Yule, Saturnalia, and how the solstice shaped modern Christmas traditions

(KTAL/KMSS) - Christmas trees, holly, mistletoe, and cider are staples of the holidays but these traditional parts of our holiday celebrations predate Christmas by several hundred years.
In 2022 the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year and the official start of the winter season, falls on the 21st. Many solstice celebrations became incorporated into Christmas celebrations over centuries as Christianity spread across Europe and cultures mixed together.Shreveport homes dressed in their C