Pagan Christmas: The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the Origins of Yuletide »

Christian Rätsch, Ph.D., is a world-renowned anthropologist and ethnopharmacologist who specializes in the shamanic uses of plants. He is the author of Marijuana Medicine and coauthor of Plants of the Gods, Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas, Witchcraft Medicine, and The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants. He lives in Hamburg, Germany, and lectures around the world.

Claudia Müller-Ebeling, Ph.D., is an art historian and anthropologist and coauthor, with Christian Rätsch, of Shamanism and Tantra in the Himalayas, Witchcraft Medicine, and Pagan Christmas. She lives in Hamburg, Germany.

The day on which many commemorate the birth of Christ has its origins in pagan rituals that center on tree worship, agriculture, magic, and social exchange. The botanical elements of Christmas provide a unique view of the religion that existed in Europe before the introduction of Christianity.

Preface

The Ethnobotany of Christmas
Traditions, Rituals, and Customs Christmas Songs of the Hard Winter

A Pagan Feast
Red and White: Colors of Christmas The Darkness of Midwinter Sacred Nights, Smudging Nights, and Incense Wotan and the Wild Hunt

From the Shamanic World Tree to the Christmas Tree
Christmas Trees Holy Trees St. Nicholas and His Little Helper, Ruprecht Baccy Claus: The Smoking Christmas Man Father Christmas: An Anthropomorphic Fly Agaric Mushroom?
Christmas Tree Decorations The Golden Apples

Miracle Blossoms for the Winter Solstice
St. Barbara’s Boughs Christ Rose or Hellebore Christmas Roses Christmas Stars Exotic Christmas Flowers

Christmas Greens
The Old Ones of the Woods Mistletoe: Winter Woods Green Holly: Frau Holle’s Holy Tree Laurel: The Sun God’s Plant Ivy: Tendrils of the Maenads

The Aromas of Christmas: A Shower of Pheromones
Incense for the Holy Nights Incense Under the Christmas Tree Incense Recipes for the Smudging Nights

Christmas Intoxications and Other Delights
Yule Drinking Love on Christmas Eve?
Chocolate Father Christmas: Ritual Christmas Cannibalism Mugwort, the Sacrificial Goose, and the Christmas Roast Rosemary and the Yule Boar Merry Christmas from Mother Coca, Coca-Cola, and Santa Claus

Christmas Spices and Christmas Baking
Anise and St. Andrew’s Night Saffron: Red Gold for Christmas Christmas Baking

The Rebirth of the Sun
Sun Gods: Apollo, Mithras, and Jesus Mystery Cults Kyphi: Incense for the Smudging Nights Saturn, the God of Incense The Erotic Bean Feast

New Year’s Eve: The Wild Feast of Sylvester
Protection and Fertility Rites Lucky Plants

Happy New Year
Thunder and Witch Flour From Incense to Fireworks Lucky Mushrooms and Chimney Sweeps New Year’s Day Magical, Shamanic Clover

The Night of Befana, the Christmas Witch
Holy Bushes that Protect Against Witches Paradise Plant Devil’s Dirt and Witches’ Smoke

Three Kings Day: The End of the Christmas Season
The Pagan Magi from the East Frankincense, the Secret of Old Arabia

Bibliography

Index