http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas

STUDENT A QUESTIONS:

What did Europeans celebrate long before the birth of Jesus?
Why did people celebrate during the winter solstice?
Who celebrated Yule from 21st December in Scandinavia?
How did fathers and sons mark the return of the sun?
Up to how many days was it possible for the Yule feast to last?
What did the Norse believe that each spark of the fire represented?
Why was the end of December a good time for celebrating?
Why were German people terrified of the god Oden? How did they show their fear?

STUDENT B QUESTIONS:

1. Who was Saturnalia intended to honour?
2. How did Roman society change during Saturnalia?
3. In what century did the Church decide to make the birth of Christ a holiday?
4. What was the problem with choosing the date of Christ’s birth?
5. Why was 25th December chosen?
6. Why do some churches celebrate Christmas on 7th January?
7. What was the main disadvantage for church leaders of holding Christmas at the same time as other winter festivals?
8. In what way were Christmas celebrations during the Middle Ages similar to those of Roman times?

STUDENTS A AND B QUESTIONS:

Now, read the third section entitled ’An outlaw Christmas’. Look at the statements below and decide whether they are true or false. Write T for true and F for false. Then, compare your answers with your partner.

1. Oliver Cromwell took control of England in 1645.

2. Cromwell and his Puritan forces encouraged the English people to celebrate Christmas.

3. When the monarchy was reintroduced and Charles l became king, Christmas was celebrated again in England.

4. As a result of the puritan Pilgrims coming to America in 1620, Christmas was not a holiday from 1659 to 1681.

5. In Boston, from 1659 to 1681, anyone exhibiting ’Christmas spirit’ (= publicly celebrating Christmas) was fined five shillings.

6. Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday in the USA until 26th June, 1870.