Merry Saturnalia: The lively connections between an ancient Roman festival and modern Christmas

We can also thank the Roman era for Old Saint Nick and other signs of the season

Saturnalia painting by Antoine Ballet (via Wikimedia Commons)

I wasn't aware of this: that many of our present-day Christmas traditions can be traced back to ancient Rome. Specifically, our annual festivities have a direct correlation to the most joyful of holidays on the Roman calendar, Saturnalia. Held in mid-December around the time of the winter so…