John Reinhard Weguelin–The Roman Saturnalia (1884): Wikimedia CommonsThe Boisterous Birth of Many Holiday TraditionsA look at the traditions and tales of the feast of Saturn or “Saturnalia”, which was was celebrated from approximately December 17th through the 23rd. Noted anthropologist James 'Golden Bough' Frazer (1954-1941), hypothesized a bloodier side to Saturnalia and the Lord of Misrule. In Roman Bulgaria, legionnaires would pick one of their comrades to be Lord of Misrule for thirty days. Likewise, the British Lord of Misrule was said originally to be a sacrificial king slain for the benefit of all; witness the Wicker Man. And tiresome performative egomaniac, the oafish Johnson surely deserves the title 'Lord of Misrule.'

Source: The Guardian January 08, 2024 02:29 UTC