Relation to concurrent celebrations

Prior to and through the early Christian centuries, winter festivals especially those centered on the winter solstice were the most popular of the year in many European pagan cultures.Reasons included the fact that less agricultural work needs to be done during the winter, as well as an expectation of better weather as spring approached. Many modern Christmas customs have been directly influenced by such festivals, including gift giving and merrymaking from the Roman Saturnalia, greenery, lights, and charity from the Roman New Year, and Yule logs and various foods from Germanic feasts.Pagan Scandinavia celebrated a winter festival called Yule, held in the late December to early January period.As northern Europe was the last part to Christianize, its pagan traditions had a major influence on Christmas there, an example being the Koleda, which was incorporated into the Christmas carol.Scandinavians still call Christmas Jul.In English, the word Yule is synonymous with Christmas, a usage first recorded in 900.