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Christmas Traditions
Christmas traditions can be national, regional, or very personal. Sometimes we look at our national traditions and feel like they've "always been there" but that isn't so.
For instance, did you know that Christmas trees originated in Germany? Then they traveled to England when Queen Victoria married her cousin, Prince Albert of Germany. He brought the Christmas tree tradition with him, and in 1848 the Royal Family was photographed with their tree. Within just a few years, everyone in England had to have a Christmas tree! After that, it didn't take long for Americans to embrace the idea too.
In 1843 an English printer named J.C. Horsley produced the first Christmas Card and it was an immediate sensation. Of course, like the tree, it traveled quickly to America.
What I learned recently that really interested me was that by the mid 1800's, Christmas was celebrated everywhere EXCEPT in churches. The churches tried to ignore it entirely! That is a fact that should be broadcast to all who seek to do away with Christmas because they call it a Christian holiday!
Also in the mid 1800's Santa Claus came to us from the Dutch. In a "Victorian world" where children were treated sternly, parents embraced Christmas and Santa as a way to pamper their children just a little without seeming soft on discipline. Savvy retailers realized what was happening and jumped on the bandwagon - putting Santa Claus in department stores across the U.S. Of course, no one quite knew what this jolly elf looked like. That is until 1862 when Clement C Moore described him in the poem "The Night Before Christmas" and then when Thomas Nast drew him in 1863.
Clemen Moore wrote the poem and was reluctant to let anyone see it except his own children - he was a man of the church and felt that people would look down on him for being too secular.
All of that is part of our national tradition - handed down through generations of Americans of every race, color, and creed. More than a few of us are upset at attempts to remove it from our stores, schools, and public buildings.
The reason for this site was to share my Mother's Christmas Tree story with the world. But now it appears that one thing leads to another and I will have to do even more research. I want to know when and how Christmas evolved from a purely pagan celebration into the Christian holiday it is today.
Perhaps I've sparked your curiosity as well.
Christmas Superstitions, Beliefs, and Practices of Long AgoMy research turned up some old superstitions about Christmas. Here's a sample:
In Old England sprays of holly were placd on the hives to wish the bees a Merry Christmas. And the bees were said to hum a carol in honor of the Christ Child.
Holly hung on the door at Christmastime was once believed to repel eveil sprits and protect the house from lightning.
The ceremonial Christmas drink in England was once lamb's wool: a mixture of hot ale, sugar, spices, eggs and roasted apples. Thick cream was sometimes added. It was served in a wassail bowl with pieces of toast floated on top. Hence, the origin of the drinking toast.
In Syria it is said that the youngest camel of the Wise Men was so tired when they reached the manger that he fell down. In sympathy, the infant Christ blessed him. Syrian children believe that this animal brings their gifts on Epiphany. They call him "the Camel of Jesus."
From the Old South
Don't wash and press a Christmas present before giving it, or you will wash out the good luck and press in the bad.
Make a start on your year's work between Christmas and January fifth - a bit of ditching, a little plowing - to "show your intentions." But never fix your roof between Christmas and New Year's or the holes will come right back.
Leave a loaf of bread on the table after Christmas Eve supper and you will have a full supply until the next Christmas.
Eat an apple as the clock strikes twelve on Christmas Eve and you will have good health throughout the coming year.
To improve your luck, wear something new on Christmas Day. But don't wear new shoes. They will hurt, and may even walk you into a catastrophe.
But what about your personal traditions?
Do you carry on Christmas Traditions that were started by your parents, or possibly even your grandparents or great-grandparents? Or did you start some of your own traditions?
Some of my family's traditions came from my Grandfather's childhood in Sweden. While we never put a wreath of candles on our heads, we always kept the tree up until January 7. Now, I don't know if that was the true tradition. But Grandfather said it was, so that's what we did. And it's what I still do.
Many traditions center around getting and decorating the tree, opening gifts, and food.
And, unfortunately, some of these traditions cause more conflict than good cheer. When couples marry to form a new family, and bring along their old traditions, battles can ensue. Each believes their way is the best. That's why I think new families should start from the beginning to form their own unique traditions.
Of course, deciding on what those will be takes a lot of love, understanding, and compromise.
In families I've met, getting the tree seems to cause the least conflict. That is, unless one party wants a live tree, and one wants a cut tree - or even an artificial tree.
For some families, it wouldn't be Christmas without a trek into the forest in search of the perfect tree. Others visit a favorite tree farm. Some of us put the tree up early - some even the day after Thanksgiving. Others wait until Christmas Eve.
The time to open gifts can cause trouble, too. My family always got together for a huge party on Christmas Eve and opened gifts. That left all of Christmas morning for the women to prepare a huge meal. They always ate early, so they could "get it over with" and clean up the mess. Then I married a man who went along with that plan until we had children. Then he insisted that it wasn't right to let kids open their gifts and be sent off to bed an hour later. I agreed, but my "old family" wasn't happy with us!
Traditional food is important to almost everyone. Luckily, the conflict there is easily resolved. Just cook all of it!
For me, it wouldn't be Christmas without Spritz cookies and homemade potato sausage. My husband has to have turkey with cranberry sauce, and candied sweet potatoes. A friend has to make homemade lefse each year, and another friend says it can't be Christmas Eve without Crab Quiche.
Have you started new traditions for your family?
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