A Dark Side of the Shroom Christmas

With the end of Thanksgiving and the holiday season officially in full swing, many will ponder where many of the traditions we associate with Christmas come from. 

From Santa’s arrival through a chimney to flying reindeer, there are many characteristics that can be linked to the use of Amanita Muscaria and Christmas traditions. 

Below we’ll discuss 4 ways Amantia Muscaria has influenced Christmas and how this fantastic fungus can be seen in many of the traditions we practice today.

The use of Amanita Muscaria has been around for centuries with some of the first pictographs of mushroom use in ceremonial rituals dating back to 6000 B.C. located on a mural in eastern Spain. 

But, it is the winter solstice ceremony of the indigenous people of the North Pole, known as “The Sami”, who are most directly linked to our modern-day Christmas traditions and those of ancient rites. 

According to writer and mycologist Lawrence Milliman, the origins of Christmas traditions we know today likely started in Lapland, Finland, a region close to the North Pole.

Even the traditional garb worn by the Sami shaman resembles that of modern-day depictions of Santa Claus. Gakti, a traditional clothing worn by Sami that was red and white in color (much like the Amanita Muscaria mushroom), was worn both in ceremonies and while herding reindeer. 

With shining presents displayed around a fragrant pine tree and an open fire crackling, we all love the tradition of gift-giving. This tradition was commonly practiced by the Sami people.

According to John Rush, an anthropologist and instructor at Sierra College in Rocklin, California,

"As the story goes, up until a few hundred years ago, these practicing shamans or priests connected to the older traditions would collect Amanita muscaria (the Holy Mushroom), dry them and then give them as gifts on the winter solstice. Because snow is usually blocking doors, there was an opening in the roof through which people entered and exited, thus the chimney story."

Giving gifts of Amanita Muscaria mushrooms were a common practice among the shamans of the Sami people. Shamans who delivered the gift of these precious mushrooms were rewarded with food, perhaps much like we leave milk and cookies for Santa for his visit. 

Amanita Muscaria mushrooms love trees, especially birch trees, common in the northern hemisphere. Although bringing in a Christmas tree for display purposes in the household was popularized in Germany during the 16th century, the act of setting gifts beneath a tree was utilized by the Sami people much earlier. 

James Arthur, writer of Mushrooms and Mankind, points out, "Why do people bring pine trees into their houses at the winter solstice, placing brightly colored (red-and-white) packages under their boughs, as gifts to show their love for each other? It is because, underneath the pine bough is the exact location where one would find this 'Most Sacred' substance, the Amanita muscaria, in the wild." 

Reindeer are common in the northern hemisphere and were considered “spirit animals” among the Sami people. There are accounts of the Sami people drinking the urine from the reindeer to get the psychedelic effects of Amanita Muscaria since reindeer are immune to raw Amanita Muscaria toxicity. 

One of the effects of Amanita Muscaria is the feeling of growing or shirking, and these effects may have contributed to the idea of flying reindeer. 

Carl Ruck, a professor at Boston University, states, 

"At first glance, one thinks it's ridiculous, but it's not. Whoever heard of reindeer flying? I think it's becoming general knowledge that Santa is taking a 'trip' with his reindeer. Amongst the Siberian shamans, you have an animal spirit you can journey with in your vision quest. And reindeer are common and familiar to people in eastern Siberia."

Christmas as a holiday is blended with a mix of traditions from various cultures throughout the world. While practices differ from region to region, one cannot deny the influence Amanita Muscaria had on this most celebrated time of the season. 

From all of us here at Dark Side of the Shroom, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!