The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t: Saturn, Santa, and Some Seriously Bad Decisions
- Dr. Danielle Niaz, PhD – Founder & Lead Instructor
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
✨ You Think the Holidays Are Chaotic Now?
Try this on for size:
A week-long Roman street festival where people got drunk and yelled at senators.
A century later, colonists banning Christmas entirely.
And a modern Santa Claus co-designed by Coca-Cola’s marketing team.
Yeah. Christmas hasn’t always been eggnog and Pinterest crafts.
🎭 It All Started with Saturnalia
Long before the manger, Rome was throwing Saturnalia in December — a wild, wine-soaked festival to honor the god Saturn.
Slaves were served dinner.
Public nudity wasn’t frowned upon.
Gifts were exchanged to invite luck (and sometimes just to avoid getting cursed).
Sound familiar? That’s because Saturnalia was the blueprint for Christmas — minus the orgies (usually).
⛔ Puritans Said "Absolutely Not"
Fast-forward to 1600s England and colonial America.The Puritans took one look at the debauchery and said:
"Nope. No Christmas for you."
In fact, Christmas was banned in Boston for 22 years. Celebrating it could earn you a fine.
The reason? They thought it was too pagan. Too joyful. Too loud.
🎅 Santa Claus, Rebranded
Enter the 1800s, when Christmas got a glow-up thanks to a few key players:
Charles Dickens, who romanticized the season with A Christmas Carol
Clement Clarke Moore, who wrote ’Twas the Night Before Christmas
Coca-Cola, who made Santa red, round, and ready to sell soda in the 1930s
It worked. The image stuck. Christmas went from a rebellious street party to a marketable family tradition.
🧘♀️ So What’s the Takeaway?
This holiday has been many things:
A ritual of release
A time for resistance
A tool for capitalism
And maybe, if we’re lucky — a quiet moment of grace
Whatever it is for you this year, you’re allowed to define it on your terms. No matter your history, your family dynamic, or your spiritual path — you can reclaim winter as a time to rest, reflect, and reset.
🎁 A Gift Is Coming…
To celebrate 100 blogs, I’ve created something special:The “Blooming Through Winter” bundle — free for readers.It includes:
A 3-minute guided meditation
100 healing affirmations
A winter holiday coloring book
A ritual reflection page
👉 Drop your email [here] (Wix lightbox or link) to be the first to receive it when Blog #6 goes live.
Tomorrow: We’re getting a little rebellious with Hanukkah. Spoiler: It’s not about presents.
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