pagan roots
Ancient polytheistic heritage
Pagan roots refers to the pre-Christian origins of cultural practices, holidays, or symbols.
Christmas trees, Easter eggs, and Halloween traditions all have pagan roots—elements borrowed from ancient polytheistic religions and folk customs.
The phrase often appears in discussions debunking or contextualizing religious holidays: The celebration has pagan roots that predate Christianity by centuries.
- ancientVery old indeed
- heathenIrreligious nonbeliever
- druidAncient Celtic priest-scholar
- solsticeDay of maximum tilt
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
wheel of the year · winter solstice · folklore · folk magic · standing stones · sacred grove · maypole dance · earth · sacred · harvest · ancestral · witch · sacred grove · oak · green man · fertility · bonfire · equinox
- Holiday OriginsCinco de Mayo, Independence Day, Veterans Day, religious holidays, national holidays
- Anglo-Saxon EnglandAnglo-Saxons, Anglo-Saxon, witenagemot, doom, Northumbria
- BalticsBaltic States, Latvia, Lithuania, Riga, Tallinn
- Irish FaithSt. Patrick, St. Brigid, Celtic cross, Catholic Church, holy well
- Slavic traditionsOrthodox Christmas, caroling, mummers, blini
- Weekday LoreSunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday