Not long ago, six months ago, with the sun on our head and warming us very well the little shadow of our body by our side. Today the sun rubs us above, creating in the bright day a sweet and in the earth a long kingdom of our body. The sun has fallen to the neck of the high mountains and if we went down through it we would hide forever. What a picture! Keep the sun forever. We're in the winter solstice.

It's easy to say that the sun has been preserved forever, and maybe we don't care so much, but if the ancient men feared it. They were days to rejoice once the sun set up, new days. Today we use Christmas with complete peace of mind, without knowing what we say. Winter begins. It seems that the sun also has a very difficult path to climb and the following months will not be easy: Moribundo (Ilbeltza, Urteilla, Hippodrome) dead wolf (February, Barantalla, Kataila) … That is, a winter atmosphere in sight.

“Melur snow I am not afraid, I have enough corn and wood” This old saying will not be very old, because they brought the corn of America in the 16th century. Wood is another story. In ancient times, since fire was invented, wood has been the most necessary material, today more than oil itself. As fire is the most important element to survive, wood is necessary to make fire, since stones do not make fire. In addition, the houses were made of wood, wooden utensils, wooden furniture, wood was the protagonist until the time of the metal.

Fire. Again the fire will be the protagonist in the winter solstice. In the summer solstice fire is the center of the celebrations of St. John and in the winter solstice fire will also be an essential element. But this time with more reason, we're in the winter and we need an indoor environment, a kitchen environment, heat, luminosity, in short, sweetness. Fire cannot fail all year round, especially in winter. Fire and wood are two elements necessary for winter.

There is a very widespread tradition throughout the Basque Country, which is manifested in all the territories, and it is the tradition of the Christmas trunk. This trunk receives different names. Here are a few: Gabon mukur, subilaro (in Bizkaia); Gabon Subila (in Antzuola); Gabon Enborra (in Tresbridges, in Álava); Onantzaro Mokorra (in Navarra); Olentzero Enborra (in Oiartzun) … Half a long tube and a wood of the arm or thick thigh, preselected Their ashes hid around the house to spread them through the wood stack of the year and the fields of the house to protect them from pests. The words wood, sun, day, air have the same root, according to historian Ixabel Millet. Wood is equivalent to the sun and the day (light).

Nature, forest and wood are linked to the Winter Solstice. If the Basques attach importance to fire and wood, in other cultures they also associate winter solstice with tree and wood. The habit of introducing a tree (usually pine) into the house comes from northern Europe. Someone may think that this custom comes from America, but it is the other way round, it is the custom they brought from Europe. Putting a tree at home is a sign of love for nature and forests. I am and, unfortunately, we cut the tree in the forest and put it at home (the man's self, the ego, does). It's no bad thing there's plastics as well. In the northern part of Germany there has also been a large trunk decorated and lying in the middle of the living room, with candies and everything. The Christmas trunk of Catalonia, Ó de Nadal (Cagatió), is covered with a veil and while they sing him in Nochebuena they touch him with the stick and give him sweets and gifts. The wooden ornaments are found throughout Europe and in the north of Spain, Catalonia, Galicia, Asturias, Aragon, …

Olentzero is and will be a mythical character. Human beings have the habit of mystifying and personifying elements that, perhaps, are very important to them from the Neolithic. You don't think that myths are just things eight thousand years ago, and today we're still mystifying. The footballer Maradona has been well mystified and placed among the gods. The superficial myths fade away immediately. In my humble opinion, Olentzero's trunk became Olentzero's wrist and instead of smoking at home, they started smoking in the town square and continue smoking. For example, in the Alavese people of Legutiano, this is the case every year in Nochebuena. A mythic and magical Olentzero, because miticity also has magic nearby (in the evolution of human consciousness the mythic appears after the magical time). We also know that a doll offers the possibility of asking from home to home. The doll is also female, Orantzaro de Leitza appears dressed as a woman. The history of Mari Domingi? Olentzero and Mari Domingi, there's a lot to say. Eight thousand years ago the goddesses were converted into gods and we still do it the same way.

When we talk about mythology, many of you will think that we're talking about old stories. Yes, it is true, but not all accounts and stories are the same. Mythological legends should not be taken to the letter, nor reasoned, but interpreted their meaning or what they mean. The myths have to be put in the time and culture of the time when they emerged and drawn conclusions. Religions have been artists in the dogmatization of myths. And what do the customs, rites and mythical characters of the winter solstice bring us? How do we interpret it? I think they show us the cosmos and respect, affection and gratitude for nature. It is true that the sun, the moon, the forest and wood, among many other elements, lived them very closely, assuming them as a necessary part of their life. Today we look very rarely at the sky and, although I am and have my feet on earth, we do not remember much of our Mother Earth. We don't fire, so we don't need firewood. We have electricity, gas, gas oil, charms that we do not know where they come from and it is enough to give a button to warm the house, to illuminate, to cook, to clean … The human being is an abila and, using his wisdom, has found substitutes of wood. But where did he get those other materials from? Another planet? No, all the energy we spend is from our Mother Earth. Do we celebrate a holiday to express our gratitude? Do we care about the winter solstice? It is clear that the human being has really moved away from nature and its Mother Earth that gives it life.

Olentzero of flesh and bone. There are many characters of Christmas meat and bone, starting here and in Europe. In Galicia “El Apalpador” (also carbonero); in Cantabria “El Esteru” (basomutil); in Asturias “El Angulu” (this man of sea, although related to nature); in León “La Bieja del monte”. The best known in Europe is “St. Nicholas”. They have brought this bishop to Christmas parties because he distributed candy and gifts to the children, as he took care of the children. From this saint come “Santa Claus”, especially in America and “Père Nöel” in France. In Euskal Herria, the “San Nikolas txiki” is also celebrated in some villages, begging, dressing a bishop’s child, as in Segura. Bizar Zuri is also listed in Donostia and Zarautz. In Italy “La Befana” is a witch; in Russia, Serbia, Ukraine and surroundings “Ded Moroz” (Winter Grandfather and Snow Doncella); in Iceland, Denmark and Nordic Germany “Yule Celebrations” (Celebrations with Nature, Green Man). In Euskal Herria we've had Olentzero as a Christmas character. I would say that today they are Olentzero and Mari Domingi, the same character in two genres. See when and where only Mari Domingi appears, as Olentzero is sick with Covid-19.

Olentzero and Mari Domingi, of course. Even if they are mythological characters, we will not dogmatize them. I know that these Christmas characters are trapped in consumption, that Olentzero Noeliza has stayed and it's hard to leave. At least we receive their true message, gathered by our ancestors: respect, care and love heaven and earth. It stimulates the gaze towards nature, approaches it and reduces consumption, even in gifts.

Good news! ! ! To everyone.