saturday, saturnalia, christmas

Interesting: as I was typing in today's day, Saturday, I was reminded powerfully of the origins of that name. It's another example of how much that is ours goes back thousands of years. Just today, in fact, is the beginning of the traditional feast also named after Saturn.

Saturnalia was the central holiday of the Roman year — the festival of the unconquered sun. Toward the dead of winter, the winter solstice, they worshipped in order to persuade the sun to come back. Their traditions? Gift-giving, eating too much, gathering at various homes for parties...