What is Saturnalia?

The Roman Saturnalia, honoring the god Saturn, was held on December 17 to 23 and was a time of pagan feasting. (Saturnalia traditions later became absorbed into the celebration of Christmas..) To start a war during this time would have been a sin against the gods. Schools were closed, courts were out of session, and no penalties were handed down to lawbreakers. It was a seven-day period of peace and candle-lighting.