Opinion

Christmas gifts' darker side THE HOLIDAYS

As children awaken this Christmas morning and rush to the pile of presents wrapped, jewel-like, beneath the tree, we might pause to consider the origin of giving gifts on Christmas.

It is, of course, a means of celebrating the birth of Jesus. While there may, or may not, be any discussion of spirituality at many Americans' Christmas celebrations, there will be stuffed stockings, copious gifts and visiting relatives. There likely will be wreaths of pine (an ancient Roman tradition), and there may be a tree (a tradition that began in earnest in 15th century Germany, but may date back to Druidic and Viking rituals). But it will surprise many to learn that the biblical origin of Christmas gifts is both dark and macabre.

The Christmas gift story is that of the Adoration of the Magi, which appears in the Gospel of Matthew, 2:1-16. The three Magi (alternatively translated as "wise men," "kings" or "magicians") travel from "the east" to Bethlehem, to present gifts to the Messiah, whose birth was announced to them when they "saw his star when it rose." Their traditional names, Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior, do not appear in the Bible, but come from a manuscript written in Alexandria around the year 500.

Before arriving in Bethlehem, the Magi stopped in Jerusalem, and asked the Roman-appointed king, Herod, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?" This disturbed Herod, who was concerned that this future king would overthrow him. He summoned the Magi, and tried to trick them into acting as spies. "Then Herod called the Magi secretly ... he sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.' "

In fact, Herod intended to murder him. When the Magi failed to report back, he ordered what became known as the Massacre of the Innocents. "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity, who were 2 years old and younger." Jesus' father, Joseph, was warned by an angel in a dream, and told to flee to Egypt, thereby saving Jesus from Herod's wrath.

The Magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh - odd gifts to give a newborn, but rife with symbolic meaning, for those three elements are related to the funeral and burial of corpses.

A long-standing tradition, dating back to the ancient Greeks, involved placing one gold coin on each eye of the dead, so that his or her soul would have the boat fare to cross the River Styx, that is, pass from the land of the living into the land of the dead.

Frankincense, the scent found in Catholic and Orthodox churches around the world, is a meditative aid, but is also burned in abundance around bodies before burial to cover any unpleasant odors.

Myrrh was an embalming ointment used until the 15th century to dress bodies before funerals. It is also known as "holy oil," and is still used in traditional Eastern Orthodox burial ceremonies. Myrrh, mixed with wine, also would be offered to Jesus before his crucifixion, as this was an intoxicant, which would have made him less susceptible to pain. The gifts of the Magi at Jesus' birth were all in anticipation of his death.

These gifts are also theologically astute, because the reason for Jesus' birth was for him to die in order to save mankind and reverse original sin, which had been brought about by the fall of man - when Adam took the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. The Magi's gifts were a bit like showing up at a party with a coffin and a shovel wrapped in a bow.

So, as you open your gifts this Christmas morning, think back to the very first Christmas presents. Aunt Flora's pink-and-brown knit tie may not be quite what you were hoping for, but it's a good deal cheerier than an embalming kit.