Part Ii--Pagan Survivals

CHAPTER VI PRE-CHRISTIAN WINTER FESTIVALS 159

The Church and Superstition--Nature of Pagan Survivals--Racial Origins--Roman Festivals of the Saturnalia and Kalends--Was there a Teutonic Midwinter Festival?--The Teutonic, Celtic, and Slav New Year--Customs attracted to Christmas or January 1-- The Winter Cycle of Festivals--Rationale of Festival Ritual: (a) Sacrifice and Sacrament, (b) The Cult of the Dead, (c) Omens and Charms for the New Year--Compromise in the Later Middle Ages--The Puritans and Christmas--Decay of Old Traditions. |9|