyc. Brit. article "Christmas Day").

Small figurines of "Mary," "Joseph" and the baby "Jesus" all have HALOS around their heads. J.C. Cooper's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols, p.112 says, "NIMBUS, HALO ... originally indicative of SOLAR power and the SUN'S DISK, hence an attribute of SUN-GODS." Our words "HOLY" and "HALO" both come from the Greek word "HELIOS" meaning the SUN god. But God says, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any GRAVEN IMAGE, or any LIKENESS of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God" (Ex. 20:4-5).

Presents Under The Evergreen Tree

Those who put presents under the tree are condemned by Ezekiel who says, "UNDER every GREEN TREE (evergreen)... they did OFFER sweet savor to all their IDOLS" (Ez.6:13). "Pollute ye my holy name no more with your GIFTS, and with your IDOLS" (Ezekiel 20:39). In at least ten Biblical references, the "GREEN" tree is associated with idolatry and false worship [Deut. 12:2; 1 Kings 14; 2 Kings 16:4, 17:10; 2 Chron. 3:6, 13; 17:2; 28:4; Isa.57:3-5; Jer. 2:20; Jer. 3:6,13; 17:1-2 Ez. 6:13]. Now, of course, all trees are GREEN at one time or another. Apparently then, the references to the "GREEN" tree refer to a tree that is especially noted for being GREEN, the EVERGREEN. “At the time of their Saturnalia the Romans decorated homes and temples with FOLIAGE on which they hung IMAGES of their GODS” (p.333, How Did It Begin? by Brasch). Christians are warned against partaking of things OFFERED to IDOLS (Acts 15:29; 21:25; 1 Cor. 8 & 10; Rev. 2:14,20). It is interesting that wherever we find GIFT-GIVING at anyone's BIRTHDAY party, evil and murder followed. On Pharaoh's BIRTHDAY, the chief baker was hanged and beheaded. During Herod's BIRTHDAY, John the Baptist was beheaded. In Revelation 11, we read how wicked people celebrated the slaying of God's two witnesses by making merry and SENDING GIFTS to one another. "

Thus saith the Eternal, Learn not the way of the heathen ... For the customs of the people are vain; for one cutteth a TREE out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They DECK it with SILVER and with GOLD; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright like the palm tree, but speak not" (Jer. 10:2-5). “Little children, keep yourselves from IDOLS” (1 John 5:21). “A CORRUPT TREE bringeth forth EVIL fruit” (Matt. 7:17). "Thou shalt take up this proverb aqgainst the king of Babylon ...The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked ... All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing. Even the PINE TREES and the cedars of Lebanon exult over you and say, ' Now that you have been laid low, no woodsman comes to CUT US DOWN'" (Isa. 14:5-8).

In Hebrew the word TANNIN means "dragon" or "serpent" and BAMAH means "high place." (pp.7, 49 Young's Index-Lexicon). "O TANNENBAUM -- how evil are thy serpent high places. After Nimrod was slain, he was portrayed as the old dead tree or YULE LOG. But the serpent Aesculapius coiled around this dead stump and from the roots of the dead tree came forth a young living EVERGREEN TREE representing Tammuz.

Mistletoe

The MiSTLETOE branch is another reincarnation of Tammuz because it never touched the ground but instead seemingly came down from heaven to join a TREE growing up from earth. This heaven-and-earth reconciliation is typified by KISSING. But Yeshua the Messiah is our true “Branch” that came down from heaven (Zech. 3:8; 6:12).

Giving Gifts At A Birthday Party

"Every good GIFT and every perfect GIFT is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights" (Jam. 1:17). When we teach our children that GIFTS come from Santa, we put another god before the Eternal God who commanded us: "You shall have NO OTHER gods before (in place of) me" (Ex.20:3). It is interesting that wherever we find GIFT-GIVING at anyone's BIRTHDAY party, evil and murder followed. On Pharaoh's BIRTHDAY, the chief baker was hanged and beheaded. During Herod's BIRTHDAY, John the Baptist was beheaded. In Revelation 11, we read how wicked people celebrated the slaying of God's two witnesses by making merry and SENDING GIFTS to one another. Will this be at the BIRTHDAY of the SUN god on the winter solstice -- December 25th?

