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History of Some Christmas Traditions
Christians
celebrate Christmas to observe the birth of Jesus Christ,
which is an event and not a tradition. But many other
activities related to celebrating the Christmas season
evolved from certain traditions, many of which are from
other countries, particularly from peoples in Europe. Among
common items used in Christmas decorations are holly
and the mistletoe.
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Both are used primarily
in wreaths and garlands. The Druids started the
tradition of using the mistletoe as decorative items
up to 200 years before Christ. To celebrate the
winterseason, the Druids would gather the plants and
use them to decorate their homes. The Druids believed
the mistletoe would bring good luck and ward off evil
spirits. They also believed that the mistletoe had a
healing quality and could be used for everything from
healing wounds to increase fertility.
In Scandinavia, the mistletoe was seen as a plant of
peace and harmony and was associated with Frigga, the
goddess of love. This association is probably what
led to the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. In
the Victorian period, the English also would hang
mistletoe from ceilings and in doorways during
holidays. The habit developed that if someone was
standing under the mistletoe, someone else in the
room would kiss that person. Such outright behavior
was not generally seen in Victorian society.
The use of the mistletoe in Christmas celebrations
was once banned by the church however because of its
associations with pagan traditions, and the use of
holly was suggested as a substitute.
Poinsettias are another traditional
decorative flower used at Christmas. It is native to
Mexico and is named after Joel Poinsett, who was the
first U.S ambassador to Mexico and who brought the
plant to America in 1828. Mexicans believe the plants
were a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem and that's one
reason they are associated with Christmas.
There's also the story that a young boy was going to
see the Nativity Play at a church but realized he
didn't have a gift for baby Jesus. The boy gathered
some green branches, which others scoffed at. But as
he placed them near the manger, a bright red
poinsettia flower started to bloom on each branch,
which gave rise to their traditional use at
Christmas.
Candy canes became a Christmas
tradition, not because their red and white stripes
matched the colors of the season, but for the most
unusual reason of discipline. That's because they
were first used as treats that were give to German
children to keep them
well-behaved for the duration of church sermons. Over
time, the legend of candy canes at Christmas came to
be associated with some of the strongest symbols and
beliefs of Christianity: the Father, Son and Holy
Ghost known as the Trinity, the blood of the Son of
God, Jesus as the embodiment of holiness, purity and
without sin and the Son of God as the shepherd of
man. The candy cane represents these symbols
respectively with its three stripes, its red and
white color and its shape.
Sending greeting cards during Christmas
and the holidays is as prevalent today as the custom
of giving gifts. The tradition of sending Christmas
cards started in 1840 in Britain with the start of
public postal delivery service of the 'Penny Post.'
Then from about 1860, large numbers of Christmas
greeting cards started to be produced. The popularity
of the cards increased in Britain when they could be
sent by the postal service for one half-penny, which
was half the price to post a standard letter at the
time, if they were in an unsealed envelope.
Religious pictures of Mary, Joseph , baby Jesus, the
angels, shepherds and wise men were traditionally
placed on Christmas cards. Some cards today include
scenes from the Nativity, and pictures of Santa
Claus, winter scenery, Christmas trees, gift
packages. Others are also depicted on contemporary
Christmas greeting cards.
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