Before Santa Claus, there was cannabis…the history of cannabis and Christmas.Â
Today’s Christmas is a spectacular affair with music, gifts, lights, and weeks of buildup. Â The history of the holiday has involved thanks to Coco-cola, the Catholic church and the retail industry. Â But in the beginning, cannabis has a history with Christmas. Â T’was teh time before Christmas and all through the lands, marijuana was accepted and part of the plan.
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Long before Christianity, various cultures celebrated winter festivals around the time of the winter solstice. In ancient Rome, Saturnalia was a popular holiday honoring the god Saturn, initially observed on December 17th but later extended to last up to a week, ending on December 23rd. This festival involved role reversals between masters and slaves, feasting, and general merrymaking. Another significant Roman festival was Sol Invictus, dedicated to the “Unconquered Sun.” Emperor Aurelian established December 25th as the feast of Sol Invictus in 274 CE, coinciding with the winter solstice in the Roman calendar.
Cannabis played a significant role in ancient pagan winter celebrations, particularly during the winter solstice and Yuletide festivities. These traditions, which predate Christmas, incorporated cannabis in various ways. It was part of a nine-herb blend to smudge homes and stables. This practice was believed to ward off evil spirits and calm the gods during the 12 Raw Nights”(December 25 to January 6 – today, the 12 days of Christmas), when the Wild Hunt was said to occur. It was also seen as one of the sacred plants used to symbolize the return of green life after winter. Evergreens and other plants were brought into homes to represent rebirth and the coming of spring.
And some ancient pagans used cannabis to enhance their spiritual experiences during winter solstice celebrations. The psychoactive properties of the plant helped deepen connections with nature and the changing seasons.
Some scholars believe early Christians adopted the date of December 25th to make their faith more appealing to pagans. However, this theory is contested. The first recorded celebration of Christmas on December 25th appears in the Philocalian Calendar from 354 CE. Interestingly, the Donatists, a group of Christians opposed to any pagan compromise, seem to have been among the first to celebrate Christ’s birth on this date around 312 CE.
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Cannabis contributed to creating a green, jolly, and festive atmosphere during the darkest days of the year. Its use in rituals and celebrations helped mark the transition from darkness to light as the days began to grow longer after the solstice. Today, in over 50% of the population, marijuana will again help bring a little chill and joy to the season.