The wise men when they came to see the Christ-child presented to Him GIFTS. Some suppose that this is where the custom of exchanging GIFTS at Christmas time came from. But that is not correct. The wise men did not EXCHANGE GIFTS among themselves. They presented their gifts TO JESUS, who was born king of the Jews. It was an Eastern custom to present GIFTS when coming into the presence of a King. But these gifts were NOT BIRTHDAY GIFTS. When the wise men arrived, it was some time AFTER the day on which Jesus was born. By this time he was no longer in a stable, but in a HOUSE (Matt 2:9-11). Obviously, the GIFTS from the wise men were NOT CHRISTMAS GIFTS. The wise men arrived about TWO YEARS after the birth of Jesus. This is demonstrated by King Herod’s attempt to kill Jesus. Matthew 2:16 says he, “sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, FROM TWO YEARS OLD AND UNDER, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.”

Worshipping the "Mother & Child"

Catholics place much emphasis on the worship of “Mary” -- a mere human woman --rather than on Jesus alone. But Mary called God “my SAVIOR” (Luke 1:47). Therefore, if Mary needed a SAVIOR, she was not a SAVIOR herself.

Originally, all nations dwelt together at Babel. This would account for the close similarity of all branches of pagan religions. Noah preached (2 Pet. 2:5) about a coming Savior (Gen.3:15) who would be born of a virgin, live a sinless life, be crucified, die (Rev. 13:8) and live again (Ps. 16:10).

Everyone knew in detail about Jesus the Messiah long before he came. Naamah-Isis, Noah's wife, became his "nemisis" and counterfeited the coming Savior with her own grandson, Nimrod, thus raising her own status to a goddess. The name “MADONNA” comes from the Latin “Mea Domina” or “Mother Ruler” -- the mother of the gods -- Naamah-Isis.

Then God scattered mankind at the tower of Babel.Osiris, Mithra, Buddha, Krishna, Horus, Zeus, Asclepus and Zoroaster are just some of the many "gods" who were "born of a virgin" to counterfeit the coming genuine Messiah. Even in far off Mexico, Quetzalcoatl, the savior, was supposedly born of a virgin, tempted, fasted forty days, was crucified, and his second coming was looked for so eagerly that, when Cortez appeared, the Mexicans greeted him as the returning god (see Kingsborough's Mexican Antiquities, vol. 6). Thus, when images and pictures of the "Virgin Mary" are worshipped on December 25th, the goddess Isis (Egyptian) is really being worshipped. "If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth (the pagan “Mary” Mother worship) from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him ONLY: and He will deliver you" (I Sam. 7:3).

The "Fool King" Or "Lord of Misrule"

Philo of Byblus says it was customary for the king to give his beloved son to die for the nation as a ransom offered to the avenging devils. The words of the prophet Micah may be taken as the custom of that day: "Shall I give my FIRSTBORN for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" (Micah 6:7).

King Mesha of Moab sacrificed his eldest son (2 Ki. 3:27). King Hiel sacrificed his sons at the foundation of Jericho (1 Ki. 16:34). Both kings Ahaz and Manasseh incinerated their sons in sacrificial fire (2 Ch. 28:3; 33:6). The Carthaginians, who originally came from Syria, also had this custom: Hamilcar sacrificed his son at the seige of Agrigentum (Diodorus 13:86) and Maleus, a Carthaginian general, crucified his son as a sacrifice to Baal (Justin 18:7). Maleus dressed up his son as a royal personage before crucifying him.

