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Before there was such a thing as a Kwanzaa, Christmas, Hanukkah, or Saturnalia, there were winter solstice celebrations. This celebration goes way back into prehistory in the temperate parts of the world celebrating the change from progressively shorter days to the start of progressively longer days and the eventual return of summer. The only technical advance needed for the winter solstice celebration to occur was the creation of a standing stone (or wood) circle so they could pinpoint that shortest day from the rest of the short days flanking it. All of the traditional evergreen vegetation decorations associated with this time of the year originally derived from winter solstice celebrations. The "Christmas" tree originated from the winter solstice celebrations in the Germanic regions of Europe. The holly, ivy, and mistletoe likewise from winter solstice celebrations in Celtic regions (Britain and France)
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