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| Pagan Christmas: The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the Origins of Yuletide | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 8 reviews)
Sales Rank: 233204
Category: Book
Authors: Christian Raetsch, Claudia Mueller-ebeling
Publisher: Inner Traditions
Studio: Inner Traditions
Manufacturer: Inner Traditions
Label: Inner Traditions
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 8 x 0.6
ISBN: 1594770921
Dewey Decimal Number: 394.2663
EAN: 9781594770920
ASIN: 1594770921
Publication Date: October 24, 2006
Release Date: November 4, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
An examination of the sacred botany and the pagan origins and rituals of Christmas
? Analyzes the symbolism of the many plants associated with Christmas
? Reveals the shamanic rituals that are at the heart of the Christmas celebration
The day on which many commemorate the birth of Christ has its origins in pagan rituals that center on tree worship, agriculture, magic, and social exchange. But Christmas is no ordinary folk observance. It is an evolving feast that over the centuries has absorbed elements from cultures all over the world--practices that give plants and plant spirits pride of place. In fact, the symbolic use of plants at Christmas effectively transforms the modern-day living room into a place of shamanic ritual.
Christian Raetsch and Claudia Mueller-Ebeling show how the ancient meaning of the botanical elements of Christmas provides a unique view of the religion that existed in Europe before the introduction of Christianity. The fir tree was originally revered as the sacred World Tree in northern Europe. When the church was unable to drive the tree cult out of people?s consciousness, it incorporated the fir tree by dedicating it to the Christ child. Father Christmas in his red-and-white suit, who flies through the sky in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, has his mythological roots in the shamanic reindeer-herding tribes of arctic Europe and Siberia. These northern shamans used the hallucinogenic fly agaric mushroom, which is red and white, to make their soul flights to the other world. Apples, which figure heavily in Christmas baking, are symbols of the sun god Apollo, so they find a natural place at winter solstice celebrations of the return of the sun. In fact, the authors contend that the emphasis of Christmas on green plants and the promise of the return of life in the dead of winter is just an adaptation of the pagan winter solstice celebration.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Pagan christmas February 9, 2008
This book is somewhat informative but not formatted in a very likable way. Overall, it does give good information about the way that the holiday is carried out and a couple of recipes, so it is helpful but not focused.
 Impeccable reserach - a must have December 31, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Pagan Christmas: The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the Origins of Yuletide. By Dr. Christian Raetsch & Dr. Claudia Muller-Ebeling, 2003/2006.
This is by far the best book on the Christmas traditions that I've yet read. Raetsch, the famed ethnopharmacologist, has written more than 40 books in German, and I hope to see all of them one day translated to English, because I would buy every one. I have all of the English translations of their books, and they are two of my favorite authors.
Raetsch and Muller approach Christmas from a different angle than the other books on this subject - through plants. Plant drugs, plant incense, plant foods, plant rituals, etc.
They show a rich history throughout the world of the Christmas traditions and the various plants used in each region, including additional evidence regarding the links between the tale of Santa Claus and the Amanita muscaria mushroom. In their thorough presentation, they completely shatter the recent attacks on this idea by Andy Letcher in his book Shroom (pg. 137-9).
There are also some historical finds in this book that are invaluable to research and academia as a whole - especially that of Epiphanius and the 10th century manuscript that proves the correlations between the worship of Jesus and Horus.
From pg. 150-1.
"In 375 CE, Epiphanius, Biship of Constantia, described the pagan winter solstice feasts and mystery cults:
This feast was celebrated by the Greeks (I mean the pagans) on December 25--the day called Saturnalia by the Romans, Kronia in Egypt, and Kykellia by the Alexandrians. On December 25, then, a cut happens that is also a turn; and it begins to grow. This is the day when the light be3comes more (Vossen 1985, 72).
In Egypt, Kykellia is called "the rite of Isis." Like the smudging nights, this is a twelve-day feast. It begins with a torch procession in honor of the birth of Horus, the son of Isis: "The birth of the new sun is the intended meaning, and that was connected with the announcement of the sowing [of wheat] in the earth, freshly fertilized (with dung) and flooded by the Nile" (Vossen 1985, 72f). The sowing was done on December 27, during the feast celebrating the ascension of Horus to the throne. [...]"
