This forum was closed on October 1st, 2010. However, the archives are open to the public and filled with vast amounts of good reading and information for you to enjoy. If you wish to meet some Wardrobians, please visit the Into the Wardrobe Facebook group.

How is there Christmas in Narnia?

Please don't close the door behind you.

How is there Christmas in Narnia?

Postby Fairfax » August 1st, 2010, 3:43 am

I found this on the list of possible Narnia books on another thread;

The Origin of Christmas: Other-Worldy Holidays

This is something I've been wondering. At first, one might think: how could Narnians now about Christmas, or call it that? But it might not be otherworldly at all. In fact, perhaps Christmas originated in Narnia and spread to our world. Narnia, after all, is ruled by its own version of Christ. Sure, he's called Aslan. But Christ is a title, not a surname. In Narnia, Aslan holds the title of Christ, just as a Yos'wa (Jesus) does in this one. Yes, Jesus Christ is also implied to be really the same being in both (and probably all) worlds, as implied at the end of Dawn Treader( and (becuase there can be only one Jesus), but I won't go into it that far. Christmas in Narnia, then, must celebrate, if not the birth of Aslan, then hid return, or perhaps his creation of the world. In any case, Christmas is a celebration and honor of Aslan in Narnia. It only makes sense. or perhaps Narnians are aware of Aslan's human form in this world, and that's how they got the name.
Fairfax
 
Posts: 37
Joined: Jan 2010

Re: How is there Christmas in Narnia?

Postby paminala » August 11th, 2010, 5:48 pm

It may be a bit simpler than that. I've been reading the Narnia books again and I had sort of forgotten something. The first King and Queen of Narnia were drawn from our world by Aslan. King Frank and Queen Helen would have probably been the ones to bring the Christian holidays to Narnia since they are the ones they would have celebrated at home. They would certainly have been in a position to establish customs and traditions for all of their 'subjects.'
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.
~ Galileo Galilei
User avatar
paminala
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 358
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Alabama

Re: How is there Christmas in Narnia?

Postby archenland_knight » August 20th, 2010, 8:45 pm

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
User avatar
archenland_knight
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 774
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Obviously at a computer keyboard

Re: How is there Christmas in Narnia?

Postby carol » August 20th, 2010, 9:27 pm

Very true. Another part of the answer is that the characters in Narnia include a number of mythological characters - they are myths in our world but real in Narnia. And since the English Father Christmas is not based on Saint Nicholas, but on the ancient figure of winter (back to Celts, Romans, Saxons etc) he is a myth here but real there!!
Image
carol
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 3673
Joined: Apr 1999
Location: New Zealand

Re: How is there Christmas in Narnia?

Postby Erekose » August 22nd, 2010, 9:38 pm

The heretic cogs in my brain got creaking when I read this... atre at night as well.. but.. here's a couple of thoughts...

A problem does exist with christmas being introduced by King Frank and Queen Helen... the apparent absence of Jesus Christ in any form (apart from allegorical connections between Aslan and Christ, which I don't wish to get into us as not attemtping to associate any such connections as these are more better dealt with by others more read than myself).

However, there ios the implied "missing" chronicle, which would tell how the Beavers came to be possesion of a peice of intricate earth technology.. the sewing machine.

One could assume that a visit to Narnia took place between the time of MN and LWW. A visit which maybe took place at christmas and involved the taking of various artefacts, including the sewing machine, and decorations.
If this happened at the time olf the coming of Winter/the destruction of the tree, one could assume that the legend of christmas was a focus of "hope", and the strong mythological imagery assited with the ability of "father Christmas" to manifest there after jadis power was on the wane.

I've mentioned the "missing visit" before in my heresies.. but hadn't considered a christmas angle.. which would actually fit well into the heresy.

/me drifts away again, wondering how long it will be before he returns again
Call yourself a dog???? I've seen better hair on a lavatory brush!!!
User avatar
Erekose
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 2210
Joined: Jan 2001

Re: How is there Christmas in Narnia?

Postby Fairfax » September 7th, 2010, 5:08 am

Embarressing, but I don't remember a King Frank or Queen Helen at all. I assume they're in the Magician's Nephew, which I've read, but I must have forgotten that part.
Fairfax
 
Posts: 37
Joined: Jan 2010

Re: How is there Christmas in Narnia?

Postby archenland_knight » September 7th, 2010, 1:37 pm

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
User avatar
archenland_knight
Wardrobian
 
Posts: 774
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Obviously at a computer keyboard


Return to The Chronicles of Narnia

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered members and 20 guests

cron