Thursday, March 25, 2010

calendars


Around 150 AD Catholic church leaders reinvented the Roman orgy, Saturnalia, the winter solstice, as the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Allowing for a bit of wiggle room, December 25th was the agreed upon date. With me so far?

Every good marketeer knows you won't enroll new members by gypping them out of something they always looked forward to. The Church was looking for new blood, so instead of saying, as they later would, "you cannot go to that stupid Roman party" they said, "Come to our new Christmas party". It worked.


Around the same time, a new feast day, Lady's Day was cut from whole cloth. Lady's Day marked the beginning of the liturgical year, and for all intents became the new New Years Day. Not uncoincidentally, Lady's Day, now known as Annunciation Day, was placed exactly nine months before Christmas, March 25. Today, if you will.

Have you ever wondered why the 8th month (oct ober) was really the 10th, or the 10th month (Dec ember) was 12th? Thank Lady's Day.

Around 1582, the Gregorian calendar was instituted throughout Catholic Europe. Its big improvement was to reinstate New Years on January 1, and moved the major liturgical celebrations to a more fixed time period, but didn't move the months.

And there boys and girls is your history lesson for the day. Why do I know this? It's my birthday.

Toad

16 comments:

LPC said...

Many happy returns of the day. Whatever month it is:).

Kim said...

Have a wonderful celebration! Happy Birthday!

Allie and Pattie said...

Happy Birthday, Toad! Enjoy!
Pattie

Shelley said...

Happy Birthday! I love the 3 wise men pictures - both of them are gorgeous. And you changed your masthead (?is that what it's called, the picture at the top?). Probably you changed it a month ago and I just noticed. Never mind. Have a great birthday!

ADG said...

Happy Birthday..............Are you gonna do something fun?

TWJ said...

Happy Birthday, hope it is a great one. And thank you for the history lesson.
TWJ

Suburban Princess said...

Which makes it perfect that it is my birthday :O) My gran always told me this story when I was little :O)

James said...

Happy Birthday, I hope it is a joyous one!

Kathy said...

Happy Birthday Toad!

M.Lane said...

Happy Birthday! I recommend that you declare a birthdayfest and continue it out about two weeks! Make your own calendar!

ML
mlanesepic.blogspot.com

Suburban Princess said...

Happy Happy Birthday!

Toad said...

Sp happy birthday to you, and many thanks to each of you. My daughter is here and it will be a great day, in spite of the rain.

Patsy said...

Excellent! I love a birthday story.

Celebrate like you invented it!

Free Kansas said...

Happy Birthday Toad! I recommend the Camacho Liberty 2006 and 2-3 fingers of Jameson's.

Just make sure that you have enough time to sit and enjoy the entire stick. There's not a lot of 44 year old tabacco laying around these days.

Gail, in northern California said...

Have a wonderful time enjoying your birthday.
Celebrate 'til your socks fall off!

DAG said...

Toad - as always, love your posts.

Penblwydd Hapus i Chi!
Chuc Mung Sinh Nhat!
Droonkher Tashi Delek!
Co` latha breith sona dhuibh!
Happy Birthday!