Jeff Belanger, local author and explorer of the unexplained, broke down the Christmas holiday into its (creepy) origins during his virtual event on December 3rd, hosted by the Bellingham Public Library.
Belanger’s program started by taking us back thousands of years to when winter solstice (Dec. 20 to Dec. 23) was a time of fear for survival. Not knowing then what we know now, people would wonder if the sun would return, if they’d have enough food without farming, and if their shelter would hold up. Preparation for the winter solstices led to the creation of festivals like Saturnalia (Rome) and Yule (Scandinavia). These festivals became times of merriment, celebration, and unity—all in preparation for the unknowing that would follow the winter solstice…
Click here to read the rest of the article by Ashley Kazijian at the Bellingham Bulletin.