Christmas & The Deer Mother

I have felt a spiritual and magical connection to Christmas for years! It was hard to describe it in words, and it still is, but I knew that there was something true to be found in what we know of Christmas today, even if it would mean looking into Christmas past. Finding this article and realizing that the Siberian shamans I felt an instinctive energetic connection to were women, and medicine women healers, at that, was profoundly moving! Here I share with you the deep past of the mothers Christmas...

While many historical explorations of the pagan origins of Christmas observe the link between Santa’s garb and the red and white amanita mushroom ingesting shaman, few mention that is was the female shamans who originally wore red and white costumes trimmed with fur, horned headdresses or felt red hats! The ceremonial clothing worn by medicine women healers of Siberia and Lapland, was green and white with a red peaked hat, curled toed boots, reindeer mittens, fur lining and trim. Sound familiar?

And while these women are largely forgotten today, the Deer Mother still lives in our Christmas cards, seasonal decorations and tales of Santa’s flying reindeer. While we may not recognize her, I believe some deep, old part of ourselves still remembers the original “Mother Christmas” who brought light and new life to the world. -from GatherVictoria

(photo credit: Gather Victoria)