The king's son was eventually exchanged for an annual mock-king -- a criminal condemned to death -- who would become a human sacrifice to ensure crop fertility and spare the royal prince. Thus in the Babylonian festival of the Sacaea "a criminal, condemned to death, was dressed in the king's robes, seated on the king's throne, allowed to issue whatever commandes he pleased, to eat, drink and enjoy himself, and even to lie with the king's concubines." But at the end of five days he was stripped of his royal robes, scourged and hanged or impaled" (Frazer's Golden Bough, p.114). At Rhodes a criminal was similarly sacrificed at the Kronian festival (Porphyry De Abstinentia 2:54), in commemoration, obviously, of the sacrifice by Kronos of his royal son Ieoud. In the Kronos legend Ieoud was dressed in royal robes before being sacrificed. The victims of these human sacrifices were generally crucified, or else killed and then "hung on a tree," as in the various hangings before the Lord mentioned in the Bible (2 Sam. 21:9; Josh. 8:29; 10:26; etc.). The "Lord of Misrule" in Medeival England's December 25th celebrations and "King of the Carnival" or "Rex" in today's Mardi Gras in New Orleans can be traced back to this human sacrifice in the primitive fertility rite at the turn of the year, ensuring that the soil would continue to be productive (Celebrations by Robert J. Myers).
Palestine, like other provinces of Rome, practiced a custom where a criminal was sacrificed in place of the primitive royal "Son of the Father" or Bar Abbas. The significance of dressing up our Lord as a king, and of the inscription "The King of the Jews," and the mock crown of thorns and a mock scepter in his hand all become apparent. The phrase "Mazaltov" actually means "Lord of Misrule."

Today we no longer sacrifice humans or eat their flesh or drink their blood at the winter solstice. Instead, we bake "gingerbread men" and eat them.

Jesus Wasn't Born On December 25th

Jesus' public ministry lasted for three and a half years (Dan. 9:27). It came to an end at the time of Passover (Nisan 14) (John 18:39) which was in the spring. Therefore, he began his ministry in the fall (Tishri 15). Jesus began his ministry at about the age of 30 (Luke 3:23). This was the recognized age for a priest before he could become an official minister under the Old Testament (Num. 4:3). Therefore his birth must have been in the fall (Tishri 15).

We read in Revelation 12:1-5 that "there appeared a great wonder in heaven -- a WOMAN clothed with the SUN, and the MOON under her feet ... And she, being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.... And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron." If an astronomer were to read this passage, he would automatically think of the constellation VIRGO at the point in time when the SUN'S PATH in the heavens crosses through her body. This event always occurs in MID-OCTOBER, the exact time of the FEAST of TRUMPETS in many years. The fact that the MOON was VISIBLE indicates that the CRESCENT NEW MOON begins the month rather than the astronomical new moon. TRUMPETS can occur as many as 29 DAYS AFTER September 21st, 22nd or 23rd (Autumnal EQUINOX) or as few as the SAME DAY if the equinox and the crescent occur on the same day. Thus, MID-OCTOBER is a very typical time for Tishri one.

Another indication that Jesus was born just after the FEAST of TRUMPETS is that Elizabeth conceived "after those days" (Luke 1:24). Israel was divided into 24 priestly courses and the first served for the first week of Nisan and Tishri. "Those days" were the eighth "course of Abijah" (Iyar 27 to Sivan 5 -- Ant. 7:14:7 & Talmud, Sukkah) (1 Chr. 24:10; Luke 1:5) and the week of PENTECOST afterward since all the courses served during the week of the festivals (PENTECOST could fall anywhere from Sivan 4th to 12th). In other words, Sivan 5th to 13th is the earliest Zechariah could start home. Giving Zechariah two days to get home, we have Sivan 7 to 15. Allowing for her period of at most 12 days, she conceived at the earliest Sivan 7 to Sivan 27. If we add nine months pregnancy, John ("Elijah") was born on Adar 7 to Adar 27 at the earliest. If we add six months (Luke 1:26, 36, 39, 56, 57), we have Mary's EARLIEST birth date for Jesus (Luke 1:35-38) of Elul 7 to 27. This is from 22 to 3 days before TRUMPETS. Because of other indications, we believe it was more probably SUKKOT. Jesus was circumcised the eighth day which may have fallen on the EIGHTH DAY (Tishri 22).

We read that Jesus "TABERNACLED" among us (John 1:14) and was born in a "manger" (Heb. "SUKKAH") (Luke 2:12) -- both indicating a FALL FESTIVAL season. The word "manger" is the Greek word "phatn'e" translated "stall" in Luke 13:15. Jacob made "SUKKOT" for his cattle in Genesis 33:17. Hosea 6:3 says Messiah would come as the former and latter rain of the "FIRST MONTH" (Joel 2:23). He came as a Lamb to the slaughter on PASSOVER which was the former rain but he came as a baby in a SUKKAH on the FEAST of SUKKOT as the latter rain.

