MIDWINTER MERRIMENT OF OLD

Our Yuletide has its roots in Saturnalia, an ancient and sometimes raucous festival held to honour the Roman god of agriculture

- Pat Kinsella

An ancient Roman festival, Saturnalia was widely and wildly celebrated across the parts of England and Wales occupied by the empire, certainly until Christianity took hold, and in many respects long after the Italian invaders upped sticks and left the British Isles in the early 5th century.

While Saturnalia isn't marked on the modern calendar, ultimately the timing and traditions that surrounded this often rowdy festival are believed to have played a large role in determining when and how we enjoy Christmas to this day.

The festival was held in honour of Saturnus, the Roman god of (among other things) seeds and sowing, with strong connections to the Ancient Greek agricultural deity Cronus, who is commonly depicted with a sickle. For a primarily rural society, almost entirely reliant on the success of each year's harvest for survival, keeping such supernatural beings happy was supremely important, and Saturnalia was by far the biggest and most exciting event in the Roman year.

FEASTING AND GIFT GIVING

Whereas the Ancient Greeks honoured Cronus with a celebration called Kronia, held in late July/early August when the harvest was being reaped, the Romans timed Saturnalia to coincide with the sowing season, which in Italy traditionally took place between October and January.