December first! Christmas season is in full swing and it is the month of cookies.
I did some research and I really could not find an answer that I felt answered the question of where the tradition of baking Christmas cookies came from. I imagine that it came from some of the early traditions of the Pagans and the Romans who celebrated the Feast of Saturnella, the winter solstice, and other important holidays at this time. The early church was underground out of necessity – to be a Christian meant that you were in constant danger of arrest and death. So, rather than having a celebration that was different from those of the people around them, they adapted many of the traditions of the cultures they lived in.
Small cakes were sacrificed to various gods and given to neighbors and friends. Continue reading
