Just a thought - I wonder if the John is Dead idea has anything to do with John Barleycorn is Dead which, as I understand it, relates to the celebration of the seasons in relation to the harvests. Planting the seed (burying John), the seed sprouting (John is alive), the crop being harvested (John is killed), and then the cycle starting agian. That all relates to a lot of primitive/ancient crop-farming cultures including the Celtic cultures, I think. The Celtic reference is to The Green Man, I think.

That opens up a whole new connection to the idea of pre-Christian celebrations and rituals being incorporated into the Christian year of celebrations etc. John Barleycorn can be related to Christ's death, burial, rebirth too.

This is just a thought that occurred to me and could be way, way off beam

Helen