#Xmas carols

[ezekiellsplayground]

To all my friends & family in the Northern Hemisphere, merry Christmas from the future.

And to all the Aussies & Southern Hemisphere folks, have a lovely and gentle day.

[littlepawz]

Finally, a photographic proof that Rudolf truly was not allowed to join in any reindeer games

[woodelf68]

Masters In The Hall

[bungeegum28]

𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐞 Candy Candy • キャンディ・キャンディ (1976) 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 Kyoko Mizuki 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 Toei Animation 𝐝𝐢𝐫. Hiroshi Shidara, Tetsuo Imazawa 𝐜𝐡𝐫. 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫 Mitsui Shindo

𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦: 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘴

[mortarmagic]

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[thelanternsglow]

Carols, Chaos and pagan roots.

Even Christmas Carols Have Pagan Roots

Think Christmas carols are all about nativity scenes, snowy landscapes, and goodwill to all? Well, here’s a twist for you: those festive tunes you hum every December have their roots firmly planted in pagan traditions. Yes, even your beloved “Deck the Halls” has a history that’s more wild midwinter festival than church choir.

Long before carols were about angels and silent nights, they were part of ancient celebrations to mark the Winter Solstice. People sang to trees, danced to welcome the sun, and made a racket to banish the dark and invite brighter days ahead. Over time, the church stepped in, tidied them up, and gave them a Christian makeover—but the spirit of those older, wilder rituals still lingers.

So, as you sing along this season, remember—you’re keeping alive a tradition of light, laughter, and maybe just a bit of mischief that’s been going strong for centuries. Let’s unravel the pagan magic hiding in the heart of your favourite Christmas songs.

The Pagan Roots of Christmas Carols

When you think about Christmas carols, it’s easy to imagine warm, cozy evenings with family, perhaps a mug of mulled wine in hand, and cheerful songs filling the air. But did you know that many of these familiar tunes and traditions trace their roots back to ancient pagan midwinter festivals? Long before Christmas became the celebration we know today, people were singing and dancing their way through the darkest nights of the year, honouring the cycles of nature and the turning of the seasons.

The word “carol” itself comes from the Old French “caroler,” which means “to dance in a circle.” Originally, carols weren’t tied to any particular religion but were part of midwinter celebrations that brought communities together to feast, make merry, and sing songs of hope and light. These early carols were less about the birth of Christ and more about marking the Winter Solstice, celebrating survival, and calling back the sun. Over time, Christianity absorbed and adapted these traditions, giving us the carols we know today.

Let’s explore a few well-known carols that carry echoes of their pagan past.

Deck the Halls – A Nod to Ancient Evergreens

“Deck the Halls” is one of the most recognisably festive carols, but its origins are unmistakably pagan. The melody comes from the 16th-century Welsh song “Nos Galan,” which wasn’t about Christmas at all but celebrated the New Year. It was a time for feasting, drinking, and preparing for brighter days ahead.

The lyrics, “Deck the halls with boughs of holly,” point directly to pagan Solstice traditions, where evergreens like holly, ivy, and pine were brought indoors as symbols of life and resilience during the harsh winter months. These plants were believed to house protective spirits, and decorating with them invited good fortune while warding off negative energies.

Even the candlelight mentioned in carols like this ties back to the ancient practice of celebrating the return of the sun after the Solstice. The whole song, in its original form, was less about Christmas and more about honouring the turning of the year and finding joy in the heart of winter.

The Holly and the Ivy – Balancing Nature

“The Holly and the Ivy” feels almost mystical with its repetitive, chant-like melody, and there’s good reason for that. In pagan traditions, holly and ivy represented the natural balance of life—holly symbolised masculinity and the Holly King, who ruled the waning half of the year, while ivy represented femininity and the nurturing forces of nature.

This balance of male and female energies, light and dark, was central to pagan beliefs, especially during midwinter, when communities looked forward to the rebirth of the sun. Christianity later reworked these ideas into the carol we know, linking holly’s sharp leaves to Christ’s crown of thorns and its red berries to his blood.

Still, the original reverence for these plants as symbols of survival and hope remains at the heart of the song, reminding us of the sacred connection to the natural world that midwinter has always celebrated.

Good King Wenceslas – Charity with Pagan Undertones

“Good King Wenceslas” might seem like a straightforward Christian carol, celebrating kindness and charity, but it carries echoes of older traditions too. The story, written in the 19th century, tells of Wenceslas, a 10th-century Bohemian king, braving the snow to deliver food and firewood to a poor peasant on St. Stephen’s Day (December 26th).

