Students will be introduced to the cross-cultural similarities that all cultures share in our collective humanity.  Students will learn about the pagan origins of the traditions celebrated during Christmas.  Students will learn about the significance of the winter solstice amongst pagan cultures and how many of the traditions that are part of the holiday are hold-overs from ancient sun cults.  Students will be presented with a cross-cultural perspective that includes and exploration of ancient traditions, from many ancient cultures, surrounding the cross-cultural significance of the winter solstice.  

Students will learn about contributions from Egyptian, Greek, Roman, German, and Norse mythologies.  Students will learn about mythology and the constellations and how they shaped the nativity story.  Students will learn about the significance of the virgin earth-mother goddess.  Students will learn how Santa Claus was based on a Germanic seafaring god and eventually became the white-bearded, gift-giving man in red.  Students will learn about the tradition of leaving cookies out for Santa and where the charity of gift-giving arose.  And students will learn how Christmas trees came to be, why children hang their stockings on the fireplace mantle, why couples kiss under the mistletoe, and how holly was was hung in windows and doorways.  

I am a professional archaeologist for over 20 years that has worked at sites throughout the United States and the world.  I am currently the tribal archaeologist for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.  I also teach archaeology/anthropology classes at Sitting Bull College and am a historic interpretive guide at On-A-Slant Mandan Indian Village at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park in Mandan, North Dakota.  I have been engaged in teaching youth about the science of archaeology since AD 2000.  My research interests include how mythologies are inscribed on the sacred landscape.  I specialize in rock art and ancient mythologies.

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Ratsch, Christian and Claudia Muller-Ebeling
2003   Pagan Christmas:  The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the Origins of Yuletide.  Inner Traditions, Rochester, Vermont.

Seabrook, Lochlainn
2018   Christmas before Christianity:  How the Birthday of the "Sun" Became the Birthday of the "Son".  Sea Raven Press, Nashville, Tennessee.