In the Roman world the Saturnalia (December 17) was a time of (1)TO MAKE MERRY and exchange of gifts. December 25 (2)TO REGARD also as the birth date of the Iranian mystery god Mithra, the Sun of Righteousness. On the Roman New Year (January 1), houses were decorated with (3)GREEN and lights, and gifts were given to children and the poor. To these (4)OBSERVE were added the Germanic and Celtic Yule rites. Food and good fellowship, the Yule log and Yule cakes, greenery and fir trees, and gifts and greetings all had different (5)MEAN.