At the time Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary had gone to Bethlehem to be TAXED (Luke 2:1-5). TAXES were probably paid around the FALL HARVEST season since Palestine was basically an AGRICULTURAL economy. Women weren't required for TAXING purposes, so Mary must have come to ATTEND the FESTIVALS, as she did on a later occasion (Luke 2:41). Because of the enormous FESTIVAL CROWDS meeting together in Jerusalem, there "was NO ROOM in the inn" (Luke 2:7). Each person returned to his own city to be TAXED, so that doesn't account for the crowds. The greek word for "INN" is "GUEST CHAMBER" referring to the FALL FESTIVAL season when private homes accommodated the extra crowds. This is proof Jesus was born on the FALL FESTIVALS and not on December 25th.

Babylon Mystery Religion Moves To Rome

Tertullian wrote, "Babylon ... is a figure of the city Rome" (Against the Jews). Augustine wrote that "Rome was founded as the second Babylon and as the daughter of the former Babylon" (City of God 5:439). In the same book Augustine again said, "Babylonia as the first Rome ... Rome itself is like a second Babylon" (ibid. p.371). When Belshazzar was slain (Dan. 5:30), and the Chaldeans were defeated by Darius the Mede, the priests of BABYLON'S mystery religion fled to PERGAMOS -- "Satan's seat" (Rev. 2:13) where this worship of Aesculapius, the child of the incarnate SUN" continued. Then at the death of Attalus III, he left by will all his dominions to the Roman people. Thus Phrygia became part of the Roman Empire in 133 B.C., and the Babylonian Mysteries moved to ROME. (see Hislop's Two Babylons, pp.240-241, 279). Babylon's supreme Sun-god, Bel, was worshipped also in northern Syria. From one of the Sun-temples in Palmyra Syria, namely from the temple of Bel, the great image of Bel was removed and taken to Rome where it was erected. This was done by Emperor Aurelian of Rome, who was known as "the sun emperor."

The FIR TREE was worshipped in Rome as the same new born god called Baal-Berith who was restored to life by the same serpent, and a feast was held in honor of him on December 25th, called the "BIRTHDAY of the Unconquered SUN." In private the day (SATURNALIA) began with the sacrifice of a young pig (because Adonis died from a boar's tusk wound) ... all ranks devoted themselves to feasting and mirth, PRESENTS were interchanged among friends, and crowds thronged the streets, shouting'Io Saturnalia!'" (Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, 3rd ed. vol.2, art. "Oscilla"). "The Saturnalia, like Christmas, was a time for giving presents. Small DOLLS were a popular gift -- though for an unpleasant reason. They commemorated a myth that Saturn ate all his male children at birth, to fulfill a pledge that he would die without heirs" (The United Church Observer, Santa's Family Tree, Dec. 1976, p.14).

Saturnalia lasted from Decdember 17 to 23 and was given to drunkenness and revelry, being a time for giving of presents in the form of "images" to one another, especially to children (J.M. Robertson, Christianity and Mythology p. 232). This was the origin of the custom of giving dolls to little girls. The OFFERING was made beneath a DECORATED TREE. Virgil, the pagan poet, mentions a PINE or EVERGREEN. The Roman Catholic Church adopted "CHRISTMAS" in 534 A.D. Semiramis and her son Tammuz became "MARY and JESUS." Statues were merely renamed.

"Merry Christmas"

"CHRISTMAS" is a blasphemous name since "Mass" is a PERPETUAL sacrifice of Jesus whereas Christ died ONCE for our sins (Heb. 9:26; 10:14). God says in Hosea 2:14-17 that Israel "shall no more call me BAALI." When worshippers mention Jesus' name on "CHRISTMAS" they are calling him "BAALI." “If there come any (Christmas celebrants) unto you (wishing you a “Merry Christmas”); and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed (Don’t wish him “Merry Christmas”): For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 10-11). “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Ex. 20:7) by even saying the word “Christmas.”

If you would like to know more, we publish a 16-page booklet called What's Wrong With "CHRISTMAS"? ($3.00). Write to: Harold Hemenway, Box 88401, Tukwila, WA 98138, U.S.A. or use this link to pay with a credit card: