What Magic Is This? "Christmas. It's All Pagan Anyway." - A Holiday Tradition
Dec 23, 2025
The podcast delves into the long-standing debate surrounding Christmas's pagan origins. Douglas explores the fascinating rituals of Saturnalia and the significance of December 25th, suggesting it may link more to Jewish traditions than paganism. The discussion uncovers the medieval roots of customs like the Christmas tree and the Yule log, debunking myths of ancient practices. Ultimately, he presents a layered model of holiday traditions, blending pagan, Christian, and modern influences, while highlighting the personal value of meaningful traditions.
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Episode notes
Host’s Personal Christmas Journey
- Douglas describes his childhood love of Christmas, then a rebellious rejection, then a later rediscovery.
- He now cherishes the season as a time for contemplation and betterment.
Objective Vs Subjective Christmas
- Objectively, Christmas shows little direct continuity with recorded pagan practices.
- Subjectively, modern Christmas carries pagan-ish elements layered into its celebration.
Mithras Claims Don’t Hold Up
- Popular claims linking Christmas to Mithras are weak and often fabricated.
- Mithraism and Christianity appear historically distinct with little reliable overlap.