I have heard a lot of “historical truths” about meaning of Christmas, and the story of Saturnalia is one of it. Maurizio Iacono (Ex Deo band member) drew my atention on the subject:

Saturnalia was a Roman holiday marking the winter solstice.It was name after the Roman god Saturn, as a god of seed and planting. Saturnalia was the most popular holiday of the Roman year. The Roman pagan holiday mixed with the christian holiday, during the centuries to come.

Sometimes is a good thing to realize the origins of our traditions, in order to understand our ancestors, but most importanly to be tolerant with new ideas and traditions.

Happy Holidays to all!