Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we’re discussing RELIGION and Christmas in Harry Potter . We’ll also be more broadly addressing the topic of religion in Wizarding Society- including it’s prevalence, diversification and whether or not witches and wizards celebrate GOD-like figures.
- peeling back the layers to uncover if Christmas means the same thing in the MAGICAL world as it does in the MUGGLE world.
We’re going to start with Christmas then segue in to religion.
Let’s get in to it.
Christmas time at Hogwarts meant that it was time for Hagrid and the other professors to outfit the Great Hall with Christmas decorations. Twelve large decorated fir trees, mistletoe, and holly were among the decorations that Hagrid and the other professors helped put in the Great Hall for the Christmas holidays.
On the surface, Christmas in Harry Potter appears to be celebrated very much the same way that it’s celebrated in Muggle Society- with eggnog, carols, lights, trees, presents and Christmas feasts.
"Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce — and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table…”
In fact, the emphasis placed on Christmas traditions in Harry Potter is so significant that the franchise (in some ways) has transcended the page- becoming immortalized in the real world as a story that’s become synonymous with Christmas itself. As soon as the snowy-season hits, it’s inevitably time to hunker down in some blankets and throw on Harry Potter.
But besides all of the warm jumpers, gingerbread houses and Christmas pudding- what is the ACTUAL significance of Christmas in Harry Potter? Is Christmas in Harry Potter driven by religion, or is it a secular holiday?
First I’m going to take a look at what Christmas means to witches and wizards, then I’m going to dive in to the role of religion in the wizarding world as a whole.
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