During the dark winter months, ancient Romans turned to Saturn, the god of farming and the harvest. He was celebrated in a days-long festival called Saturnalia, originally taking place on December 17 but eventually extended to December 23. This public holiday brought a carnival-like atmosphere and included animal sacrifices and feasting, as many Roman holidays did.
Societal rules were set aside for Saturnalia, so the usual strict social boundaries were ignored. This extended to slaves and their masters: it was common for these roles to be reversed during the festival. Some households would elect a “King of Saturnalia” or a Lord of Misrule, who had permission to cause mischief and chaos during the festival. Activities such as gambling and drinking in excess were prominent during Saturnalia, as they were normally discouraged in Roman society.
Romans typically adorned their homes with evergreen foliage and wore their finest clothing during the celebrations. Of course, it couldn’t be a holiday without a proper feast for the whole community. Lavish banquets were organized by prominent leaders, and townspeople all chipped in and brought their finest food and wine.
Offerings and prayers would be given to Saturn, showing thanks for a good harvest and ensuring a successful farming season in the next year. At the Temple of Saturn, priests would ritualistically unbind the feet of the god's statue, symbolizing Saturn’s joining the celebrations.
Another prominent activity during Saturnalia included gift-giving. Close friends and family members would exchange small, low-cost gifts as a sign of affection. These gifts were usually handmade by the giver during the festival. Some common gifts to give during Saturnalia were silver, preserved fruits, and small clay or wooden figures known as sigilla.
Candles were the most common gift to give during Saturnalia. They were lit during the festival much like advent candles are used today. Typically the last day of Saturnalia, called the Sigillaria, was dedicated to gift-giving and opening presents.
Do lavish feasting, evergreen decorations, and gift-giving all sound familiar? That is because, when Catholicism took over the Roman Empire, parts of the Saturnalia celebration were pieced together to make the modern Christmas holiday. Although Christmas has largely taken over our winter holiday season, there are a number of modern pagans that include Saturnalia in their practice.
You can easily follow suit and work elements of the Saturnalia festival into your own practice, especially if you already work with Saturn or Saturnian energy. A good first step would be to make offerings to Saturn or Kronos, his Greek counterpart. Great offerings would be red wine, meat, dark fruits, or incense. You can even mimic the ritual of unbinding Saturn’s feet with a bit of cloth and a statue to represent the god. Candles are an important part of Saturnalia because they represent the promise of the return of the light in the dark of winter. You can dress a candle with oils and herbs as part of your worship.
Most importantly, indulge in old-fashioned hedonism this season: wear your finest clothes, play your favorite music, and feast to your heart's content—embracing the true spirit of Saturnalia. Any supplies you wish to gather for your rituals can be found online or in our brick-and-mortar store. Io Saturnalia!
