8 Terrifying Pagan Origins of Christmas We Forgot

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Think Christmas is all about peace, love, and baby Jesus? Think again. From Roman orgies and child-eating monsters to the Puritan ban on festivities, we’re uncovering the 8 dark, pagan, and bizarre origins of the holiday that history tried to erase.

In this episode of Odd Whys, we explore the "Intellectual Mysteries" behind our most beloved holiday traditions. We travel back to Ancient Rome to witness the chaos of Saturnalia, visit the frozen north where Yule demanded blood sacrifices, and meet the "anti-Santas" like Krampus and the Icelandic Yule Cat who hunted children for sport.

[00:05] The Roman Saturnalia: Role Reversal & Total Chaos
[03:28] Yule & The Nordic Boar Sacrifice (Origin of the Ham)
[06:51] Krampus: Santa Claus’s Demonic Enforcer
[09:53] Gryla & The Yule Cat: Eating Kids with Old Clothes
[13:23] Why Do We Put Dead Trees in the Living Room?
[16:41] The Real Saint Nicholas: A Tough Turkish Bishop
[20:02] The 17th Century Ban on Christmas (It Was Illegal!)
[22:51] Christmas Ghost Stories: The Horror Tradition

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