This reference to Epiphanius has actually been lost to most of academia since its discovery in 1859. In fact, Raetsch's citation to Vossen goes back 4 centuries earlier than the more widely known versions of Epiphanius. As George Robert Stow Mead in 1906 related:
"And here it will be of interest to turn to a curious statement of Epiphanius; it is missing in all editions of this Father prior to that of Dindorf (Leipzig, 1859), which was based on the very early (tenth century) Codex Marcianus 125, all previous editions being printed from a severely censured and bowdlerized fourteenth century MS"
Why am I mentioning this? Because it shows the overall high level of scholarship in Raetsch's and Muller's work. Their research is impeccable.
As a follow up to this book, I also recommend reading Dr. Patrick Harding's book, Christmas Unwrapped. His book goes into more detail of some of the important calendar aspects that are also important to understand. He also covers more of the angles on the Amanita mushroom / shaman relationship.
My only complaint with Pagan Christmas is that it would have been nice to have the chemical composition of each plant included someplace, like in the margin, so that we can also see if there is any chemical foundation to many of these plant's myths and tales.
Buy this book, buy all of their books. 5 Stars!
Mystical and Academic Book August 30, 2007
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
First, this book is written by two German anthropologists and was only recently translated into English. The research is very thorough and objective. I'm sure someone would argue with this assertation, but I don't think I'd want dispute anthropologists who study ethnobotany and art history as well. They are more qualified than I am.
Second, the book is not really a how-to book as far as rituals and such. This is more about the traditions and symbolism which we believe to be Christian and part of Christmas observance. Imagine telling someone that Santa Claus is really the personification of a hallucinogenic mushroom, the fly agaric, often used in shamanic religious practices. St. Nicholas' sack has pagan symbolism. The Christmas tree was the Christian church's response to the pagans who worshipped the living tree, so cutting down and killing the tree would be the ultimate insult. Plants and recipes involving particular spices are also mentioned in here. The living evergreen wreath is exceptionally symbolic as the circle of life and the wheel of the year. Buying gifts and decorating like mad is a new phenomenon during the Christmas season as is evident in poems, stories, and sayings from as late as the early 1900s.
I believe this book would be educational and would benefit almost any reader. Pagans and Christians should all read this book. Some extremists wouldn't like it as it is in direct conflict with their beliefs.
I say buy the book or borrow it from a library for its educational value. If it had been available in English, I would have bought it sooner. I've been looking for a book like this for years.
anti-christmas? no, just anti-marketing of a religion... May 23, 2007
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
"the author's approach sound rather "anti-Christmas" as if the book is some sort of an indictment against Christmas due to its many pagan origins." - If you (not you but general "you") are a christian, the thought of Christ's birthday being set on a date that is not only NOT his birthday but also has a basis in paganism is disconcerting. the marketing of a religious holiday is sacrilegious and we do it all the time. (look at easter!)this is a common problem. christmas is a personal and spritual time for all to get together w/ their families, celebrate their way, and compare the year; not to "help" our economy by buying chinese crap at exhorbiant prices just to have them fall apart before new years!
"I am amazed how well Christian faith adjusted and adapted to fit the needs of so many different cultures and people...Christian faith as we know today is a product of many "adjust and adapt" concepts used by leaders of the Christianity through passage of time." - Christians didn't just "adjust and adapt" they purposely used pagan rituals mixed in with their rituals and beliefs for the ease of conversion and control of the poor and lower casts. using the fear of god and the familiarity of paganism is how kings kept the "lowly peasants" under heel. i'm surprised everyone doesn't know that one!
BTW: this is a great book for comparative theologists and curiosity seekers alike.
Pagan Christmas February 19, 2007
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
An incredible book full of revelations. After getting my first 'Ratsch-book' I have been seeking out publications which he authored or co-authored. I have not been disappointed!
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