Thoeries have been generated over the past few decades about the reasoning behind where Christmas tradition has come from, including decorations and celebrations.
Shamanistic Traditions
The Shaman people were tribes found in Northern Europe and they were known for their mushroom harvesting and consuming for transcendental experiences. It is believed that the Shaman Tribes would dress in red and white, gather the mushrooms until their sacks were full, and deliver them back to their huts or yurts.
Often in winter, the huts would be covered in snow therefore it was not uncommon for the Shaman people to enter through the chimney, resembling the role of Santa Claus today. These ancient people considered the mushrooms as sacred, much like gifts. Reindeers and the North Star were also thought of as sacred. Even the reindeers would indulge in magic mushrooms and bare the effects of the hallucinogen. The North Star is believed to be the reason that Santa settled in the North Pole.
Magic Mushrooms
Amanita Muscaria is the name given to the red and white mushrooms that are commonly seen in fairytales. These mushrooms are highly hallucinogenic, and sometimes they may be referred to as “fly agaric”, due to their tendency to produce flying related experiences for those that consume them, giving rise to why Santa’s reindeers fly to deliver presents.
The toxicity is so high that it is believed that people used to drink the urine that had passed through someone who had eaten the mushrooms. Amanita Muscaria are so potent that it may take up to six times to pass through the body in order to remove all of the chemicals. Due to the level of toxicity in the mushrooms the Shaman people used to hang the mushrooms either in the pine tree, in a stocking, or on a string around the fireplace to dry, this way the hallucinogenic compound would remain and the toxic chemicals would decrease.
This is believed to be the reason behind why we decorate our christmas trees, and hang stockings with gifts within our homes. The mushrooms were known to be mainly found beneath the base of Pine Trees and are considered mycorrhizal, or non-parasitic to this particular tree.
’Christ’ and ’ Mass’ in the 21st Century
In 1931 the Coca Cola Company began to use the image of Santa Claus in their advertising campaigns. The man with the white beard, big tummy, red and white suit, black boots and a big sack full of presents, to be delivered around the world in 24hrs on his sled with all his reindeers. The name Christmas, as we call it, has derived from the terms ‘Christ’ and ‘Mass’. Christmas is a Christian holiday, celebrating the birth of Jesus.
