COMMENTARY: Looking Deeper into Christmas Traditions

At Church and College of São Lourenço or Church of the Crickets or Major Seminary of the Cathedral of Porto, Portugal, 2007--creative commons

By Olympia Caswell and Julie Kaminski

History of Christmas Traditions

Christmas really is the most delightful time of the year for a lot of people. Observed on December 25, it is a holy religious event as well as a global cultural and economic phenomenon. This widely observed holiday is based on many cherished customs, like decorating our homes, erecting Christmas trees and nativity scenes, and exchanging gifts with friends and family.

Christmas Day is marked by Christians as the anniversary of the day Jesus was born, the very foundation of the faith based upon his teachings and the belief in his late resurrection from the dead. Starting in 1870, the United States began observing December 25 as the federal holiday known as Christmas Day.

The history of Christmas goes back considerably longer than we may realize. Over the years, our favorite rituals have changed in unanticipated ways. For you to really grasp the origins of Christmas, we’ve done the research for you.

A Brief History

Even before the arrival of Jesus, December was an important and celebrated time throughout the world, especially Europe. The winter solstice was observed every year and signified the end of the worst of the winter and the beginning of longer daylight hours. The Norse people of Scandinavia would combine feasting with the burning of large logs, celebrating the winter solstice from December 21 to January 1st specifically.

Others celebrated their gods during this time, such as the Romans who gave thanks to Saturn, god of agriculture, with a festival they called Saturnalia. They even had a holiday called Juvenalia which was actually celebrated on December 25th itself, though it didn’t resemble our modern-day festivities. It did celebrate the children of the city but also the god Mithra.

Start of a Christian Christmas

Though the winter month of December has always been an important time for celebration, the beginning of Christmas as we think of it began with Christianity.

The story goes that on December 25th Jesus was born in a barn surrounded by animals in the little town of Bethlehem, but we have to wonder if this was really accurate. In all likelihood, Jesus was not born on December 25th or even in December at all.

So why, you may ask, is Christmas celebrated on the 25th?

It's believed that around 350 AD when Pope Julius I decided to make Christmas the official day to celebrate the birth of Jesus, he placed it on the 25th in order to drown out and distract people from the pagan celebrations which took place around the same time. As a result, the public would subsequently be drawn to Christmas instead, which is exactly what happened.

Traditions and Their Origins

So, now we know the reason behind Christmas, but what about its traditions? Let's find out where the caroling, presents, and cookies come from!

Christmas trees

One of the first things that pop into people's minds when they hear the word "Christmas" is an image of a decorated tree, typically an evergreen. There's no way to be certain where this custom originated, but many attribute it to 16th century German Christians who used them to represent eternal life. It then became popularized in 1846 after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert began putting up a Christmas tree in the palace.

Stars

Stars are another thing you see everywhere during the Christmas season, including on top of your own tree and other trees that are decorated. This symbol comes from the story of Jesus' birth when a bright star led the three wise men directly to the stable where he was born. Stars have thus become a symbol of hope that transcends darkness.

Christmas cards

Whether you've sent them out yourself, received them, or both, you're probably aware of the tradition of sending Christmas cards. Today they serve as a year-in-review for individuals to see what their friends and family have been up to.

The tradition began in 1843 when Sir Henry Cole, a British inventor and civil servant, wanted to send holiday greetings to his friends and family without the hassle of having to individualize each one. His solution was to make 1,000 illustrated cards with a line wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

Kissing under the mistletoe

A kiss under mistletoe is the stuff of a perfect Christmas romance. Mistletoe used to be associated with luck, which is why the Victorians believed kissing beneath a cluster of the green sprigs could result in marriage.

Dating even further back is the story of Baldur, son of Odin, from Norse mythology. The legend goes that mistletoe was used to raise Baldur from the grave, and as a result, his mother, who was known as the goddess of love, as a symbol of love, made an oath to kiss anyone who appeared beneath the plant.

Caroling

Christmas carols are notorious for putting their listeners into a cheerful holiday spirit. This custom has roots originating from all parts of Europe and has taken on many forms.

In many cultures, people would knock on neighbors' doors to request permission to perform, after which they would sing, read poems, and even put on skits. The belief was that these performances would bring luck to then affect a subsequent harvest.

While the connection to a bountiful harvest per se is no longer current, many of these customs were absorbed into the Christmas holiday and are still carried out today.

Eggnog

Although the creamy, spiced beverage doesn't appear to be an elite beverage, eggnog certainly began as one. British nobility created it using cream as a base but with brandy and sherry as preservatives. Since the ingredients were too expensive for the average person, only the privileged could afford to drink it.

In the 1700s, the recipe traveled to the American colonies, where colonists substituted rum for the more expensive alcohol. As grog was another name for rum at the time, it was nicknamed egg-n-grog.

The name we use today, eggnog, came about later when the beverage began to be served in wooden "noggin" cups.

Candy canes

Candy canes seem to be only consumed around Christmas time, basically making them the official candy of the holiday season, but why, you might ask?

It is said that they were designed in the shape of a shepherd's crook in order to represent Jesus, who is known to his followers as the “Good Shepherd.” The white symbolizes purity, and the red is for the blood of Christ. Candy canes quickly became popular in the U.S during the 1920s.

Advent calendars

During the month of December, it seems as if you can't go into most homes without seeing some kind of advent calendar, which serves to count down the days until Christmas. These calendars come from the old Christian tradition of Advent.

During the time of Advent, Christians would fast in order to get ready for the return of Jesus Christ.

Nativity scenes

According to legend, Saint Francis of Assisi built the first crèche in 1223 while leading a Christmas Eve Mass in Grecio, a mountain town in Italy. The living nativity scene included a manager, ox, and a donkey.

Following the creation of the first nativity scene, the custom gained popularity and expanded widely. For instance, almost all the churches in Italy adopted the practice within a century. The in-home nativity scenes that are now such a big feature of Christmas developed through time as sculptures began to replace actual humans and animals.

Conclusion

Even if they are intricate, most of our Christmas traditions and symbols have lovely, profound histories. The days and customs of Christmas may have varied throughout time in history, yet it always has remained a time of celebration and joy with those closest to us. Our traditions are a way to remind us of this special time during the year, so drink that eggnog, sing those carols, and decorate that tree!

Olympia Caswell lives in Franklin. Julie Kaminski is from the area but currently resides in Florence, Italy