While the tale promotes Christian values, it reflects pagan midwinter practices of sharing resources to ensure communal survival during the harshest months. In pre-Christian Europe, leaders were often seen as protectors of their people and the land, responsible for everyone’s well-being, just as Wenceslas is portrayed.

The vivid imagery of his footprints warming the snow for his servant to follow also hints at older myths of leaders or deities guiding their people through dark times, much like the return of the sun after Solstice.

Even the timing—St. Stephen’s Day—has pagan roots, as midwinter festivals often included feasts and rituals focused on giving thanks and invoking blessings for the year ahead.

Here We Come A-Wassailing – Singing for the Land

“Here We Come A-Wassailing” ties directly to ancient midwinter traditions. The word “wassail” comes from the Old English “waes hael,” meaning “be well” or “be in good health.” Groups of wassailers would go door-to-door singing and offering good wishes in exchange for food and drink—essentially the original version of carolling.

But wassailing wasn’t just about people. In many regions, it involved singing to apple trees in orchards, pouring cider around their roots, and making noise to ward off evil spirits. These rituals were meant to ensure a good harvest in the coming year, blending human celebration with a reverence for nature’s cycles.

Over time, this tradition evolved into the communal carol-singing we know today, but the echoes of these older, earth-focused practices remain in the spirit of the songs.

O Tannenbaum – Reverence for the Sacred Tree

While more commonly associated with Germany, “O Tannenbaum” reflects a practice that predates Christianity. In pagan traditions, trees were seen as sacred, often believed to house spirits or even gods. Bringing an evergreen tree into the home during midwinter symbolised life, hope, and renewal, as these trees stayed green even in the harshest weather.

Singing to or about trees was part of many midwinter rituals, and as Christianity spread, these customs were adapted into nativity celebrations. “O Tannenbaum” still carries that ancient reverence for the natural world, reminding us of humanity’s enduring connection to nature.

A Blend of Old and New

Even though Christmas carols are now tied to nativity scenes and Christian ideals, their roots tell a richer story. These songs evolved from ancient midwinter celebrations that honoured nature, survival, and the turning of the seasons. Carols like “Deck the Halls,” “The Holly and the Ivy,” “Good King Wenceslas,” and “Here We Come A-Wassailing” remind us that while the lyrics may have changed, the heart of these songs remains the same: a celebration of life, community, and hope in the darkest nights of the year.

So, next time you sing a carol, remember that you’re not just spreading festive cheer—you’re keeping alive ancient traditions that have been sung for centuries, marking the enduring connection between humanity and the cycles of the natural world.

So, there you have it—your beloved Christmas carols aren’t just cheerful tunes for the season; they’re echoes of ancient traditions that celebrated survival, community, and the triumph of light over darkness. Whether you’re singing to a tree, decking the halls with holly, or wassailing your way through the neighbourhood, you’re tapping into rituals that have been reimagined but never truly lost. Next time you hum along to a carol, take a moment to appreciate the wild, untamed history behind the melody—it’s a legacy of joy, resilience, and a little bit of pagan magic wrapped up in a festive bow.

Follow the Lantern’s

Glow

[talking-raw]

Absolute perfection. Kudos to op.

For Christmas this year, I got a Jurassic Park Velociraptor toy, and even though it’s now a few days past Christmas, I decided to make this stopmotion video because I couldn’t stop laughing at the idea. Enjoy!

Animated with Stop Motion Studio Pro app on my iPad.

[szereg]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEVk2pPIzD6/?igsh=MXdnNXk5aHp6Y2NrbQ==

[davidbeverly9]

Merry Christmas to all celebrating around the world; hold the light and magic of the season.

[papillondusublime]

Surprise! Je viens de me créer un compte YouTube et de publier des vidéos. Je vous présente trois versions de "Noël c'est l'amour": piano, électronique et orgue. Vous pouvez les écouter en cliquant sur ce lien: https://www.youtube.com/@MarineMariposa Bonne écoute et bon temps des Fêtes! (même si mes doigts crochus rappellent plutôt Halloween lol)

[christina-sonikkukokoro3]

My dad and I sang a Christmas carol together for all to hear! Enjoy this Christmas special I threw together last minute!

[woodelf68]

Tempest 'Three Ships'

[inber]

little drummer boy: OI MISTAH I AIN'T GOT NO GIFT FOR THE BABY KING

mary, recovering from birth in a fucken stable: don't sweat it kid you're like ten or something

little drummer boy: I CAN PLAY ME DRUM FOR HIM, I CAN

mary: no, no, that's really not necessar--

little drummer boy: BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

[legendaryspookinessofhumanbones]

listening to John Denver and the Muppets' A Christmas Together and it got me wondering...

please reblog for sample size

[drag0nalias0]